DATE: Thursday, September 18, 1997 TAG: 9709170199 SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 07 EDITION: FINAL TYPE: COVER STORY SOURCE: BY PHYLLIS SPEIDELL, STAFF WRITER LENGTH: 112 lines
TWO FRIENDS, a farmer/businessman and a retired educator/historian, who have each devoted years to bettering public schools in Suffolk, have agreed to lend their names and support to yet another project to benefit local students.
The Suffolk Education Foundation has established two new scholarship endowment funds, one in the name of Joseph H. Barlow Sr., owner and operator of Cotton Plains Farm in Suffolk, and one in the name of Elgin M. Lowe, a veteran educator who also served as personnel director for the Suffolk public schools.
Hoping to raise at least $25,000 in each endowment fund over the next five years, the Foundation will invest the full amount and award scholarships from the funds' income. The goal is to award two $1,000 scholarships to Suffolk public school graduates each year beginning as soon as possible.
Above Joe Barlow's desk hangs a wooden plank lettered by a child's hand to read ``Gradad's Work Ariae.'' A gift, several years and many spelling lessons ago, from his grandson, the sign still makes Barlow smile.
But then there are plenty of things about children and education that have captured Barlow's attention over the last few decades.
``I was educated in public schools, put my kids through them and felt like I owed a lot to the public schools so I needed to support them,'' he said.
Barlow, 69, served for 15 years on the Suffolk School Board, seven of those years as its chairman.
``I guess I ruffled a few feathers in those years,'' he said, remembering the days when the Nansemond City schools merged with the Suffolk city schools and his later push for consolidated high schools.
His regard for the Suffolk schools is as strong today as it was when his children were students. ``I would still put our top graduates up against the top students from anywhere else,'' he said.
Barlow, a 1946 Smithfield High grad, went on to earn a degree in agricultural engineering from Virginia Tech. He worked as the Eastern Shore sales manager for the John Deere company before returning to Isle of Wight to work the family farm with his father.
After finishing his two-year obligation to the Air Force, meeting and marrying Margaret (Miss Suffolk, 1949), and having three children, Barlow seized the opportunity to buy Cotton Plains Farm in Suffolk.
He can remember farming as it was 50 years ago.
``I could still hitch a team of mules right now if I had to,'' he said.
But Barlow recognized that successful modern farming depends on continuing education.
``A farmer who is not a good businessman is not a farmer very long,'' he said.
His belief in staying current earned the Barlows the Farm Family of the Year award in 1982 from the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce and placed Barlow on numerous state boards and commissions.
He has chaired the Virginia Peanut Growers Association, the Virginia Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Virginia Agricultural Development Authority as well as serving on the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
Widowed several years ago, Barlow was married again late last year to Lynn, a retired public school librarian, who shares his interest in education and who currently chairs the Suffolk Library Board.
A passion for education has directed Elgin M. Lowe's life for most of his 83 years.
Lowe grew up in Nansemond County and worked his way through Nansemond Collegiate Institute as an elevator operator in a downtown Suffolk bank building. After graduating from Virginia State College he launched a 39-year teaching career during which he taught elementary school and agriculture and served as a school principal in Isle of Wight and at Booker T. Washington when it was a Suffolk middle school. He capped off his career with five years as personnel director for the Suffolk schools.
Over the years Lowe has also been the rector of Virginia State College, chairman of the state prison system's Rehabilitative school board, and president of the United Church of Christ Eastern Virginia Association.
According to Lowe, a sound education is more important today than ever before.
``All children should be given the chance to succeed in life and no person is able to succeed in this computer age without a good foundation,'' he said.
All three of Lowe's children inherited their parents' appreciation for education. With both Lowe and his wife, Lois, also a teacher and now deceased, working with them from an early age, all three children skipped first grade and continued their educations to become teachers also.
Lowe is also well known as a local historian and has written and published a dozen books since he retired from the school system. His books have focused the history of both the black and white local communities and on the history of education in Suffolk.
``I tried to help people realize that Suffolk is an interesting and unique place to live,'' he said.
Barlow and Lowe had identically surprised but pleased reactions to the creation of scholarships in their names.
``I consider it an honor,'' Barlow said.
``"Any thing we can do to help, we will do,'' Lowe added.
The Suffolk Education Foundation was established five years ago to raise money to enhance the quality of public education in Suffolk and provide increased staff development and instructional technology as well as scholarships and mini-grants for special classroom projects. The Foundation is managed by a 31 member volunteer board of directors.
Contributions to the Joseph H. Barlow, Sr., and Elgim M. Lowe scholarship funds may be made in several ways including pledges and one time contributions. MEMO: For more information on donation options, call the Foundation
executive director, Terry Shulz, at 539-3973. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by JOHN H. SHEALLY II
Joseph H. Barlow Sr. served for 15 years on the Suffolk School
Board, seven of those years as its chairman.
Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Elgin M. Lowe is a veteran educator who also served as personnel
director for the Suffolk public schools.
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