XENIA — The Greene County Retired Teachers Association learned about Lincoln and levies during its quarterly meeting Aug. 22.
Gary Kersey, a Civil War/Abraham Lincoln scholar, was the featured speaker. A lifelong Clinton County resident and a graduate of Wilmington College, Kersey brought to life the Dakota War of 1862 where more than 500 Native Americans were brought to trial and 393 were sentenced to die for their actions against white settlers and government agents. Lincoln’s plate was pretty full with the Civil War happenings, but he took time to review each case and reduced the number sentenced to death to 38. All 38 were hanged at the same time on one massive gallows resulting in what is still the largest mass execution in this country. As 355 of the 393 were granted clemency by Lincoln, this event also stands as the greatest act of clemency in the country.
David Deskins, the superintendent of the Greene County Career Center, updated teachers about the status of the school. Career center officials are hoping to pass a levy on the November ballot to build a new technologically updated school building in Xenia. GCCC intends to build a facility that will enable Greene County students to be afforded the most modern technologies with expansion into aerospace careers that are strongly supported and in demand in the local workforce, targeting careers in engineering technology, unmanned air vehicles (drones), cybersecurity, robotics and manufacturing technology. GCCC anticipates more than 700 students on campus for the 2018-2019 school year, coupled with nearly double the student satellite numbers since 2015.
The recurring member recognition, presented by Virginia Pinkerton, featured retired teacher Lee Jackson. She and her husband, Don, moved to Greene County in 1965 when Don took a job with the soil and water conservation. She decided to find a teaching job and was ready to teach at Bellbrook when school began in the fall. She taught fifth grade for 22 years at Bellbrook, using projects to teach. In addition to teaching and farming, Jackson has been active in the Eleazer United Methodist Church, served as a bell ringer for Spring Valley United Methodist Church, judged soil and water conservation poster contests, coordinated salads at Common Cup for 12 years and has served as pianist in her church. She was elected into the Greene County Women’s Hall of Fame in 2008.
The next meeting of GCRTA will be 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14 in the Memorial Presbyterian Church in Xenia.
