Athens Hornet Hall of Fame inducts inaugural class

Community turns out to honor Castleberry, Douglas, Fisher

By Toni Garrard Clay/AISD Communications Coordinator

Thursday night was a celebration of achievement, past and present, for Athens ISD as many of the community’s leading citizens attended a gala honoring the inaugural class of the Hornet Hall of Fame.

Athens High School class of 1940 graduate Vivian Anderson Castleberry, 1977 AHS graduate Drew Douglas, and the late historic Athens educator R.C. Fisher were all inducted and honored before a crowd of about 90.

“This started with the simple idea that, as a school district, we should not only be looking forward toward our goals, but backward as well, to honor the remarkable achievements of so many who have come before,” said AISD Assistant Superintendent Dr. Janie Sims. “This is only the beginning.”

Each of the inductees were introduced through short biographical videos, which have been posted to the district’s website (www.athensisd.net) and Facebook page (search “Athens Independent School District”). Following their introductions, Castleberry and Douglas were interviewed on stage by AISD Communications Coordinator Toni Garrard Clay about their time as a Hornet and their accomplishments since. Following Fisher’s biographical piece, Fisher High Alumni Association President Prince Fite joined Clay on stage to discuss his experience as a 1962 graduate of R.C. Fisher High School, which closed in 1966 with desegregation.

Castleberry describes her time as a student in Athens during the pre-World War II years as pivotal in determining the course of her life. Her senior year, 1939-40, she was president of the student council, editor-in-chief of the student newspaper and member of a debate team that won third place in state. She went on to graduate from Southern Methodist University and in the mid-1950s was hired as the home editor for the Dallas Times Herald, where she remained for 28 years. During her time as women’s editor, Castleberry revolutionized how newspapers covered women’s issues.

“I didn’t want to just write about things,” she said. “I wanted to write about people.”

Upon retirement, a trip to Russia as a citizen diplomat led to Castleberry founding Peacemakers Incorporated and the subsequent hosting of several international conferences. She has authored a number of books, is the namesake of the University of North Texas Castleberry Peace Institute, and in 1984 was inducted into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame. She and her late husband, Curtis Castleberry, were married for “67 years, 7 months, 27 days and 21 hours.” She has five daughters and many grand and great-grandchildren.

Drew Douglas is a graduate of the AHS class of 1977 and is currently serving as the Athens Chamber of Commerce’s Citizen of the Year. He was a standout football player for the Hornets and graduated near the top of his class. Douglas enrolled at Baylor University, where he walked onto the Bears’ football team his first two years and was named scout team player of the year both years. His junior and senior years, he received a full scholarship.

In 1983 — having had his real estate license since his last year at university — Douglas began to buy, sell, trade, invest in and develop real estate. He earned his broker’s license in 1984, partnered with Steve Grant in 1989, and has been a general contractor for the past decade.

In August of 2010, Douglas opened the Athens Thrift Store. The store accepts donated goods, which it offers to the public at reasonable prices. The profits are then given away. Since opening, Athens Thrift Store has contributed approximately $300,000 to 20 different non-profit organizations in Henderson County.

Douglas has two children, Jessica and Joseph, and three grandchildren. He and his wife, Lori, have been married since 1992.

Richard “R.C.” Fisher was born in 1888, the son of a former slave and the youngest of six children. After attending public school in High Bank, Texas, he went on to graduate from Prairie View State Normal School for the training of teachers.

In 1914 under a segregated system, Fisher joined the faculty of a two-room wood schoolhouse on the north side of Athens called “Athens Colored School.” When he became principal there in 1925, he renamed it “Blackshear” to honor Edward L. Blackshear, a former professor of his.

Fisher died in 1932 after a short illness at the age of 44, having been predeceased by his wife and only child, a daughter. Upon his death, the new brick building constructed to serve African-American students was named in his honor.

During his time in Athens, R.C. Fisher was in many ways a liaison between the African-American and white communities. In addition to being a principal at Blackshear High School, he began serving in 1920 as a team trainer — known then as a “rub doctor” — for the football and basketball teams at Athens High School. The respect for Fisher, affectionately known then as “Doc Fisher,” was such that when Grand Saline announced they would not allow him on their sideline, Athens High School refused to play there.

After his death, Jimmie Kitts, a former coach at Athens High School, described Fisher as having had “all the fine qualities in his character that a man could possess.”

The gala event was sponsored by Athens OB/GYN Dr. Fran McCain. Plaques were donated by Athens Screen Printing.