THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 13, 1995 TAG: 9501120154
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JO-ANN CLEGG, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines
``I GUESS '94 WAS just my year to be honored,'' James H. Skinner said with a smile, ``and it looks like '95 is starting out the same way.''
If the honors have been coming in at a fairly steady pace for the retired school teacher recently, it's only because they're well deserved.
The Edenton, N.C., native has worked for the good of his country, his community and his church for all of his adult life. So, for that matter, has his wife, Melba, a registered nurse who earned a lot of respect from those she worked with and ministered to in her 27 years with the Princess Anne County and Virginia Beach health departments.
``I left school when I was 15,'' James Skinner said, ``and got my parents to agree to say that I was 17 so that I could join the Army.''
After 6 1/2 years service as a medic, he left the Army, got a G.E.D. and went off to St. Augustine's College in Raleigh to prepare for a career teaching physical education.
In 1956, he came looking for a teaching job in Virginia Beach and found one at Seaboard Elementary School, which served African-American children in the southern part of Princes Anne County. In 1988, he retired as a physical education specialist at College Park Elementary.
Over the years, he joined many organizations and worked hard within them.
Last Saturday morning he was one of several Hampton Roads residents honored by the Virginia Area II Branches of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People at its 11th annual Martin Luther King Jr. commemorative breakfast.
``I've been a member of NAACP for more than 30 years,'' Skinner said proudly. ``I've seen a lot of changes in that time,'' he added.
During his time with the organization, Skinner has worked hard to help African Americans solve problems in the community and to help Virginia Beach residents from all ethnic groups to work together. He has also been instrumental in recruiting new members into the organization, particularly those who choose to commit to life memberships.
His work has paid off. ``We have about 300 or more members now, a good number of them life members'' Skinner said of the Virginia Beach group, of which he is first vice president.
Skinner plans to display the award, a handsome plaque and clock, in his family room among the dozens of certificates and awards he and his wife have received through the years and the myriad pictures of the four Skinner children and eight grandchildren.
Both of the Skinners have long been active in Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church on Princess Anne Road.
James Skinner's work within the church as well as his involvement in local government (he has served as vice chairman of the 81st District Democratic Steering Committee) earned him the Outstanding Virginian Award for Notable Achievement in the Area of Government from the Virginia Conference of the A.M.E. church last spring.
Also during 1994 he was named Man of the Year by Alpha Eta Sigma chapter of Phi Beta Sigma of Virginia Beach. He's a long time member of the fraternity and has served as advisor to the undergraduate chapter at Old Dominion University. In 1989 he had received the same honor from Norfolk's Beta Sigma chapter of the fraternity.
In addition he was the 1994 recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. Human Civil Rights Award presented by the Citizens Forum of Hampton Roads.
Like many concerned citizens, Skinner sees black-on-black crime, a lack of education and a lack of respect for themselves and others as major threats to young African Americans and to the community around them.
He is, however, cautiously optimistic. ``Things are going to get better,'' he said, ``but we're going to have to practice true Christian principles to reach our goals.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by JO-ANN CLEGG
Melba and James Skinner have earned many awards in service to the
community and their church. She worked in the Beach health
department and he was a teacher in the public schools.
by CNB