March 11, 2019 - While writing about women who have made an impact in the community, the Mother of all times can not be forgotten: Mrs. Ruby Lister Biggers.
She was a mother of one, Karl, but all the students who passed through her English classes at Daniels High School and later at Center High were considered hers as she was another great teacher that the Daniels students loved. Her technique of teaching her students to memorize poems, sonnets, etc. paid off because its inspiring to know that many of the students to this day can recite those same poems. Students have done so at several of the Daniels Alumni Reunions.
She finished from Daniels High and further her education at Butler College in Tyler, transferred to Prairie View where she received her B.S. Degree and continued school until she received her Masters Degree. A believer in continuing education she did post graduate work at Texas Southern University in Houston and attended many work shops while working with the gifted and talented classes. Again, to support the community, many of her students won honors in speaking, spelling and essay writing in contests. Her belief that education was important passed down to her only son, Karl, because he graduated from Center High with honors and went on to college to obtain degrees for a financial career - Bachelors at SMU in Dallas and MBA at University of Texas in Austin. He presently lives in Dallas.
While an instructor at Daniels, Mrs. Ruby along with other teachers and students produced the only Bobcat yearbook’ which later was seen on social media. I assisted with the request to place Daniels High School as an entry to classmate.com, a website holding information for listing classmates of schools in various worldwide cities. Center High was the only school in Center on the site before Daniels High was added. Thanks again to Mrs. Ruby for having that book put together because it provided proof that the now closed school, Daniels High, existed and the school was added. The response has been great and many students' names can be found in that website: ' classmates.com. Try it and add your name so generations after us can keep the legacy alive by viewing the many students who passed through Daniels School.
Mrs. Biggers was not only an educator but she had great concerns for her community. She was a city councilwoman in Center for many years and had input on many improvements in the City while in office. Mrs. Biggers served the community in other areas as well including Center Chamber of Commerce, Toledo Bend Retired Teachers, Center Historical Commission, and Shelby County Museum. She was a member of Bright Morning Star Church where she served as Sunday School Teacher, Chairman of Deaconess Board, and Church Secretary.
So you see her dedication as a teacher and a community service worker is highly appreciated and should be acknowledged as one of the historical African American Women of Center.
