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An annual program that the Oakdale Alumni Association is proud to sponsor is our scholarship program.
Each spring, we award at least one scholarship to a graduating senior at Oakdale High School. The
amount of the scholarship(s) is $500. Our intent is not to try to fund the student's college education but to
provide a little extra to cover some expenses during his/her first semester of college or vocational school.
In the past, we have awarded as many as seven scholarships and as few as one. In the spring of 2010, we
presented four seniors with $500 scholarships. Now that the 2010-11 school year is underway, we must
start making plans for scholarships.
At this time, the Alumni Association does not have the funds for more than one or maybe two
scholarships. We are looking at local fundraising ideas, but six people cannot do this alone. During the
last two regular meetings, the Alumni Association decided to seek donations from members of the Alumni
in order to fund the scholarships.
Also, to make the scholarships more meaningful to the recipients, we voted to name the scholarships that
we will try to fund. We wanted to name the scholarships after alumni, faculty members, and community
members who have given of themselves to promote Oakdale School, the Oakdale community, and the
Oakdale Alumni Association. If you would like to donate to a specific scholarship or to the scholarship
fund in general, click here to download a form.
After much discussion and reasoning, we have chosen the following people to honor by naming our
scholarships after them.
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The Hollis and Bessie Eble
Distinguished Faculty Scholarship
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Alumni, former faculty members, and community leaders are all descriptions of Hollis and Bessie Eble.
Their dedication to Oakdale School and its students provided leadership, compassion, and self-worth to
nearly three generations of students.
Hollis Eble left high school near the end of his senior year to join the U.S. Army during World War II, after
he and other classmates were assured they would receive their diplomas. After serving his country in the
European Theater, he returned home only to learn that he would not receive his diploma. He went back
to high school and graduated with the Class of 1948. After graduating, he eventually ended up at
Tennessee Technological University where he earned his B.S. in education. He returned to Oakdale
School to teach and coach in the early 1950s. He taught a variety of high school subjects from P.E.
classes to World Geography to Health. During this time, he also coached football, boys' and girls'
basketball, and baseball. He always made sure that students and athletes had a ride to and from games
and school. He took them fishing and hunting; he taught them to drive; and he provided them with
opportunities they might not have had growing up - like going to football and basketball games at the
University of Tennessee. Hollis retired in 1980, and he lost his battle with cancer in 1998. His influence
lives on in the hundreds of students who were lucky enough to call him coach or teacher.
Bessie Headrick Eble graduated in 1942 at the age of 16. She attended Tennessee Wesleyan College
before earning her education degree at the University of Tennessee. She began her teaching career at
Oakdale in the early 1950s where she taught a variety of subjects with business courses (typing,
shorthand, bookkeeping, economics, etc.) being her main concentration. Bessie earned a reputation of
being tough but fair, and she helped many students develop skills that led to successful careers after high
school. She retired in 1985.
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The Paul and Vera Scarbrough
Leadership Scholarship
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Not only are they alumni, former faculty members, and community leaders, Paul and Vera Scarbrough
provided leadership and guidance to Oakdale for more than three decades.
Paul Scarbrough was a member of the Class of 1955. He returned to Oakdale School in the mid-1960s
to teach high school social sciences - namely U.S. History. In 1973, he was named principal of Oakdale
School and held that position until 1996 when he was elected Superintendent of Morgan County Schools.
Paul was a great inspiration to the students and faculty at Oakdale as he was a constant reminder that
adversity can be overcome with determination and will power. Paul retired from education in 2000, but he
continued his leadership role by serving on the Morgan County Commission and by serving as a field
representative for Congressman Lincoln Davis.
Vera Whaley Scarbrough graduated in 1962 and returned to Oakdale to teach in the late 1960s.
During her years at Oakdale, she taught elementary classes before moving to high school to teach
English, journalism, drama, and local history. In the 1980s, Vera earned her Master's degree from
Breadloaf College (part of Middlebury College in Vermont), and this allowed her to teach college English
at Roane State. Her dynamic personality and teaching skills helped Oakdale students master grammar
and appreciate literature. She helped students find their inner-actor by teaching drama and having her
students deliver stellar performances each year. Vera retired in 2007 but continues to teach Roane State
courses and takes an occasional interim teaching position.
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The Hoskins Family
Educational Scholarship
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Oakdale School is like a family in more ways than one, and one family that has made a signifcant
contribution to Oakdale School and the students is the Hoskins family.
It has only been 4 years since Sam and Jeanette Hoskins were part of the Oakdale School family. Sam
graduated from Oakdale in 1963. He met Jeanette while they were students at Tennessee Tech
University. After college, Sam served in the U.S. Army and was severely wounded in Vietnam. He and
Jeanette taught at Oakdale in 1971-72 before moving to Middle Tennessee for a few years. They
returned to Oakdale School in 1979. Sam served as assistant principal and oversaw the Title 1 Reading
Lab for many years. Before taking over as principal in 1996, Sam taught high school math classes.
Jeanette taught elementary classes, but is best remembered for teaching kindergarten for many years.
Sam and Jeanette retired in 2006 when Sam was diagnosed with a third cancer recurrence.
Sam's mother, Joann Hoskins, taught at Oakdale during the 1950s, 60s, and early 70s. She taught
elementary classes during this time. Mrs. Hoskins was a kind and caring teacher who made learning fun.
Sam's father, Lonnie Hoskins, worked for Southern Railway, and he was active in the Oakdale
community as well. For years, he was a Boy Scout leader, and he was a positive influence in the lives of
those young men.
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The Charles Kittrell
Community and Alumni Scholarship
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There are people in Oakdale who will go the extra mile and make a difference. Charles Kittrell was one
of those people. He graduated from Oakdale School in 1942. His wife, Majorie Langley Kittrell graduated
from Oakdale in 1943. Their two children are also Oakdale graduates as are their three grandsons. A
fourth generation of Kittrells are students at Oakdale now.
Charles worked with the Oakdale Alumni Association in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He saw a need in
the community in the late 1980s when the school and youth league baseball and football programs had
trouble finding trophies. Charles opened a trophy business in his basement and filled a need that was
much appreciated by the school and community. He also represented Oakdale as a member of the Board
of Directors of the Walden's Ridge Foundation, a non-profit organization that oversaw grants that helped
students in all Morgan County Schools.
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