The Dart: Retired educator still teaching

Published 8:45 pm Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Selmont resident Evelyn Huff, center, spent  Wednesday afternoon in her garden with her granddaughter Kassidy Davis, right. (Josh Bergeron | Times-Journal)

Selmont resident Evelyn Huff, center, spent Wednesday afternoon in her garden with her granddaughter Kassidy Davis, right. (Josh Bergeron | Times-Journal)

Editor’s note: The Dart is a weekly feature, where reporters throw a dart at a map of Selma to find a random location for a story.

Evelyn Huff is a retired educator, but her passion for education remains strong.

When the Dart landed on Center Avenue in Selmont Wednesday, Huff was enjoying a sunny spring afternoon outside with her granddaughter Kassidy Davis.

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Huff formerly worked for the Selma City School System with the in-school suspension program. Now retired, her days still remain busy.

“I actually find myself doing more work now,” Huff said.

Huff said she helps where she can, sometimes reading books to school children. Education has remained a passion throughout her life, Huff said. It’s not simply about learning facts and figures for Huff, she said learning integrity and respect are also important.

“If you don’t have integrity then no one is going to want to associate with you,” she said.

But public schools don’t represent Huff’s only interest in education. She also likes to stay up-to-date with local politics.

“I like to talk to as many people as possible,” she said. “I try to tell them that they should learn about each candidate and decide who is best for the job.”

While Huff talked, Davis walked around the yard, showing off her new gloves. Davis had taken orange socks and put them on her hands.

“Something that is actually good about being retired is that I get to spend more time with my granddaughter,” Huff said. “If I was still working, I wouldn’t have nearly as much time to spend with her.”

The granddaughter and grandmother pair occasionally gardens together.

“She is a great help,” Huff said. “Because I am disabled, she goes and gets things for me, which makes gardening a little bit easier. She loves to help me on lots of different things.”

Gardening is also an important part of Huff’s daily routine, she said.

“I love gardening,” she said. “And, with the pain that I have, it is like gardening just takes my mind off of it.”

As Huff talked and Davis showed off her orange gloves, Huff’s grandson —Darrick Davis — was on his way home from school.

Darrick immediately joined the conversation. He followed when Kassidy and Huff walked over to do some gardening work on a rose bush in the front yard. The flowers were bright pink, one of Kassidy’s favorite colors. After looking at the flowers, the three took a seat at a nearby table and continued the conversation into the afternoon.