In recognition of Black History Month, the Courier News is shining the spotlight on some of the many African-Americans who have played a leading role in our community. A different individual will be featured in each edition of the newspaper during the month of February.
Integration of public schools brought Idell Jenkins to Blytheville to teach school.
Jenkins, a native of DeWitt, first went to teach math at Parkin. He only taught there a few weeks because an opening at his alma mater in Almyra came up.
Shortly after that schools in Almyra integrated, and Jenkins was out of a job. So in 1966, he and his wife and nine-month old son came to Blytheville so Jenkins could teach math at Harrison High School.
After Blytheville Schools integrated, Jenkins taught at Blytheville High School. After two years of teaching, Jenkins was approached by a principal and asked to consider being an assistant principal.
Jenkins actually began working as an assistant principal before obtaining his master's degree. His wife, Bernice, went to work at a second job so he could afford to attend classes at Arkansas State University.
In 1978, Jenkins became principal at East Junior High and stayed on after it became Blytheville Intermediate School. He then went to Blytheville Middle School, where he served as principal for two years.
"I'd done it 39 years and that was enough," Jenkins said about his recent retirement.
Through the years, Jenkins had the opportunity to mold both students and teachers. In fact, current school superintendent Richard Atwill started his teaching career under Jenkins.
"I really enjoyed working with kids," Jenkins said. "I feel sorry for people who don't love kids the way I do."
Jenkins said he always tried to make school fun for students, implementing an intramural sports program to help kids vent their energy before classes began in the morning.
Jenkins often gets calls from former students, thanking him for his efforts, even the spankings he gave.
"All the time, former students come up and say how much they appreciated what I did," Jenkins said.
Over the years, Jenkins taught three generations of students, some more difficult to teach than others.
"I never wanted to give up on them, but some were tough and hard to love," he said.
"He often took the hard cases," Mrs. Jenkins said. "He would take on the kids that nobody else could get through to," she said.
Since his retirement, Jenkins has stayed busy, doing his "honey do's," volunteering at the Senior Citizens Center, serving as a deacon and trustee of St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, and being a member of the Retired Teacher's Association.
dhilton@blythevillecourier.com