David Nelson:  

Well, I attended Gardendale Elementay then went to Phillips High for a couple of years, then to Mortimer Jordan. During this later transistion, I nearly dropped out of school. But, with some teacher and friend support, I finally decided to buckle down and graduate. I took a heavy load and completed three years plus of work in two. I was taking three English classes at once. I managed to get a job driving the Gardendale bus part time for a little extra money and I taught a ninth grade Alabama History class, in my spare time. They failed to get a teacher for the class and I was a senior taking a ninth grade class so I volunteered to cover for a teacher. I did well in there. Made a good grade. I graduated in '61, got married and moved to Decatur, AL. We had a daughter who was born with birth defects and died after 9 months. After a few years I quit my job, nearly on welfare, and took a job with the Morgan County Health Department as an inspector. then my education really began In 1979 I started school at Calhoun Jr. College, in Decatur as a part time night st...Expand for more