Charles F. Lewis
(Adapted from the News and Observer, Sept. 25, 2002)
CHARLES F. LEWIS, the son of Tivis and Cora Ann Nunley Lewis, died September 24, 2002 at Mayview Convalescent Center. Born August 28, 1910 in Warren County, TN, near Viola; He was very proud of that area of Tennessee. The name "Viola" was from a play by Shakespeare. Nestled in the Cumberland Mountains, the area has some of the best farming land in Tennessee. His parents moved to a small farm near Mt. Zion, North Carolina and he started his schooling there. He then transferred to the Viola schools where he graduated from high school in 1929. There were nine graduating seniors in his class.He entered the State Teacher's College at Murfreesboro (Now Middle Tennessee State University) in 1929 and graduated in 1932 at the depth of the Great Depression. He worked his way through college at a campus job for 20 cents an hour. When he graduated he owed the school $22.00 for room rent and diploma. Because of his own financial struggles, he decided that he would try to help others get a college degree. A good friend, Haskell Newman, was principal of Irving College, a small country high school, and hired Mr. Lewis to teach there (Math, History, English, etc.) as well as coaching basketball and baseball. The salary was $83.00 a month. After three years, he moved to Morrison High School (TN) for three years, and in 1938 to North Carolina where he taught at Corinth-Holder High School and was principal at Archer Lodge, driving the school bus at times.
In 1946, he was hired as an instructor in the Math Department at N.C. State University and was promoted to Assistant Professor in 1952. He retired in 1975 but continued to teach part-time for another 16 years. The last 9 years "Gratis" since the State law at the time would not pay salary to people past the age of 72. Five or six other members of the Math Dept. loved teaching so much that they continued after retirement, receiving nominal compensation such as free parking and tickets to "State" football games. Dr. Nahikian, Dr. Winton, and Henry Cooke were in this group.
In 1982, he was honored as "Distinguished Alumnus" at Middle Tennessee State University. This is an award given each year to a few alumni. Charles' top salary was $14, 000 annually, but he'd learned the lesson of thrift from his hardworking mother and father. He heard his mother once say that when she died she would be well satisfied if she neither had, nor owed a penny. He awarded his first scholarship to Middle Tennessee State University in 1965. Since that time he has given a scholarships to a number of institutions including NCSU, Meredith, Lees McRae College and the Boy's and Girl's Home of Lake Waccamaw.