Ruralite Cafe: Published 01/11/01

By Lynn Hotaling - Associate Editor

Burrell's consistency is his trademark

That description of Superintendent Frank Burrell came from Peggy Wike, who has known Burrell since both were toddlers in Tuckasegee, and who has worked with him in Jackson County schools for 32 years.

When I first heard from Peggy that she had grown up across the river from Frank and attended school with him through the elementary grades, high school and college, I figured she could tell lots of stories on him. It sounded like the stuff of which great columns are made.

As it turned out, Peggy didn't have a lot of funny stories of classroom shenanigans and practical jokes, but she did paint a picture of someone who has always accomplished his goals in a quietly persistent way.

"If he ran into a stumbling block one way, he'd figure out a way to go around it and meet his goal," Peggy said.

"I learned that from my mother," Frank said. "She always told us 'You can do anything in the world if you set your mind to it,' and 'they can't take your education away from you.'" Frank's mother is Emma Lou Burrell of Tuckasegee.

Frank was pleased with Peggy's description of his consistency through the years. "That's about as good a compliment as you could get," he said.

Though Frank, who will retire as superintendent at the end of the month, has been an educator since 1964, he didn't go to college with that goal in mind. Instead he majored in history and social science. He got his start in the classroom when he and his wife, Louise, spent several years teaching in Alaska.

"You didn't need certification if you were part of a couple," Frank said. "As long as one of you had a certificate, they'd take the other one." Frank and Louise spent two years at Upper Kalskag, on the Kuskokwin River, where they were the only teachers at a 55-student school.

After returning from Alaska, Burrell got his education credentials as part of the Teacher Corps. Peggy told me that she'd always thought it interesting that four (Peggy, Frank, JoAnn Brown Bryson and Glana Hooper Stanley) of seven kids who grew up together in Tuckasegee and graduated from high school at the same time went on to become teachers.

Frank didn't have any explanation for it, either, but said there were several teachers who lived out there.

"We grew up around teachers and had a high regard for people like Jonathan and Fannie Brown and Ferry Middleton," he said.

As to teachers who had a major influence on him, Frank mentioned Jesse Flake of Cullowhee, Nancy Potts Coward of Sylva and his fourth-grade teacher Edith Walker.

"I can still remember making the Amazon River on the sand table in her room and learning the multiplication tables," Frank said.

Though no one used the word, modesty has to be another of Frank's virtues. His responses to every question about himself were peppered with references to others and what a help they had been to him along the way.

When asked about his years as principal at Sylva-Webster (now Smoky Mountain) High, Frank pointed to his administrative team and how they practiced site-based management before it became an educational buzz word.

"It would be hard for anybody not to be successful with the kind of people I had around me," Burrell said. "People like Winston Reed, Arlin Middleton, Alex Bell, Tom Stoup and Joe Hicks."

A special highlight of the S-W years was 1979 when the marching band won the national championship, Frank said.

"Bob Buckner was a real inspiration - his enthusiasm was contagious," Frank said. "Bill Fouts is a similar-type person who is always doing things for kids."

Community involvement was key to the high school's success during those years, Frank said. He is proud that the athletic booster club was formed while he was there, and he beams when he says he's the one who hired Coach Cindi Simmons, who has led three volleyball teams to state championships and steered a successful women's basketball program.

"I'm so proud of her impact on women's athletics," Frank said. "What a role model!"

As to his educational philosophy, Frank gives credit to his wife.

"Louise has had more influence on me as far as teaching goes than anyone else," Frank said. "She's very insightful and always gave me honest opinions and could tell me the value of new theories or programs. She wanted to be a teacher from Day One, and she knows her business."

With the idea of making one more attempt at digging up some of the lighter moments, I gave Arlin Middleton a call.

"There aren't many good stories on Frank," he said, adding that he could have told plenty if I had asked about school system construction coordinator Clarence Hubbell.

"Most of Frank's whole career he's been very serious-minded," Arlin said. "I've worked with Frank for a long time, in a lot of different jobs, and there's one thing you can count on: He will do what's right for children." Arlin also praised Frank's even tempered calm.

"When I was his assistant principal at Sylva-Webster, he was absolutely able to keep his cool," Arlin said. "Where most people would become confrontational, Frank can stay calm and defuse situations. That's one of Frank's strengths."

As retirement nears, Frank will turn his characteristic serious-minded consistency toward accomplishing other goals.

His father, Chris Burrell, still tends Christmas trees six days a week, and in a few weeks, Frank plans to be right out there with him.

"I'm fortunate that I still have both of my parents. I want to spend time with them after I retire," Frank said, adding that he even looks forward to the work so he can get back in shape after years of sitting behind a desk.

Over at the school system's Central Office, Peggy has fixed a bulletin board complete with pictures of Frank across the decades. One section, which she labeled "The Frankie Years," after his childhood nickname, depicts Frank from his lap-baby days to the present.

Peggy's right. Frank hasn't changed a bit. But several generations of Jackson County students fared better in school because of Frank's calm way of accomplishing the task of making their schools the best possible learning environments.

As the parent of three such students, I appreciate Frank's tireless efforts on behalf of all our kids. And I wish him well as he wraps up a successful career the same way he started: Calm, serious-minded and focused on the needs of children.

Back to Archive: 01/11/01.