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  • South Edgecombe 8th grade teacher Helen Eason makes gestures during the school's end-of-year celebration on June 8. Faculty and administrators honored Eason for 51-years of service. For The Daily Southerner

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  • Eason open the door to her 8th grade class shortly after the celebration in her honor at South Edgecombe. For The Daily Southerner

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June 15, 2012

Half of a century teacher retires

THE DAILY SOUTHERNER Calvin Adkins

TARBORO — PINETOPS — One of the longest tenure educator in the history of Edgecombe County Schools finally gave up her chalk.

After 49 years in the classroom, Helen Jenkins Eason retired effective the end of the 2011-2012 school season. Her accumulation of sick days and personal days calculated to add an additional two years to her retirement which gives her a grand total of 51 years.

"I'm rejoicing," said the 70-year-old Pinetops resident. "It time for me to start taking care of myself. I'm going to rest. Even the good book tell you, you need to rest. But I'll still be around in some form or fashion trying to make a difference in other people lives."

Eason began her career before integration of Edgecombe County schools as a teacher at the defunct Conetoe High School. When the district integrated in 1970, she was transferred to South Edgecombe where she stayed until she retired.

The transferee wasn't all roses for Eason. Because of her acquaintances with civil right leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. when she attended college, Eason was able to cope with the racial ills that surrounded the transferee.

"When we integrated, it was different," Eason said without going into any details. "During that time, they (white people) didn't realize that we were human beings. Once they learned, I didn't have any problems. I believe in keeping it real. You either like me or you don't. I am who I am because the Father above, just like they are. Martin Luther King always told us, ‘If you can stand up for something, you will fall for anything.’ I believe that.”

Eason credits her longevity to her love for teaching. Although that fire is still burning, she said children willing to accept the teaching has changed.

"When I first started, the students were eager to learn," she said. "Most of them did great. They came in the class asking me, 'What are we going to do today.’ We had a good time.

"Today is a different story. When you have to beg a kid to do his part to learn, its not worth it. There are too many disrespectful children and they don't have to be. That is why the achievement gap is so far apart."

Eason tried her best to level that gap. Calling a teacher’s position a 24-hour job, she said she took papers home to access students work who were not performing up to standards. "Sometimes you go to bed and you wake up with an idea,” she said. “You get up and write it down. Yes teaching can be a 24-hour job."

However, Eason never seem to have complained too much. During the latter part of her career, the thought of retiring sometime crossed her mind. Near here 40th decade of teaching she faced a tragic incident that drove her to stay in the classroom even longer.

"When we (husband Jack) lost our son  in 1999, I was devastated," she said. "Instead of sitting home crying, I put my life into teaching. And when I worked I thought about him, it kept me going."

Fourteen years later Eason teaching perseverance came to an end on her terms.

Her daughter, Jacqueline Beeman of Alabama said she attempted to persuade her mother to retire several times.

"I don't know if I can count the number of times that I asked her to retire," Beeman said. "In the last few years, I probably asked her every year.

"I think god that I was able to see my mother retire and good health.

Beeman is a 20 year veteran teacher. When asked will she emulate her mother and push for 31 years, she replied, “No. "There's not a lot of people made out of the stuff she is made out of. She has strong tough skin. It takes a strong woman to teach for 51 years."

Eason said she may return to one day to teach workshops.

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