WKU News

Three teachers who left an indelible mark during their careers in education will forever be enshrined in the Kentucky Teacher Hall of Fame.

WKU’s Amy Bingham introduces us to the 14th class in this week’s View from the Hill.

One has been retired for more than 25 years, one has no immediate plans to retire and one was inducted posthumously after being nominated by her children, who were also her students.

“I told her she ended my acting career because I’d always had the lead in the school play until mom came along and she didn’t want to play favorites.”

Carolyn Johnson is talking about her mother, the late Wilma Pace, who taught in Marshall County for 29 years.

She was in her mom’s class during fifth and sixth grades. Her younger brother Douglas had her when he was a sophomore.

“It was such a wonderful experience.  Not only to have a wonderful mom but to see her in the classroom just to sort of see the magic she brought and her passion toward teaching and learning.”

Teaching is just the family business for LaRue County’s Katy Cecil whose mom and dad were both teachers.

“Four out of the five of us are teachers. My oldest daughter is a teacher, my husband is a teacher.  It’s just kind of our thing.”

“To think about the legacy of education that’s in my family.  I mean you add it all up and it’s over 150 years of teaching.”

The three-time WKU graduate who has led Larue County’s speech and debate team since 2001 is in no hurry to retire.

“I’m going to keep doing something with education until I don’t love it anymore and I don’t see that happening anytime soon.”

Addie Henry spent 28 years teaching English at Breathitt County High School in Jackson before retiring in 1996.

She says building confidence was the most important part of her job.

“I wanted more than anything else to teach them how worthy they were, regardless of where they come from or what their circumstances are, how poor their beginnings.”

Henry was a first-generation college student who recalls her time teaching as some of the best years of her life.

“I had great support from parents, administrators, fellow faculty members but most importantly I really had the respect and not only admiration but affection from my students as well.”

The Governor Louie B. Nunn Kentucky Teacher Hall of Fame is located in Gary Ransdell Hall at WKU. The Kentucky Teacher Hall of Fame was created in 2000 with the first class inducted in 2008.

• More: Read more about the 2022 inductees