To the editor:

I just got off the phone with Morris Walker, the former principal of Northwest High.

He is one of the most influential people I have ever known in the educational field.

He had a huge plan--which was, to run from Jefferson city limits to Virginia. For each mile that he ran, folks would donate so much per mile--he had a vision for the kids in that school district--he wanted them to be healthier and therefore happier.

So his plan was to raise money for the tennis courts. Having made the long run into Virginia, he raised over $ 15,000. That was a huge success by any standards.

He went there as principal in 1967. Then in 1973 and 1974, he helped raise $60,000.00 to build the new pool at Northwest High. Wow! That was another major goal that he helped to accomplish.

He personally told me just a few minutes ago that when the pool was started, only a small minority of the kids could swim. A few years after it was completed, about 90 percent of them could swim. How wonderful.

My grand kids both learned to swim there. I worked with Hazel Wiles for years at the West Jefferson Post Office, and she took lessons at Northwest School and she was close to 60 years old{young}. I’ll never forget how she told of jumping from the high diving board!

Morris related to me that he had three super teachers in the Ag Dept, who helped build the pool. He said things like cinder blocks were donated by local businesses and most of the labor was donated.

I think this was a wonderful superb idea by Morris and all those teachers that started the ball rolling.

My kids went to Ashe Central, a great school, but I always thought that Northwest had something very special in the principal, faculty, and the community as a whole.

It was beyond my imagination that a group of people in one area could come together and build such a nice facility.

I still praise the community for their efforts and accomplishments.

The way Morris inspired me is as follows: I was into jogging religiously and I was about 35 years old. The PTA appointed a committee to work with me about my idea, which was to run around and around in the gym. At the time I was jogging three days each week. Two days I would jog at least four miles, then about Friday I would jog about 9 or 10 miles. My plan was to solicit donations of so much per lap.

I presented my plan to the PTA. I would run for two hours --they thought that was a little too long--so they dropped it to 1 1/2 hours-which was alright with me.

I made my goal of 200 laps in 90 minutes--this was definitely a high light of my life--that I had something to offer to the school system --that I could make a difference in the life of young kids.

I am so thankful for all the town merchants, mostly from West Jefferson.

Personally I raised about $800. Later on they bought new uniforms for the girl’s basketball team.

Morris Walker is 71 now and he still plays tennis. I am 4 years younger, but my idea of a fund raiser is to get a young person about 35 or so, and let that person run, or do something far out--no telling how many thousands of dollars could be raised. We live in a wonderful caring and giving county.

Charles Moore

Jefferson