Five people will be inducted into the Todd County High Schools Hall of Fame.
The new class consists of Arthur W. Green, Mattie Knight Sanders, Frank Burnett Simpson, Dr. William Weathers, and Carolyn Wells.
Todd County Standard Publisher Ryan Craig said nominations were solicited publicly this year and the last two years due to COVID.
click to download audioArthur Green graduated from Murray State University with a degree in Agricultural Education. He began teaching agriculture at Todd County Central High School in 1973. During his 33 years in education, he represented teachers on the local, state, and national levels as a member, district president, and board member.
He served six terms on Elkton City Council, was Todd County judge-executive, chairman of Todd County Health Department, and the Todd County Aging Council, and is presently mayor of Elkton.
Mattie Knight Sanders earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Austin Peay State University and a Master of Arts from Western Kentucky University. She began her teaching career in 1961 at Elkton Elementary. The following year she transferred to Guthrie Elementary School and remained there for 26 years before retiring in 1988.
She was a supporter of the National Audubon Society, Nature Conservancy, and World Wildlife Fund, and was a national, state, and county education association member as well as the Kentucky Retired Teachers.
Frank Burnett Simpson graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture from Kentucky State University prior to serving 4 years in the U.S. Army.
His career began as principal of Todd County Training High School then Attucks High School in Hopkinsville for a total of 21 years.
He was an assistant superintendent of Hopkinsville Independent and Jefferson County School Systems. He later became the first black superintendent of the Jefferson County School System.
He also served on the Governor’s Commission on Higher Education.
Dr. William Weathers served in the U.S. Naval Reserve and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre Arts and a Master’s in Speech while at Western Kentucky University.
He taught at African-American Paine College in Georgia before turning to his love of writing. He later spent 21-plus years with the Kentucky/Cincinnati Post newspaper.
Through his love of music, Bill and his wife Jackie founded Elk Fork Strings and directed Covington Youth Strings to help children play the violin.
Carolyn Wells attended Elkton Elementary and graduated from Todd County Central High School class of 1968. After graduating from Austin Peay State University, she taught English at Todd County Central High School.
Wells was the author of the high school’s newsletter and was honored as the Jaycee’s Outstanding Young Educator, Rotary Club Teacher of the Year, Bryan W. Blount Citizen of the Year in 2020, and a founding member of Todd Central Alumni Association.
She authored both “T is for Todd County” and “Notables of Todd County” in an effort to rehabilitate historic landmarks of Todd County.
The recipients or their families will receive the awards at an event early next year.
