When his term ended Dec. 31, Alfred Pitts had served the Jones County School System for five decades.
Pitts served as the District 2 representative on the Jones County Board of Education for 16 years and 34 years as an educator before that. He was a teacher, assistant principal and principal before retiring and taking his seat on the Jones County Board of Education.
Pitts was elected to the board in 2008, defeating 21-year incumbent Willie Fluellen to represent District 2. He retired from his job as principal of Gray Station Middle School June 30, 2008, and was elected to the board two weeks later, July 15, 2008.
The Jones County Board of Education held a reception in Pitts’ honor prior to his final board meeting Dec. 3. Friends, family members and former coworkers filled the room and the halls of the professional learning center to pay tribute.
His fellow board members took the opportunity to express their appreciation, and others got on the meeting agenda to have their say.
Board member Kim Washburn spoke about Pitts during his opening report.
“I appreciate Mr. Pitts and his service, hard work and dedication to this county. I only remember about three teachers from when I was in middle school. Mr. Pitts is one of them. Our county is better because of Mr. Pitts. More than anything, I appreciate that he is my friend,” Washburn said.
Board member Dr. Nancy Nash also thanked Pitts.
“I cannot say enough about you. I appreciate you very much. You have been a wonderful mentor for me,” she said.
Pitts asked his son Jonathan to speak for him at the meeting.
“I want to thank all the board members and the entire school district for the love and support they have shown my father and mother for over 40-plus years they have served this community. It means a lot,” he said.
Jonathan then took the opportunity to express his appreciation to his father.
“Thank you so much for being a great role model, mentor and servant for this community. I am excited to see you being home with us, maybe traveling and spending time with the grandkids,” he said.
Alfred Pitts thanked everyone for their kindness.
“This is not about me. It is the beginning of a new chapter with Mr. (Brady) Skinner, and I know he will do well. I know we already do a lot for our school community, but we have to do more if we possibly can,” he said.
Superintendent Charles Lundy concluded the reports by presenting Pitts with an engraved memento on behalf of the school system, denoting his dedicated service. The honoree accepted the gift and stated the token of appreciation should go to the people in the community.
“I enjoy doing this and serving on the board, but this belongs to the people. It is like borrowing a shirt or a jacket. When you give it to use, you give it back. I am just trying to give it back better than I found it,” he concluded.
Former School District Superintendent Chuck Gibson asked to be on the agenda to be sure he had the opportunity to honor Pitts. Gibson was the Jones County school superintendent for six years while Pitts was a board member.
“I was fortunate enough to be at Mr. Pitts’ first board meeting and fortunate enough to attend his last. Alfred Pitts is a pillar of this community. He is a giver, a visionary and prophetic in a lot of ways. He is family. I thank you for your service,” Gibson said.
In a follow-up interview with the former superintendent, Gibson had more to say about Pitts. During Gibson’s 37 years in education, 35 years were spent in the Jones County School System. He retired at the end of the 2021 school year and knew his fellow educator well.
“Alfred is unique. In every role he served, and there were many, he did it with class and professionalism. He was always a strong advocate for students and teachers as well as a voice for all people,” the former superintendent said.
Gibson said Pitts always thanked everyone – teachers, clerks, nutrition workers and janitors – for the job they did.
“His family is exceptional. His father was a strong role model, and there is his sister Angela, wife Vivian and son Jonathan. Put them all together, it’s a stellar family,” Gibson said. “Mr. Pitts’ lens was common sense. He always seemed to ask the right questions, but he did it in a way that was team building. He was a good representative not only for his district but for Jones County.”
Jonathan Pitts continued to pay tribute to his father with a post on his Facebook page following the December reception.
“Two words come to mind when I think of my Dad’s retirement from the Jones County Board of Education – mission accomplished. He set out to make a difference and have a positive impact on our school system, while always putting his focus on the students. He did that and so much more,” he said. “Hearing the kind words shared about him made me proud and inspired me to be the best father I can be to Makinzee and Jackson. Well done, Dad. It’s time to travel and enjoy more time with the family.”
Background
According to a 2016 article in The Jones County News, Alfred Pitts was born in Jones County to parents William E. ‘Red’ and Anna Lois Pitts. The family lived in the heart of Gray, and Alfred helped his father in his work as a carpenter, raising hogs and a vegetable garden to help feed the family.
The experiences he had while growing up helped him to learn what he wanted to do as well as what he did not want to do. The educator attended Maggie Califf for first through 12th grades, which was an all-black school under the separate but equal policy of the day.
After graduation, he attended Fort Valley College, which he said was about the only place he could go.
Alfred’s parents instilled education into him and his siblings. His first interest was in vocational agriculture, but he soon changed his major to social science, now known as social studies. It was while he was in college that he decided he wanted to teach.
Pitts said it was partly because of the encouragement he received from his former teachers. He liked their lifestyle and thought they were good role models.
Pitts said growing up things were separate for black and white people. He said people knew the rules and accepted it.
Pitts lived on campus while he was in college and worked in the summers to help pay for his tuition. After he graduated, his first teaching job was in Hancock County. While helping his father with a carpentry job at the courthouse, Jones County School Superintendent Linton Jordan saw him and asked him what he was doing.
When he told Jordon he was a teacher, he was encouraged to apply at Jones County.
Pitts said his first teaching job in Jones County was teaching shop at Califf. In the five years since he had graduated, Jones County schools were desegregated. Califf was no longer the school only black students attended. It was the school all junior high school students attended.
After a year of teaching shop, he started teaching Georgia history, a subject he loved and taught for 20 years. He taught history until he became an assistant principal and then principal. The educator remained at Califf until Gray Station Middle School was constructed. He served as principal of Gray Station until he retired June 30, 2008.
Pitts said he never thought he would see a black president in his lifetime, and he was surprised when Barack Obama was elected. He said Jones County always made him feel better about the country.
