[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 152 (Wednesday, October 12, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6453-S6454]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO CARL WEAVER

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the 
accomplishments and achievements of lifetime educator Carl Weaver. For 
almost 40 years, Carl devoted himself to teaching young Kentuckians 
history, civics, and psychology while also coaching little league 
baseball in the afternoons and the South Laurel High School boys' 
baseball team.
  Carl began teaching as an undergraduate student while at the 
University of the Cumberlands in 1963, at the age of 19. After 
graduation, Carl spent 6 years teaching in Ohio before returning to 
Laurel County, KY, where he earned his master's degree from Union 
College while simultaneously teaching full-time and raising his three 
children, Wayne, Karen (Davenport), and Whitney.
  Carl witnessed many changes during his 33-year career teaching in 
Laurel County, but he cherishes most the time he spent teaching his own 
kids--Carl had each of his three children in at least one class in high 
school and also had the opportunity to teach Karen psychology her 
freshman year at Sue Bennett College. Carl never had a problem with any 
of his children in the classroom, recalling, ``I was probably harder on 
them than on other students.''
  For Carl, it was always about the kids. Carl has an amazing passion 
for teaching and he truly enjoyed and appreciated the students. 
``That's what it's really all about. You're teaching the student, not 
the subject,'' Carl says. Carl still misses teaching, but he was forced 
to retire at the 27-year mark due to ongoing complications with his 
legs as a result of his diagnosis with polio as a child.
  These obstacles don't hinder Carl's spirit however, as he continues 
to stay busy by helping out in his son's produce stand on East Ky. 80. 
Carl admits he's enjoyed a good life. As he looks back now on his 
teaching career however, he says he doesn't regret a thing.
  Mr. President, Carl Weaver is a humble, selfless Kentuckian who 
dedicated his life to educating the youth of Kentucky. I thank him for 
his passion and the wisdom he has shared with the people of our great 
Commonwealth. The Laurel County Sentinel Echo published an article in 
the spring of 2011 to honor Carl's career and accomplishments. I ask 
unanimous consent that the full article be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

          [From the Laurel County Sentinel Echo, Spring 2011]

Busier since retirement: Carl Weaver works concessions, mans a produce 
 stand and spends time with grandchildren. And like teaching, he loves 
                          every minute of it.

                           (By Nita Johnson)

       He walks with two canes due to rheumatoid arthritis, 
     another storyline to the

[[Page S6454]]

     limp he's had all his life since suffering from polio at age 
     3.
       But the canes and the limp don't deter long-time educator 
     Carl Weaver. In fact, since his retirement from the Laurel 
     County school system in 2002, Weaver has been busier than 
     ever.
       In fact, Weaver depicts the word ``busy.'' With nearly 40 
     years of teaching experience under his belt, Weaver has 
     always been active in the school, in his personal life, and 
     in his community.
       Even while raising his three children, his life has 
     revolved around academics and athletics. During school hours, 
     the classroom setting found him instructing students about 
     history, civics, and psychology. During summer breaks, he 
     taught psychology at Sue Bennett College.
       After-school hours found Weaver on the baseball field where 
     he coached the South Laurel High School baseball team for six 
     years. When not on the baseball field, Weaver was the 
     academic team coach for Laurel County High School, and when 
     the county school split into two high schools, he remained on 
     at South Laurel High School as academic team coach, garnering 
     over 20 years in that position. During this time he was an 
     unyielding advocate for the establishment of elementary 
     school academic teams--a goal he not only saw accomplished 
     but saw its success and contributions to the educational 
     programs of the school system where he taught for 33 years.
       As if that weren't enough, Weaver also coached baseball for 
     the local Little League teams, coached basketball for the 
     Laurel-London Optimist Club, and served as a 4-H leader. His 
     ties to the baseball field didn't end when he retired in 
     2002.
       ``I help with the concession stands at South Laurel now,'' 
     Weaver said. ``My son, Whitney, is assistant baseball coach 
     there.''
       Weaver's teaching career began in 1963 after graduation 
     from Cumberland College (now University of the Cumberlands). 
     He attended Sue Bennett College for two years prior to 
     transferring to Cumberland College to pursue his bachelor's 
     degree. After college graduation, he moved to Zanesville, 
     Ohio, and taught seventh- and eighth-grade students for six 
     years before returning to Laurel County.
       ``I was an undergraduate student and I was only 19 when I 
     started teaching,'' he said.
       He earned his master's degree from Union College while 
     still teaching full-time and raising his own children.
       Weaver saw many changes over the span of his career, but 
     his focus always remained on the students who came through 
     his classes. Three of those students were his own children--
     Wayne, Karen (Davenport), and Whitney.
       ``I had all three in at least one class during high 
     school,'' he said, ``and I had Karen in her first year at Sue 
     Bennett for psychology class. I never had any problems out of 
     my children in class. I was probably harder on them than on 
     other students.''
       Many of his former students approach him even now, some of 
     which he said he had in class as many as 30 years ago.
       ``I always enjoyed teaching. I enjoyed the students,'' 
     Weaver said. ``You meet so many different students and see 
     the uniqueness of each one, their personality. That's really 
     what it's all about is the kids. You're teaching the student, 
     not the subject matter.''
       He related that he still misses being in the classroom but 
     ongoing problems with his legs prompted him to retire after 
     reaching the 27-year mark.
       ``I taught for 33 years but the six years in Ohio didn't 
     count toward my retirement time,'' he explained.
       But retirement didn't provide time off from being busy. In 
     fact, between his own activities and those with his 
     grandchildren, Weaver says he has more to do now than in the 
     past.
       Currently Weaver and his wife of 48 years, Pearl, are 
     helping out in their son's produce stand, located on East Ky. 
     80 beside Arnold's Place, while they continue to raise 
     strawberries and raspberries on their farm in the Laurel 
     River community. That farm produces the fruits and vegetables 
     that the Weavers display in their produce market--homemade 
     strawberry preserves made by their son Wayne and wife 
     Michelle. Jars of bread-and-butter pickles also adorn the 
     counter of the market, another example of the Weaver's 
     farming products.
       ``Good to see you,'' Carl Weaver greets the customers 
     coming in to the produce market during the day, and their 
     parting is accentuated with, ``Thanks for stopping by. Come 
     back and see us.''
       A friendly and informal manner from a man who holds his 
     honorary doctorate in humanities, but the nature of his 
     greeting is reason for the doctorate degree presented by his 
     brother Neal, then president of Louisiana Baptist University 
     in Shreveport.
       ``He gave me an honorary doctorate in humanities because of 
     my long years of work with young people, in the classroom and 
     in the community,'' Weaver said.
       ``It's been a good life,'' he added. ``When I started 
     college I planned to pursue a law degree. But somewhere along 
     the lines I decided I wanted to be a teacher. I guess some 
     people look back and see visions of better things but I 
     enjoyed teaching and I never regretted it.''

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