No Stranger To Change: Bowers Faced Challenges To Educate Students (February 13, 2008)
ROGERSVILLE
— Norma Bowers, a retired Hawkins County educator, has worked most of her life
to offer encouragement in an environment favorable to success. However, few
people know the adversity she overcame as an African-American woman during the
Civil Rights Movement to provide students with that support.
At a young age, the
only child of Beatrice and George Cope realized teaching was her passion.
"I've always enjoyed being around young people," she said. "I loved teaching and encouraging students to continue their education."
Bowers' long, successful career began weeks after graduation from Tennessee State University in 1955.
"Just out of college, I thought I had all the latest principles, all the answers and innovations to be an outstanding teacher," she recalled. "But they don't teach you everything you'll need to know to become a good teacher," she said regarding later lessons in life.
Bowers began her education at Price Public School in Rogersville — a school established for many of Hawkins County's black students during racial segregation. It was the first stepping stone in her career path.
She later attended nearby Swift High School, followed by Swift Junior College. Both located in Rogersville, these schools were on the site of the former Swift Memorial College, an African-American institute of higher learning. During her years at Swift, Bowers earned an Associate's degree and then continued at TSU where she earned a Bachelor's degree.
Finally, the hard work for which she gives her parents praise paid off and Bowers returned to Swift High School as a Business instructor.
"I'll never forget my first day as a teacher, under direction of Principal H.L. Price," she fondly recalled. "He stood in front of the students and said, 'She is a very pious young lady and I demand nothing but respect from you to her."
For eight years Swift High School was Bowers' home away from home. In 1963 that changed abruptly with new civil rights laws. Racially segregated facilities such as Swift were closed.
In 1967 Bowers was relocated to the formerly all-white Rogersville High School (RHS). While she said there were concerns during integration, she did not allow it to interfere with her students' education, regardless of their color.
"To be thrust into a situation like that, we were very apprehensive, but we were welcomed," she said. "An adjustment had to be made with students and faculty, but those years continued to be enjoyable, rewarding and I always looked forward to helping any student learn."
Not long after Swift closed the stately building with its bell tower and large windows was demolished. While Bowers carried on in her classroom at Rogersville High, she said she was left with a personal sense of discouragement at the loss of so much local African-American history.
"I was very disillusioned and disappointed when the Swift building was demolished," she said. "It carried so many memories for me as a student and a teacher." But wherever her classroom was Bowers was actively involved.
No stranger to change, she made her third school move during the consolidation of Hawkins County high schools in 1980, from RHS to Cherokee High School (CHS). She said her years at CHS proved successful and her involvement in student activities continued with Future Teachers of America.
In 2001, with countless lessons taught and hundreds of students influenced by her teaching, Bowers decided it was time to close the books and retire.
Her mother Beatrice, who was known for her column "Socially Speaking" in the Rogersville Review, was in ill health and required the loving attention Bowers had previously provided to her students.
"I loved my work, every minute of it. But I don't regret leaving at all because I got to spend more time with my mother," she said.
Since her mother passed in 2006, Bowers devotes her time to family, friends, the community, and Russell Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church.
Content with all of her accomplishments, Bowers said she is most proud of her two sons by late husband Claude Raymond Bowers, Sr. who passed away in 1981. Eldest son Claude Raymond, Jr. lives in Kingsport with wife Donna and two sons, Ramon Carpenter and Michael Ray. Her youngest son, Nathaniel, lives in Rogersville with fiancée Toni Kincaid and daughter Devin.
Reflecting on her long career, Bowers said she is thankful for what God has given her, and the number of students she influenced through almost 50 years of teaching.
"Upon reflection, I have former students not only locally, but in so many states. It makes me so thankful as they give expressions of gratitude that I touched their lives," she said. "They often call, visit, or write just to let me know."
Having earned those calls of gratitude, Bowers said it is important for new teachers to remember a career in education requires careful consideration.
"Those who consider teaching as a career should ask, 'Do I have a love for children? Do I have patience? Can I present subject matter in a way students can learn?' And, 'Can I be firm, yet kind and fair,'" she said. "I had wonderful, caring teachers from first grade at Price Public Elementary School through my college years at Swift Memorial Junior College. Naturally, I wanted to follow my teachers' examples."
Today, Bowers' influence continues in her volunteer work at Price Public Community Center and the Swift Museum project, founded to memorialize the legacy of African-Americans in Hawkins County. There she offers educational insights and reminisces about her career, as well as the diverse environment she helped create, even in the most adverse times.
"I've always enjoyed being around young people," she said. "I loved teaching and encouraging students to continue their education."
Bowers' long, successful career began weeks after graduation from Tennessee State University in 1955.
"Just out of college, I thought I had all the latest principles, all the answers and innovations to be an outstanding teacher," she recalled. "But they don't teach you everything you'll need to know to become a good teacher," she said regarding later lessons in life.
Bowers began her education at Price Public School in Rogersville — a school established for many of Hawkins County's black students during racial segregation. It was the first stepping stone in her career path.
She later attended nearby Swift High School, followed by Swift Junior College. Both located in Rogersville, these schools were on the site of the former Swift Memorial College, an African-American institute of higher learning. During her years at Swift, Bowers earned an Associate's degree and then continued at TSU where she earned a Bachelor's degree.
Finally, the hard work for which she gives her parents praise paid off and Bowers returned to Swift High School as a Business instructor.
"I'll never forget my first day as a teacher, under direction of Principal H.L. Price," she fondly recalled. "He stood in front of the students and said, 'She is a very pious young lady and I demand nothing but respect from you to her."
For eight years Swift High School was Bowers' home away from home. In 1963 that changed abruptly with new civil rights laws. Racially segregated facilities such as Swift were closed.
In 1967 Bowers was relocated to the formerly all-white Rogersville High School (RHS). While she said there were concerns during integration, she did not allow it to interfere with her students' education, regardless of their color.
"To be thrust into a situation like that, we were very apprehensive, but we were welcomed," she said. "An adjustment had to be made with students and faculty, but those years continued to be enjoyable, rewarding and I always looked forward to helping any student learn."
Not long after Swift closed the stately building with its bell tower and large windows was demolished. While Bowers carried on in her classroom at Rogersville High, she said she was left with a personal sense of discouragement at the loss of so much local African-American history.
"I was very disillusioned and disappointed when the Swift building was demolished," she said. "It carried so many memories for me as a student and a teacher." But wherever her classroom was Bowers was actively involved.
No stranger to change, she made her third school move during the consolidation of Hawkins County high schools in 1980, from RHS to Cherokee High School (CHS). She said her years at CHS proved successful and her involvement in student activities continued with Future Teachers of America.
In 2001, with countless lessons taught and hundreds of students influenced by her teaching, Bowers decided it was time to close the books and retire.
Her mother Beatrice, who was known for her column "Socially Speaking" in the Rogersville Review, was in ill health and required the loving attention Bowers had previously provided to her students.
"I loved my work, every minute of it. But I don't regret leaving at all because I got to spend more time with my mother," she said.
Since her mother passed in 2006, Bowers devotes her time to family, friends, the community, and Russell Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church.
Content with all of her accomplishments, Bowers said she is most proud of her two sons by late husband Claude Raymond Bowers, Sr. who passed away in 1981. Eldest son Claude Raymond, Jr. lives in Kingsport with wife Donna and two sons, Ramon Carpenter and Michael Ray. Her youngest son, Nathaniel, lives in Rogersville with fiancée Toni Kincaid and daughter Devin.
Reflecting on her long career, Bowers said she is thankful for what God has given her, and the number of students she influenced through almost 50 years of teaching.
"Upon reflection, I have former students not only locally, but in so many states. It makes me so thankful as they give expressions of gratitude that I touched their lives," she said. "They often call, visit, or write just to let me know."
Having earned those calls of gratitude, Bowers said it is important for new teachers to remember a career in education requires careful consideration.
"Those who consider teaching as a career should ask, 'Do I have a love for children? Do I have patience? Can I present subject matter in a way students can learn?' And, 'Can I be firm, yet kind and fair,'" she said. "I had wonderful, caring teachers from first grade at Price Public Elementary School through my college years at Swift Memorial Junior College. Naturally, I wanted to follow my teachers' examples."
Today, Bowers' influence continues in her volunteer work at Price Public Community Center and the Swift Museum project, founded to memorialize the legacy of African-Americans in Hawkins County. There she offers educational insights and reminisces about her career, as well as the diverse environment she helped create, even in the most adverse times.
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