FORMER STUDENT REMEMBERS
PROFESSOR A. L.TURNER.
By Rufus Johnson
Rufus Johnson, a last year's staff members wrote this story
about Mr. A.L. Turner' after hearing one of Professor Turner's
former students Mrs. Inez Jones, give an inspirational recollec-
tion to the staff about the pioneer Carthage educator. Even
though Rufus is now a student at East Texas State Universitey, we
wanted to publish Mr. Turner's story as Rufus heard Mrs. Jones
tell it.
On Thursday March 25, 1976, the Black Gold staff had the
pleasure of meting and talking to Carthage residents Mrs. Inez
Jones, about former " Carthage Colored Elementary and Hith
School" principal and teacher, the late A. L. Turners better
known as " Professor Turner" by his former students. His name
has been eiven to Turner Junior High School, formerly known as
Turner High School before integration. In listening to Mrs.
Jones, I found that Mr. Turner was a many faceted man, versatile,
seemingly a complete man, if there is such. I'd like to tell
you about Mr. Turner and the kind of man he was.
Anthony Luther Turner was born March 21, 1887w Houston
County, Texas. He was the eighth of a fail of ten children.
Mr. Turner received his public education at Guadaloupe, Texas,
his bachelor's decree at Texas Colleee in Tyler and his masters
degree at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He married
Briana Ellis of San Jacinto County in 1913.
In 1922 he began what was to be a lengthy career as princi-
pal and teacher of the Carthage Colored Elementary and Hieh
School. During his tenure in Carthae, A. L. Turner established
himself as one of the greatest black educators in the state.
Turner was president of the East Texas Association of Colored
Teachers.
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