Thursday, February 27, 2014
Ed was a teacher of another school. When I knew him at Pine Valley School, at Children's Psychiatric Unit, John Umstead Hospital, he taught some of the most troubled youngsters in the state of North Carolina. School for most of them was a place of failure and conflict and shame. Ed had the marvelous qualities of being both nurturing and firm. He was a great advocate for children. He would say, "All that little guy needs is...." He was usually right on the money. He kept bird feeders outside his second floor classroom windows. The children had the job of feeding the birds. He loved his wife, Lucy, and his sons, John and Bill. I am so fortunate to have known him.