Friday, Jan. 14, Thelma Alice Smith Washington Williams received a big surprise delivered to her address on Carver Street in Grambling. As she answered her door she looked at a bouquet of 86 roses.The Grambling High School Class of 1976 presented Williams with a bouquet of yellow roses for her “86th Birthday.” Williams was one of the sponsors of the class and a wonderful teacher said members of the class. To show love, appreciation, and to say “Happy Birthday” a yellow rose was given for each year of her age.
The members of the class said, “We love you (Mrs. Williams) and appreciate everything you taught us from books and from life.”
Williams said she often smiles as she admires her bouquet of roses because it lets her know that the work she did during her teaching years were not in vain.
“It helped me to realize that all is not lost. It is the symbolism of appreciation by young people, and it shows they did learn and were listening,” Williams said.
She said it’s like baking a cake – you blend the ingredients and mix them, but it’s not until you taste it that you can tell how good it is. Now they have their own children and they see the importance of teaching.