Kiser Middle School sits across Benjamin Parkway from Friendly Pool and Friendly Shopping Center. It is part of the Brooks Global Elementary, Kiser Middle, Grimsley High Complex, extending from Wendover to Westover Terrace. As with most of our older schools, it is a modest, no frills construction with a non-descript entrance. However, as the saying goes, you can't judge a book by its cover. It is a great city school, named for Claude Kiser (1881- 1952).
Kiser, originally from Forsyth County, moved to Greensboro in 1906 to organize the South Atlantic Lumber Company. Soon, Kiser was elected mayor of Greensboro, at a time when the city expanded from four square miles to 17.84 square miles. He was a lifelong advocate for public schools and for teachers. During his twenty-two years on the Greensboro City Board of Education, our city schools flourished.
Kiser was said to have been a quiet, reserved man. Regardless, he would probably be pleased to know that a school was named in his honor. Let's hope that the students within live up to Kiser's level of civic involvement and commitment to community. Today is ABC Wednesday and K is for Kiser. See GDP's A-J school entries here.
(Reference, Ethel Stephens Arnett, For Whom Our Public Schools Were Named, Greensboro, North Carolina).
He must have been content with his life to know he had done so much for his community.
Posted by: Oakland Daily Photo | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 at 03:27 PM
It's men like him who need to be on school boards now to help improve systems everywhere and to help make teachers respected. Most people don't realize what a hard job it is.
Leslie
abcw team
Posted by: Leslie | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 at 03:42 PM
What a chimney, its of the sort I usually associate with factories. Although I suppose it is manufacturing well educated children!
Joy - ABC Team
Posted by: Joy | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 at 05:08 PM
LOVE the chimney!
ROG, ABC Wednesday team
Posted by: Roger Green | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 at 06:58 PM