JAMICĂ C. ASHLEY
Editor
TARBORO —
A general enthusiast talks about the secret life of rocks.
Ronnie Daughtry visited Tarboro Rotarians Thursday and brought along some of his favorite things, most of which come right out of the ground.
"When my teacher taught things related to science it was just fun," Daughtry said. "They would do things and it was like magic and I said I wanted to be a science teacher."
With six schools, two colleges and two private schools sprinkled throughout his 39 years of teaching, Daughtry has had the chance to spread his love of rocks, minerals and the like with students ranging from three-years-old to 64.
Daughtry said that he was mentored by former Edgecombe County Public Schools Principal Elbert Stocks and in 1967 had student call him with some pretty incredible news.
"I had a student who was fascinated by everything but especially astronomy," he said. "And I gave him my phone number and told him that if he saw anything in the sky unusual to give me a call.
"That same night that student called me and said that he saw one of those jumping star things," continued Daughtry.
Daughtry didn't believe the student until he said that the jumping star thing – a meteorite – was hot and smoking and in his back yard.
Daughtry had that meteorite on hand to show Rotarians.
"There are a lot of beautiful things in science but it doesn't have to be shiny and colorful for me to like it," he said.
Showing pieces of volcanic rock and obsidian and gemstones that cost thousands of dollars, Daughtry gave out pieces of gold ore to people in the audience who could correctly answer questions about rocks and minerals.
He also told lots of jokes.
