| Julia Coleman was
born in 1889 in Texas. Her father was
a baptist minister and her mother was
a school teacher. As a small child,
her family moved to Plains, Georgia.
After graduating from high school in
Plains, she continued her education
at Bessie Tift College in Forsyth. She
began teaching in 1908. She dedicated
the next 50 years of her life teaching
English to the students of Plains. Two
of her most famous students were President
Jimmy Carter and his wife, who became
the first lady, Rosalynn Carter. Miss
Julia also served as principal and later
even superintendent of Plains High School.
Miss Coleman was a single woman,
which was not uncommon in the early
1900s for school teachers in America.
In some school systems, in fact, it
was forbidden for teachers to marry.
Miss Coleman was devoted to her students.
She developed a curriculum for the
school which gave the rural students
subjects that were often only offered
in larger industrial areas or private
schools. The students of Plains were
exposed to literature, art, music,
plays, and composition—which
served as a means of bringing the
world to this agricultural community.
Citizenship, community service and
patriotism were also incorporated
into the curriculum. Through this
unique curriculum, Plains High School
received a number of awards and was
designated a "Model School"
for the state of Georgia in the 1930s.
Following this recognition, the state
adopted some of Miss Coleman's ideas
and incorporated her curriculum into
state-wide programs.
Her fame and the progress of Plains
High School reached President Franklin
Roosevelt. He sent a special invitation
to Miss Coleman to visit him at the
White House in Washington. This woman
from a small community in Georgia
made the whole town proud as she continued
receiving state and now national attention.
Former students fondly remember Miss
Julia telling her class, "Study
hard, one of you could become the
President of the United States!"
Little did she know that one of her
students would indeed become the 39th
President of the United States and
another student the First Lady. President
Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Smith Carter
graduated from Plains High School
and still remember the special teacher
who encouraged them to do their best.
In 1977, as President Carter was
sworn in as our 39th Presdent, he
talked about Julia Coleman and quoted
her in his inauguration speech.
Julia Coleman died in 1973, leaving
a legacy of virtue, compassion, school
pride, patriotism, and caring. Through
the years, many of her students have
ventured from Plains impacting other
communities, even worldwide, by helping
and encouraging others to do their
best.
Julia Coleman has been named one
of "Georgia Women of Achievement"
and was honored on March 29, 2001
at Wesleyan College. For more information
about other Georgia Women of Achievemnt,
go to www.gawomen.org
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