Richland School District One’s Hall of Fame inductees announced

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) – Richland School District One announced who will be inducted into the district’s Hall of Fame in March.  The district’s Hall of Fame is an honor awarded to those of great influence and hard work. 

Four inductees were announced to enter Richland District One’s Hall of Fame. First, Lt. Col. Charity Adams Earley who not only taught mathematics and science in District One but was also the highest-ranking black female officer during World War II. Tyler Perry is creating a Netflix film highlighting her accomplishments. She was a founding member of Columbia Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Earley passed away in 2002.

“She has just done so much not only in the district as an educator but as we all know her service to this country and what she did in World War II with the 6888 battalion, of course that mail system basically is how the United States mail service works today – she created that,” says Mary Smith, who is the President of Columbia Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

Coach Bobby R. Young honored for his leadership for 38 years as head girls varsity basketball coach at Columbia High. He was also inducted into the S.C. Athletics Coaches Hall of Fame. Then, Dr. Carlos Smith who was an athletic director for 36 years in the district, he says it feels good to know his labor is recognized.

“Unlike a retail store where you can see the bottom line in your sales and net worth, education is not like that you really can’t see the fruits of your labor but one of the fruits we can see is when our former students come back to us and say ‘Dr. Smith I appreciate you doing this’,” says Dr. Smith. 

For inductee Ella McRant she has seen the fruits first hand with many of her students going into the medical field. She worked 31 years in District One as a biology teacher and assistant principal.

“Believe it or not the doctor that admitted my husband to the emergency room, I taught him biology. Also my husbands gastroenterologist, I taught him biology and they were so elated when they saw me – ‘oh this is my science teacher’ – One even remembered a science research paper that they had to prepare for me,” says McRant. 

Administrators say the district would not be where it is today without the help of these individuals.