Virginia Smith:  

Elementary in second grade when we moved to California from Ohio. Mrs. Hernandez was my first and favorite teacher. When Del Rey was built, I moved there with a bunch of classmates, and from there went to VVJHS. I moved to TN between 8th & 9th grade, and I was skipped a grade when I started at Sale Creek School. Talk about culture shock! I was a fish out of water with older kids who did everything different from the way I knew. After a year I transferred to Soddy-Daisy HS, where I finished my last two years. I attended Bryan College, where I majored in English (my high school teacher, Mrs. Bond, and my college dept. head, Dr. Cornelius, were most influential there) and minored in Bible, Education, and Spanish (thanks, Miss Dirlam). The "extra" things I enjoyed most at every level were music and drama. I did well at school, but I did not devote myself to all A's--too many other things to do! College I attended Bryan College, a small liberal arts school in Dayton, Tennessee, where I majored in English. My major professor there was the one who motivated me to examine writing, which I am doing, now that my family responsibilities have decreased. I think college was one of the happiest times of my life. I made and enjoyed lifelong friendships, and I loved the extra activities like drama and music. I loved the cultural exposure I received there. Most of all, I grew spiritually.