Ruralite Cafe: Published 08/02/01

By Lynn Hotaling Associate Editor

School system losing good-will ambassador

I wasn't too worried before - even last month when his name was on the list of resignations - because I didn't really believe there would come a fourth Monday night when he wouldn't be there with his customary construction update. But now it seems he must really be retiring. Last Wednesday (school officials changed the day of their July meeting) he got the official plaque from Superintendent Mack McCary, along with testimonials and handshakes from all five school board members.

No doubt they were sincere in their expressions of regret at his departure and gratitude for all he's done for the school system. But they just don't know the depth and breadth of the service Clarence has provided all of us who are out in the hall during their closed sessions.

A natural storyteller, Clarence has a yarn for every occasion. Listening to him spin his tales of past school leaders late on a Monday night, it's almost possible to forget that it's going on 10 p.m., you haven't had any dinner yet and you still have two stories to write for the next day's section.

Add Smoky Mountain Principal Kenny Nicholson and Vocational Director Arlin Middleton to the Central Office corridor, and you start to wonder if you stumbled into rehearsal sessions for a really good comedy team.

Nicholson has known Hubbell since both started in Teacher Corps back in 1969. They were principals together - Hubbell at Log Cabin and Nicholson at Scotts Creek - and later both were at SMHS.

"The thing about Clarence is he's probably one of the most intelligent people I know," Nicholson said.

"What's amazing about Clarence is how he knows everything and never forgets anything about these school building," Fairview Principal Sue Nations said.

Both Nicholson and Nations had similar thoughts about Hubbell's teaching skills as well."He's a great teacher - he should have never left the classroom. He's so good with kids; he's one of the best teachers I've ever known," Nicholson said.

"I think he was a great teacher. We had a parent here one day last year when Clarence came by. Clarence immediately started talking to her," Nations said. "Clarence must have had a teriffic relationship with those kids. Based on the interaction I see when he's with parents and how they immediately fall back into those conversations, I think he must have been an excellent teacher." Funny things always seem to happen when Clarence is around, Nicholson said. Like the time the two of them stopped to help a stranded motorist while out checking road conditions one snowy morning. Nicholson was trying to explain to the woman how to start the car by "rolling it off." About that time the car started rolling and Hubbell put out his foot to stop it. And the car rolled on top of his foot.

Or the time Clarence left his truck running in front of Fairview School back when Nicholson was principal there.

"Clarence was always in a hurry," Nicholson said. He drove an old white Toyota truck, and he would just leave it running. One morning at Fairview, I just got in it and drove it around back. Then I walked back and waited until Clarence came out of the school. He finally had to ask me if I'd seen his truck."

"Versatile" is the word former Superintendent Frank Burrell used to describe Hubbell.

"Clarence has so many skills, and he's so thorough and sincere. I couldn't say enough good things about Clarence," Burrell said. "He's a good fellow."

Burrell remembered an evening two or three summers back when Hubbell was showing the school board members through the new SMHS field house. A sudden storm broke, bringing with it torrential rains. Clarence offered to brave the downpour to be sure everyone's windows were up - everyone's, that is, except his own.

"When everyone gathered at the Central Office for the board meeting a few minutes later, Clarence was absolutely soaked," Burrell said. "But that's Clarence for you. He looks after other people before he takes care of himself."

The classic Clarence story, however, is one he told on himself. It's the story that came up in every conversation with school personnel about Clarence. Nicholson, Burrell and Nations all shared their thoughts on Clarence Hubbell, and then they asked me, "Have you heard the story of the time Clarence went fishing on the lake?" And while I'd heard it from Clarence himself, I'll use Nicholson's version here:

"One morning Clarence went fishing by himself. He got ready to bring his boat in so he could load it onto his trailer. He pulled the boat up far enough, he thought, and went to get his truck.

"He turned around and saw his boat drifting off. Well, he didn't want to get wet, so he took off all his clothes except his underwear, put them in his truck and dove in to get his boat.

"He swims out to his boat - and by this time he's so cold he's almost purple - and starts the motor and heads back to shore. Only there were some people at the landing. So there he is freezing, and he has to wait for them to leave.

"When he finally gets to the truck, the door is locked and he has to break out a window before he can get his clothes to get dressed."

But while Clarence was always willing to tell a story and share a laugh, he's remembered around the school system as much for his kindness and educational leadership.

"He was so good about adjusting to the needs of exceptional children," said veteran teacher Dona West. "No matter how severely handicapped a child was, Clarence never hesitated to find a way for that student to interact with other children.

"When he was principal at Log Cabin and my program was based on the WCU campus, he made it possible for one of my severely handicapped students to spend time in a classroom with other students. And that was back in 1978. He was a man ahead of his time, and I always appreciated him," West said.

As for my dealings with Clarence, I've found him to be unfailingly courteous, considerate and interesting. He always returns telephone calls and patiently explains whatever I need to know to complete a particular story.

And I have another reason to think especially well of Clarence. When my daughter Elizabeth started at SMHS, she had a very stubborn locker and spent a miserable two weeks fighting with it. But one day she came home in a much better mood.

I'll let her tell the story:

"I remember when I was a freshman at Smoky Mountain and those lockers were so hard to open. Plus, I had one right in the middle of where everybody had to walk. I had almost quit using my locker altogether by the time Mr. Hubbell (then an assistant principal) happened upon me before school one day as I was trying desperately to get the locker open and get my books.

"The thing about Mr. Hubbell was that he didn't just open the locker for me - he showed me how to do it!

"I always enjoyed running into him at school, and I remember being sad when he moved to the Central Office."

Sounds like we're all going to miss him.

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