Town and Gown: Norton continues to touch lives through teaching
2010-07-13
From the Jacksonville News July 13, 2010
By Dr. Bill Meehan
Jacksonville State University is fortunate to have many hard-working and dedicated faculty members.
One, Hilda Norton, is the epitome of hard work. Norton became a teacher in 1941 and began as an Instructor of English at JSU in the fall of 1965.
Norton recently celebrated her 90th birthday, and will soon celebrate her 45th anniversary of teaching at JSU.
Over her many years of teaching, Norton has touched the lives of countless students who have entered her classroom. In fact, in the fall of 1968 on the third floor of Bibb Graves, she taught my freshman English class.
I remember Mrs. Norton as being very thorough, and an outstanding teacher. She set a high standard for her students, but she made sure to help us meet her expectations. After all these years of teaching, I think it is wonderful and amazing that she still continues to teach a full load of English.
When asked why Norton continues to teach, her reply is, “If I gave it up, what in the world would I do?”
Norton was raised in the local Williams community. She says she can still remember walking to the first day of school with her teacher when she was a child. Many of the people that Norton looked up to when she was younger were teachers, as that was the occupation of many of her family members.
“From the time I was six years old, I knew I wanted to be a teacher,” she says. “I guess that’s the reason I’m still hanging onto it, because I love what I do.”
Norton is very passionate about the material she teaches.
“Maybe sometimes I’m too serious, but I just want everyone to learn everything they can,” she says.
One of Norton’s favorite subjects to teach is American Literature. The course covers literature written during the early settlement of the United States. Norton says she loves to teach the course because students discover that the founding fathers of our country are “just men” who made a big difference. She says that the lessons learned in literature can be applied to life, and by working hard day by day she believes people can fulfill their dreams.
Throughout her life, Norton has not only served as a teacher, but also as a wife and mother to two sons. She is also active in her church.
“She’s a really good person,” says Fred Williams, Norton’s brother. “She’s so caring and helpful.”
Norton says that one of the things she has learned throughout her years as a teacher and a mother is that listening is just as important as teaching facts. She says that many of the students who have stated that she has had an impact on their lives said that it was because she simply listened to them.
Williams, who also taught at JSU and helped to found the school’s Department of Technology, says that Norton is a great teacher because “she really enjoys it.”
“I still work because I love people and I love what I do,” Norton says. “You never cease desiring to learn and better yourself.”
Lauren Cunningham, student worker in the Office of Public Relations, contributed to this article.
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