UA Education Announces Educator Hall of Fame Class

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Autherine Lucy Foster, the first African-American student to enroll at The University of Alabama, and Judy Merritt, the first woman to serve as president of a college in the state of Alabama, are among the inductees of the 2016 Educator Hall of Fame class.

Ethel Hall, the first African-American woman to be elected to the Alabama State Board of Education, and Adolph Crew, one of the early adopters of experiential education and professor at The University of Alabama, will be inducted posthumously, as will Merritt.

The UA College of Education will honor the four educators at a ceremony Saturday, Oct. 15, at the North River Yacht Club at 6 p.m. The inductees include:

Autherine Lucy Foster

Autherine Lucy Foster was the first African-American student to attend The University of Alabama in 1956. On February 3, 1956, Lucy attended her first class as a graduate student in library science, becoming the first African American ever admitted to a white public school or university in Alabama. Campus riots broke out three days later, and the university removed Lucy for her own safety. Her expulsion was officially annulled in 1988. A year later, she again enrolled at the University, joining her daughter, Grazia Foster, who was also a student at the Capstone by that time. They graduated together in 1992 with Autherine earning a master’s degree in elementary education and Grazia earning a bachelor’s degree in corporate finance. The University named an endowed fellowship in her honor that year and dedicated the Autherine Lucy Clock Tower in 2010, honoring her as one of three individuals who pioneered desegregation at The University of Alabama.

Judy Merritt

The late Judy Miles Merritt, the daughter of educators, began attending The University of Alabama when she was just 16. She began her career in higher education as a counselor of admissions at then Jefferson State Junior College in 1965, the opening year of the college. She would later hold positions at Florida International University as vice-president of student affairs. She returned home to Alabama in 1979 to Jefferson State Junior College as president, where she served for 35 years. Her appointment by Gov. Fob James marked the first time a woman had been named president of a college in Alabama. When Merritt began her tenure at Jefferson State Community College, the College consisted of one campus located in the eastern area of Jefferson County. Through her vision and amazing ability to form partnerships, today JSCC has campuses in four counties furthering her dream of opening doors of higher education for all. Upon her retirement in June 2014, she remarked that while the dream for many has been achieved, the fight for pathways to education, equality, and inclusion continues.

Adolph Crew

The late Dr. Adolph Brandon Crew was a professor of secondary social science education in the College of Education at The University of Alabama from 1958 until his retirement in 1987. Among many honors, he received the 1978 award for Outstanding Commitment to Teaching, given by the National Alumni Association of The University of Alabama.  He dedicated his entire career to education encouraging students to extend learning beyond the classroom. He was an early adopter of experiential education and thus, he would take students to numerous locations – Tannehill Ironworks Historical Park, Bankhead National Forest, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, etc.— to experience innovative ways to educate students. He served as the head of many educational organizations, and he worked with students at Tannehill Park where he used the facility and associated history to have his students do historical research there by digging in the artifact-rich area to find examples of past life.

Ethel Hall

The late Dr. Ethel Hall was a devoted educator and is remembered as the first African American woman elected to the Alabama State Board of Education. She served 24 years, including 10 as the Board’s vice president. Her dedication and service to this Board earned her the honor of being named vice-president emeritus. She co-authored her challenges and contributions through the publication of the book, My Journey, describing her life. Additionally, she was employed by the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service, the Hale County Training School, the Neighborhood Youth Corps and taught at Westfield High School, the University of Montevallo, and The University of Alabama. Her legacy of service touched countless organizations and associations including: The National Association of State Boards of Education; The Alabama Association of School Boards; Leadership Birmingham; Leadership Alabama; The American Alliance for Health; Physical Education; Recreation; and Dance; the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute; Rotary International; A+ Foundation and Partnership, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and she was named Outstanding Alumnus of Alabama A&M University.  She impacted countless individuals and dedicated her life to educating and serving others.

Please contact Rebecca Ballard, director of College and Alumni Relations for the College of Education, for more information. She can be reached at 205/348-7936 or rebecca.ballard@ua.edu.