In a column on his 95th birthday last year, I shared somethoughts about Mr. W.L. Roach – the legendary educator who guidedthe lives of several generations of Brookhaven young people.

That column opened with the sentence, “In everyone’s life thereis an individual one can look back on and say the individual had adramatic affect on one’s formative years, a person who left animprint, who pointed you in the proper direction, who deeply caredabout you although you might not appreciate it at the time.”

I went on to say, “his persona was legendary and the fear hestruck in his students garnered respect that remains to thisday.”

Saturday afternoon that respect was shown in the multitudes thatcame out on a blustery February day to say their goodbyes to a manwho had an effect on so many lives.

During his tenure at Brookhaven High School between 1946 and1979, some 3,738 students received diplomas with his signature.That’s 3,738 individuals who are better people because of hisinfluence. I am proud to say I am among that group.

We hear so much these days from the politicians about the poorquality of education in our schools, the poor quality ofinstruction and the lack of discipline. That’s very true in someparts of the state and country, but not so true here locally whereall of our schools (public and private) are quite good; they haveroom for improvement, but are better than most.

The foundation of that success lies in a large part in Mr. Roachdue to his influence on students, teachers, parents and thecommunity.

As I continued in that column last year, my years in BHS wereduring the end of the turbulent civil rights era of the 60s andearly 70s when Alexander High School and Brookhaven High werecombined into one. The tension that first year was strong as wewalked through the social changes evolving around us.

It was his stubborn leadership and fairness with both races thatallowed students to bond together more quickly. While many schoolsin Mississippi floundered at that time, Brookhaven was able toflourish which is reflected in the growth our community enjoystoday.

Later this afternoon at First Baptist Church, we will celebratethe life of William Lester Roach and lay him to rest. He leaves acommunity and its citizens better off than when he found it in 1946- a goal he instilled in all of us who walked his halls at BHS.

As we remember him, let’s also honor him with a challenge – achallenge to continue building upon his legacy, by continuing tobelieve in and supporting all of our schools, by ignoring thenaysayers and by striving to make our schools the best they can be- better than when we found them.

It would make him very proud and he would expect no less.

Write to Bill Jacobs at P.O. Box 551, Brookhaven MS 39602,or send e-mail to bjacobs@dailyleader.com.