Lewis Longenecker
Is more than a history teacher at Cumberland County Middle School that was recognized this year as one of ‘Virginia Humanities’, ‘Humanities Heroes’!
“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” ‘Albert Einstein’
If art is the standard, Lewis Longenecker’s teaching skills are a Rembrandt.
Teachers enjoy shaping young minds and personalities, but Lew takes it to another level.
He has used his love of history to inspire his students and to honor underrepresented members of the history of Virginia and especially Cumberland County, Virginia. By focusing on the rich history of Virginia and the immediate area he makes the information leap out of the books and become something that the students can see, touch and experience.
Lewis Longenecker and his students have been responsible for bringing to light some of
Virginia and Cumberland County’s overlooked and sometimes forgotten history.
Over the past few years, they have been responsible for the dedication of five Historical Highway Markers honoring the contributions of local underrepresented people.
Getting these historical Markers approved and installed is no easy task but with Lew’s guidance these students did the research to verify the information, wrote request for review visited the sites and dedicated the markers. This type of experience not only teaches skills that students will use to help in future careers, they are experiences that create a since of pride and memories that will last a lifetime.
Kim Kyusik (1881-1950)
Arthur Azo Matsu (1904-1987)
Samuel P. Bolling (1819-1900)
John Lipscomb Robinson(1825-1908)
Lucyville (R. T. Coleman and Shed Dungee)
Dedication of Highway Markers for Samuel P. Bolling
and John Robinson
Highway Marker Dedication at Lucyville to Honor R.T. Coleman and Shed Dungee
‘The man who lives in a small community lives in a much larger world’.
‘Gilbert Keith Chesterton’
