By Staff
Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
Hartselle School Board voted to name the library at Hartselle Junior High School the "Phil and Grayce Wasson Library" in exchange for the annual interest revenue from a $100,000 family trust.
The move was made at a regular board meeting at Hartselle Junior High School March 6.
Grayce Wasson taught history and civics at the former Morgan County High School and Hartselle Junior High School from 1938 until her retirement in 1978. Her husband owned and operated a farm in the Danville community until his death in 1974. He was also manager of the former Green and Stein Furniture St ore in Hartselle for a number of years. Mrs. Wasson died in April 2004 at the age of 90.
Superintendent Dr. Mike Reed told board members he was contacted by an attorney representing the Wasson family and informed it wished to set up a foundation for the purpose of providing the library with financial support. A stipulation was made that interest accrued from the foundation could only be used for the library and that the library would be named in memory of the Wassons.
Reed recommended that the board accept the offer and it voted unanimously to do so. He also said interest accrued by the trust over the past year totaled a little over $6,000.
Mrs. Wasson taught an eighth grade class at the junior high. She was known as a stickler for discipline and good study habits. She also insisted that her students show respect for others and always strive to do their best.
The loves in her life were her husband Phil, horses, teaching, reading, the American flag, sports, red cars, Coke and chocolate. She was a classroom teacher for 42 years; sold tickets at football games and basketball games at the high school for 35 years; and attended every Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration in Shelbyville, Tenn. from 1939 until 2001.
She was born and raised in Trinity and graduated from Riverside High School in Decatur. She received a B.S. degree in history from Athens College and attended Peabody College. She was a member of AEA, NEA, Delta Kappa Gamma and the Methodist Church. She was a recipient of the Richard Grammer Award.