Ralph Cox

COX INDUCTED INTO LMU EDUCATOR'S HALL OF FAME

October 22, 2012 - Harrogate, Tennessee, October 17, 2012— Ralph Cox, of Pennington Gap, Va., was inducted into the Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) Educator’s Hall of Fame on Saturday during the University’s annual Homecoming celebration.

Cox was recognized for his lifetime of contributions to the field of education. His teaching career got underway in 1941 after he completed his practice teaching and received his Normal Professional Certificate while he attended LMU. When Pearl Harbor was bombed, Cox left school and teaching and went to work for the Norfolk Navy Yard. He became a member of the Naval Reserve and enlisted. He served his country until 1946.

After the war, Cox returned to LMU and completed his baccalaureate degree. He was certified to teach elementary grades, math, physics, Spanish and English and even taught a semester of physics at LMU. He went on to gain multiple teaching endorsements from Virginia Tech, Radford, East Tennessee State University, University of Virginia and LMU. Cox taught at St. Charles High School and Keokee High School before becoming the principal at Dryden in 1952. He also completed a master’s degree at Peabody College.

In 1958, Cox moved on to Damascus High School where he also served as principal. When the school consolidated with Liberty Hall, Cox became principal of the new Holston High School where he served until 1974. He also served as principal at schools in Abingdon, Va., and in Lee County, Va. Cox retired from the Lee County School system where he served as the Director of Secondary Education in 1987.

Cox did not leave the field of education upon retirement. He continues to work with the Beginning Teacher Assistance Program, where he mentors first year teachers across Southwest Virginia. He also has worked with VICAP, a state-sponsored program that allowed him to meet with groups of senior citizens to provide guidance on private insurance and programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.

Cox and his wife, Mary Helen, have been married for 61 years. In his spare time, he enjoys gardening and has earned the designation of Master Gardner.

Lincoln Memorial University is a values-based learning community dedicated to providing educational experiences in the liberal arts and professional studies. The main campus is located in Harrogate, Tennessee. For more information about the undergraduate and graduate programs available at LMU, contact the Office of Admissions at 423-869-6280 or e-mail at admissions@lmunet.edu.

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