Odell Robinson

Odell's smile shows just as much in his voice as it does on his face. A person who wanted to live to his fullest potential, he enrolled in Johnson C. Smith College to pursue a math and general science degree. Although an Army draft briefly interrupted his education, he finished his degree and began teaching in the Lumberton school system in 1960. After teaching at both Lumberton and Hickory, he returned to Charlotte to spend the rest of his teaching career in the Mecklenberg County school system and retired after teaching for 30 years.

So what is he doing now?

"I'm doing the things I want to do," he says. Now that he and his wife are both retired teachers, they enjoy spending more time together. Odell golfs twice a week and travels to different golf courses with a gorup of about 50 other people around North Carolina and Virginia. He is also active in civic groups and gathers with other people on a regular basis.

"After I worked, I felt I deserved to enjoy life," he says. "So we enjoy doing what we want to do."

His fondest memory of Second Ward is a play in which, as an eighth-grader, he had the leading role. His favorite part was the ending kiss--which he and the leading lady often enjoyed to the drama's teacher's consternation.

Teachers and activities also made an impression on him. Odell says his teachers gave him the desire to excell, so much so that he spent many of his high school years competing with another bright student in his math classes. He credits Mr. Levi, his science teacher, with preparing him for college work. And overall, he simply enjoyed high school.

"I had a beautiful, enjoyable high school life," he says.

And he continues to live that experience to this day.

Margaret Alexander | Vermelle Diamond Ely | Odell Robinson | Bill Yongue