Meet Mrs. Mary Francis Terrell-Alexander Boggs Academy’s Alumni of the Year 2010 “There is no agony like bearing an untold story inside you”. Zora Neal Hurston
Mary Francis Terrell-Alexander, affectionately known as “Francis” is a native of Lake Wales, Florida and her proud parents were Benjamin and Fannie Terrell. Francis had four brothers and two sisters, all of whom are deceased.
She is happily married to Dennis Alexander, Sr. and is a mother of two sons, Charles and Benjamin Waldon. She has two step sons, Maurice and Dennis Alexander, Jr., eight grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
Francis attended Roosevelt Elementary in Lake Wales, Florida and completed high school at Boggs Academy in Keysville, Georgia. She graduated from Barber Scotia College in Concord, North Carolina. In order to enhance her education, she enrolled at FAMU, Edward Walter College and New York City’s YWCA Professional School which was under the directorship of the renowned Mrs. Dorothy Height.
While at Boggs Academy and Barber Scotia College for both were Presbyterian schools, she studied the history and the doctrine of the Presbyterian Church and fell in love with its form of government.
Francis worked for 36 years with the Young Women Christian Association, (YWCA) in Jacksonville, Florida. Management began to notice this noble woman for her personal concerns and her ability to manage their resources. They realized after a short period of time that she was dependable, reliable and industrious as well as having the innate ability to logically analyze situations before making decisions. This virtuous woman was promoted as the Young Adult Program Director at the A.L. Lewis Branch of the YWCA. Francis worked tirelessly. This type of dedication does not go unnoticed. She was promoted to the Directorship of the A.L. Lewis Branch, YWCA.
One of Zora Neal Hurston’s famous quotes: “If you haven’t got it, you can’t show it. If you have got it, you can’t hide it”, sincerely describes Mrs. Alexander’s character. Soon Francis was catapulted to the position of Associate Executive Director of the YWCA of Jacksonville. In this position, Mrs. Alexander was responsible for all programs in the YWCA. She was the first and only African American to serve in this capacity.
There have been many programs instituted by Francis that have brought her much joy, including “empowerment of women and leadership training” but developing the first prison program for women of Duval County ranks high among her accomplishments. She has lived to see many great women, locally and nationally, pass through the doors of the YWCA. She is so proud to have been a part of their lives. Although Mrs. Alexander was passionate about her work at the YWCA, it paled in comparison to the love she has for her church.
She was a member of Woodlawn Presbyterian Church of Jacksonville for 30 years and was known as a dedicated and great church leader being responsible for many members becoming involved in the life of the church. She chaired the following committees: Worship, Evangelism and Church Growth, Christian Education, Nominating and Stewardship; the 112th and 120th church anniversary celebration, elected twice to be on the pastor’s nominating committee and elected to be on the sanctuary committee for their new sanctuary. She also served as Superintendent of Woodlawn’s church school and was asked by the national church to develop a model for church schools.
After Francis retired in 1990, she relocated to Tampa, Florida and joined the Temple Terrace Presbyterian Church. She has served three (3) terms on the Session, chaired the golden anniversary of Temple Terrace Presbyterian Church and has served on the following committees: Pastor’s Nominating Committee, Worship, Evangelism and Christian Education committee and presently she is active on the Mission Committee. She has worked diligently with the Presbytery of Northeast Florida as well as the Synod of South Atlantic. Francis has provided leadership to the Committee of Ministry. She was an adviser for the New Church Development and Christian Education as well as the Nominating Committee of the Presbytery. Francis has served faithfully as a member of the Board of Trustees for Queens College in Charlotte, N.C. and is a permanent Judicial Committee member. She has also chaired the Personnel Committee of the Synod of the South.
Mrs. Francis Terrell Alexander is the Founder and first President of the Tampa Bay Chapter of ASALH (Association for the Study of African American Life and History, Inc) founded in 1915 by Carter G. Woodson, the Father of Black History.
A member of the NAACP of Tampa A member of the Friend’s of the Urban Library, Ada Payne Chapter A member of the National Council of Negro Women A member of the Tampa Bay Area Bridge Club A member of The American Bridge Association
Mrs. Alexander received “A Woman of Distinction” honor in 2001 by the Ebony Civic Club-of Jacksonville, Florida.
Presently, Francis serves as The President of the Florida Chapter of Boggs Academy. Armani, one of Francis’s great nephews (11 yrs old) recently conveyed to his grandmother that he was glad to know her. What a profound statement his grandmother remarked as she recalled how precious her Aunt Francis has meant to her. People who have crossed paths with Mrs. Alexander can ditto that statement.
Zora Neal Hurston said it best when she remarked, “I want a busy life, a just mind and a timely death.” This quote echoes the legacy of Mrs. Francis Terrell Alexander.
As we celebrate the occasion of the Boggs Academy Alumni Family and Friends Annual Reunion this year, we pause to give special recognition and tribute to an individual who has touched the lives of so many both directly and indirectly through her tireless service to mankind as a teacher, a community activist, a church leader, wife and mother. We are honored to dedicate this journal to Mrs. Lela Wright Stone.
A native of Jefferson County, Georgia and a resident of Burke County, Georgia for 47 years, she came to the county at the tender age of 13 when her parents enrolled her at Boggs Academy. She graduated four (4) years later as valedictorian of her class. She attended Barber-Scotia College and graduated with highest honors, Cum Laude with a B S degree in Home Economics. She received the Masters of Education from the University of Georgia where she was inducted into the education honor society, Kappa Delta Pi and did further studies at Tuskeegee University, Savannah State University and Atlanta University. It is with this educational foundation that Lela entered the world of service to others through her work as a teacher.
In the early years after college, she taught Home Economics at Gillespie-Selden Institute, Cordele, Georgia and at Boggs Academy, Keysville, GA. Her horizon of service was expanded when she began her public school teaching career as a teacher of language arts and elementary lead teacher at Cousins Elementary School in Burke County, GA. This experience gave her the opportunity to practice her leadership skills in preparation to become the first African American visiting teacher/school social worker for the Burke County school system. She retired from this position in 1986 after 24 years of service and immediately moved into a more powerful leadership role in the education field when she ran for election to the Burke County Board of Education and became the first elected African American to serve in this capacity for the county.
Although she has retired from the field of education, she has never been too far away from providing an opportunity for others to experience the rich educational legacy she received as a student on the campus of Boggs Academy. In 1985, she became aware of the crisis that threatened to bring an end to the historic Boggs Academy campus. A FOR SALE sign had been posted on the grounds and after some research, it was determined that the Presbyterian Church USA was prepared to sell the campus and the surrounding farm land. This crisis became a “call to action” for this visionary and courageous woman and within days she was busy meeting with community leaders in Burke County and following many months of careful planning and deliberating, she and a group of nine (9) community persons were denied a place on the agenda of the annual meeting of the General Assembly Council of the Presbyterian Church USA in Louisville, KY. After the group did not receive a written invitation to be placed on the meeting agenda, they decided to travel to Louisville and make an appeal in person to be heard by the General Assembly Council. The negative actions of the Church persisted and again refused the group admission to the meeting. Lela Wright Stone would not be denied and after a quick strategy meeting, the group organized a demonstration outside the headquarters of the Presbyterian Church USA. This was a story unfolding minute by minute and the local news media soon picked up the story and began reporting the event to the Louisville community. The Church realized that the Burke County group was not going away quietly and finally allowed one member from the group to speak before the Assembly Council. Mrs. Stone was the spokesperson and after her persuasive presentation was made to the Council, a plan to save the campus was negotiated and the organization, Boggs Rural Life Center, Inc (BRLC) was formed in 1990 and this organization was given ownership of the campus by the Church.
Her strong leadership skills, articulate style of communication, a shrewd sense of negotiating and a tenacious determination were combined and with her leadership the Boggs campus was saved to experience a new beginning. The newest project Mrs. Stone has undertaken is called Boggs Charter Academy, a charter school for middle grade students to be located on the campus of Boggs Academy in the Phelps administrative building. The school will not be a residential facility, however, the plans are to provide a learning environment that according to the petition, “ will use a challenging curricula to provide quality educational opportunities for students who, because of social, economic and/or personal situations, have not experienced sustained academic success in the regular school settings.” The projected opening date of the school is August 2010.
Mrs. Stone is active in community and civic organizations and has received many honors in recognition of her service. She is a life member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and was the chartered secretary of Delta House, Inc., the board responsible for the restoration of the home of Miss Lucy Craft Laney that is now the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History, Augusta, GA. The Augusta Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, honored her as “Soror of the Year”. In 1996, she was given the “Spirit of Kwanzaa UNITY” award and in2007 she received the Heritage Award recognizing her work with the Delta House. The Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc. honored her in 1994 as “Lady of the Year”. She is a member of Belle-Terrace Presbyterian USA Church in Augusta, GA and has served in many leadership roles in the church including fifty-eight (58) years as a Presbyterian Woman. Mrs. Stone is the wife of G. Samuel Stone for 54 years and she is the devoted mother of Lynette and Richard and the loving grandmother of four grandchildren.
The Presbyterian Women of Belle-Terrace honored Lela Wright Stone in 2007 as “The Woman with Political Power” and this is the description printed in the program-“Women like Deborah are unique. They do not seek power for themselves but give honor to God in all things. While they cherish their roles as women and wives (mothers), they are servants of God. Deborah’s life challenges modern day Christian women in many ways. She reminds us of the need to be available to serve God, family, church and others. Like this political role model, when called upon to lead, Lela knows how to effectively plan, direct and delegate tasks. She organized and led her community, her church, her people and women into numerous causes for social and economic justice and peace, and for equality in education. Lela is one of a kind- Christian- family woman, leader and activist.” Mrs. Stone says, “I give God all the Praise and Glory for enabling me to perform these and other services in my church and in my community.”
