Mr. Lawrence R. Sharp Remembered

Recently the Panola College Foundation received a $21,000 gift, for the M. P. Baker Library expansion project. James A. and Evelyn D. Sharp made the contribution in memory of Mr. Sharp’s father, Lawrence R. Sharp.

Mr. Lawrence R. Sharp (1889-1959) was an educator and historian who spent a lifetime crusading to enhance the outreach of educational opportunities to the citizens of Panola County. Mr. Sharp earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Texas. He was a member of the Phi Delta Kappa, National Education Honor Society and an accomplished author. His book “History of Panola County to 1860” is still widely consulted as the authoritative work on the subject.

Mr. L.R. Sharp’s career in education extended over forty years, first as a teacher in the one and two teacher rural schools of Panola County and later, as the Panola County Superintendent of Schools from 1924 to 1928. During his tenure as County Superintendent he pressed for the consolidation of the forty-two rural schools in Panola County, a controversial issue at the time. His efforts led the consolidation of seven rural schools into what is known today as the Beckville Independent School District.

Later Mr. Sharp became one of Panola County Junior College’s original faculty members. On January 19, 1948, he and a small group of fellow faculty members braved a snowstorm to attend a faculty meeting at 8:30 a.m. After half an hour the first faculty meeting was adjourned in order to commence registration at nine o’clock. Students were taken in alphabetical order, and Bill Applegate registered first for a night course in business. All together twenty-five students enrolled for classes that day. Mr. L. R. Sharp taught history, government and economics courses at Panola College from 1947 to 1959 with unwavering dedication and distinction.

His wife, Debbie Harris Sharp (1894-1980) graduated from North Texas Teachers College, now the University of North Texas, in 1916 with a permanent teaching certificate. Later she earned Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from Stephen F. Austin State Teachers College, now Stephen F. Austin State University.

Her teaching career spanned twenty years, beginning before marriage and resuming after she reared six children. Lawrence R. and Debbie H. Sharp worked to send each of their six children to college. Together they shared an uncommon understanding of the importance of universal education.

Like her father-in-law, Evelyn D. Sharp understands the importance of providing people with an opportunity to improve their lives through higher education. Since she became a member of the Panola College Board of Trustees in 1991, she has dedicated her time, money, and energy to continuing Mr. L. R. Sharp’s dream of expanding the educational opportunities available to the citizens of Panola County. By utilizing a matching gift plan offered through the Oryx Energy Company, she and her husband endowed the James A. and Evelyn Duchesne Sharp Scholarship at Panola College in 1992. Their most recent gift to the M. P. Baker Library was made through the Kerr-McGee Foundation Corporation matching gift program.