Fourth Grade

Mr. John Cox

Troy Hampton told a story about a fourth-grade teacher Mr. Cox in his oral interview: “he was a good teacher, but he did one thing to me which is kinda bad. What happened, one day we came to school, and somebody said, “man, you’re in trouble.” I said, “trouble for what? I just got here.” He said, “you put a tack in the teacher’s seat. And it hurt him. He got mad. He’s gonna get you after a while.” I said, “what are you talkin’ ‘bout? I didn’t do anything, I just got here.” So he believed that someone told him that I did it. I know this is a kind of an odd story to tell you but, anyway… So, he said if I don’t come up there and confess by lunchtime, he was gonna take a paddle.”

Dr. Mickey Hickman recalled "and then fourth grade was Mr. Cox.  He was the first male teacher that I ever had."