Simmons chosen grand marshall of King parade

My story
By Willie Jane Simmons
I, Miss Willie Jane Simmons, a native of West Palm Beach, Florida, am the daughter of the late Elder Eddie (Ed) Simmons and the late Rosebud Smith Simmons. I come from a family of six children.
The family returned from Florida after 12 years. I had to adjust to the housing condition, cold weather and one room school. After a while, I laced my boots and went on. I finished elementary school from the Lisbon Elementary and High School from Peabody High here in Eastman.
I decided to further my education; therefore, I entered Savannah State College. It was my desire to be able to help children and serve humanity. After graduation I began teaching at the Lisbon Elementary School in 1950. Later I wanted to further my education in order to be better prepared to teach and serve humanity. I entered the Fort Valley State College Graduate Division. There I received a master’s degree in upper elementary education with a thesis in science.
After teaching in Dodge County for several years, the board of education decided to integrate the schools. This made Dr. King’s II the dream come true. He had a dream, “that one day black boys and girls will be able to sit down with white boys and girls.”
The time came and I was one of the first two teachers to teach at the white school. This was a new experience that I decided after Sarah Bullock came and talked with me. I was a dedicated teacher for 38 years. The children were nice to me and I was nice to them. I retired from Dodge County Middle School in 1988. I came home to take care of my loving 90-year-old mother after her health failed. I am happy I was at the point where I could retire and be with her.
I am a member of the Bethel Christian Church, Disciples of Christ. I work in many capacities of the church and other churches when called upon. I work hard every year during Black History Month to help keep Dr. King’s dream alive. I was given charge as a certified evangelist on April 30, 2000 by the 5th Sunday District Convention, Disciples of Christ, authorized by Bethel Christian Disciples of Christ.
I am a member of the L.O.P. Club, Dodge Retired Educators Association, Fort Valley Alumni Association, Chamber of Commerce, The NAACP, Lifestudy Fellowship, National Veterans Foundation, Arbor Day Foundation and the law enforcement. I was a member of the G.T.A. local state and national for 38 years and a member of the G.T. of Dodge County for several years.
I have two daughters that I call mine. Linda King, a relative I took at age four and a Goddaughter, Gloria Lebreta Smith.
In my spare time I like to write. I composed a poem, “The Black Man Has Come Too Far to Turn Back Now,” the family prayer for our family, a memory reading of Rosa B. Rozier Bryant, a reading of Laura Mathis, “Down Through the Years with Mrs. Laura Mathis,” “See Bright,” and my last poem, “What is Love?” I entered it in a poem contest and it was accepted. The company asked my permission to use it in a book that they published and I purchased the book. When I was teaching I had the children to write poems about the unit we were studying.
I am happy to have had the opportunity to work with the students of Dodge County. They were respectable students and most of them did well. Some of them scored as high as tenth and eleventh grade in science. I am happy to see them in different positions doing well. I also enjoyed working with the teachers.
To the students of today, study hard, set your goals and strive to reach them. Sometimes the biggest fruit is at the top of the tree.
I have enjoyed traveling to Jacksonville, Florida; Washington, D.C.; Rockville, Maryland; Cleveland, Ohio; Aurora, Illinois; and Chicago, Illinois. Traveling helps to broaden your knowledge. I can use it in my everyday life.
Thanks to Lisa Jenkins and others for the wonderful and honorable occasion they had for me. Thanks to the NAACP and the United Concerned Citizens for Unity for this great honor that they have bestowed upon me. Let’s strive to keep Dr. King’s dream alive. He lost his life serving others. He said, “I tried to love and serve humanity.” My parents lift us with the church, the law, the right to vote, own your home, get an education and be a light for society.