Whenever mention is made of the most revered and accomplished teachers in Fort Valley and Peach County history, the name of Eleanor Bell always comes to the forefront.

Bell was born in Moultrie in 1917. She moved with her family to Americus in 1922. After graduating as valedictorian from Anthony High School in Americus, she began her teacher training at Georgia Southwestern Normal School. She earned her bachelor’s or arts degree from Oglethorpe University in 1941, followed by her master’s degree in 1943. Shecame t o Fort Valley to teach mathematics in 1948, and closed out her stellar career in 2000. Bell’s teaching career spanned 62 years: 10 years at Shiloh in Sumter County followed by 52 years at Fort Valley High School and Peach County High where she was selected Star Teacher a phenomenal 15 times.

During her teaching days, she stayed in Fort Valley during the week but commuted to her home in Americus on weekends. She boarded two years at Lancaster’s Boarding House on Persons Street and 30 years with Dr. and Mrs. Homer Avera on Knoxville Street. After their deaths, she lived with Mrs. Avera’s sister, Bessie Johns, until her retirement in June 2000.

Bell is the first cousin of famous Americus lawyer, Griffin Bell, who served as U.S. Attorney General under President Jimmy Carter. Her family includes the children of her deceased sister, Edna Bell Stubbs of Americus: Billy and Elaine Stubbs, their children, Michael and Thomas; Larry and Rhonda Stubbs and children, Bob and Julie. Billy is Southland Academy headmaster and Larry is Schley County High principal.

Former student Charles Adams III (Peach County Class of 1975) said, “Miss Bell is the finest teacher and educator I have ever known. She had a way of inspiring students to excel in the classroom. I went from a mediocre math student to one making straight A’s. Because of my strong math background, I was able to exempt my first two years of math at the University of Georgia.”

Marie Anderson, whose husband, former school Superintendent Ernest Anderson, hired Bell, said the University of Georgia wrote letters to Anderson praising the superior preparation of Fort Valley students for college math. Jack Newberry (Fort Valley High Class of 1955) said Bell made math “logical, understandable and enjoyable,” and prepared him exceedingly well for college level math. Newberry’s classmate, Wilton Walton, echoed similar sentiments, “I was so poor at math in general, but Miss Bell made me understand geometry. I still remember her no-nonsense way of teaching. She would check my progress by sending me to the blackboard to work a problem. I remember sweating bullets, but it worked! After a while I saw the logic.”

Frank Spearman, former Peach County High School principal, jokingly commented on Anderson’s relentless efforts to hire the highly sought Miss Bell in 1948.

“Mr. Anderson drove to Americus and had to wait on her front porch until she finished picking corn in the field,” he said, “Miss Bell was a professional who embraced high standards and expectations. Her students claimed she possessed radar as she always knew who had not done their homework and who didn’t understand the assignment. That person was called to the blackboard to work the problem in front of the class until they understood it.”

As Charles Adams III remarked, “the four scariest words to hear in Miss Bell’s class were ‘Go to the blackboard.’”

Bell continues to be active. She enjoys gardening, reading, solving crossword puzzles and preparing Sunday dinner for her family. She will observe her 90th birthday on Dec. 3. For those wishing to send a card, her address is 971 Shiloh Road, Americus, GA 31719.

Former students and local citizens have proposed that her birthday, Dec. 3, 2007, be declared “Eleanor Bell Day” in Fort Valley. This would be a fitting tribute to a lady who has remarkably prepared three generations of Peach Countians for life’s journey and profoundly touched the lives of countless young people for 62 meritorious years. No one has given more personal commitment, devotion and faithfulness to the cause of education in Fort Valley and Peach County than Eleanor Bell.