There were 19 class members. They included four who became principals, at least two who became teachers, a man who became the public information director for Milliken & Co. and one longtime administrative assistant to three Union County sheriffs.
Cassels, a retired principal who now serves as director of Union County Schools Achievement Academy, said he thinks the percentage of graduates who made such a direct impact on lives locally is amazing.
“USC-Union has been a tremendous positive influence for this community,” he said.
Cassels grew up in Chester County, about four miles from Lockhart, and graduated from Chester High School in 1966. He said he chose to start college at USC-Union because he wasn’t quite ready for a large college setting.
“I had a friend who had gone here,” he said. “I came over and talked to the people and they were very gracious and nice. I knew I could just get in the car and drive 20 minutes and be here. The cost was good — I was able to work in the summer and pay my tuition.”
Cassels’ sister, Susan, also attended USC-Union before transferring to Winthrop College, now Winthrop University. She served as food service supervisor for Union County Schools for 23 years before moving to Batesburg.
Cassels went to USC-Union for three years before joining the National Guard. After completing his military service, Cassels and fellow USC-Union classmate and friend Terry May entered Baptist College — now Charleston Southern University. (May, now deceased, was public information director for Milliken before his death.)
Cassels graduated a year later in 1971 with a degree in business. He came to Union and talked with then-school superintendent Wilbur Smith, who offered him a job teaching at Carlisle-Santuc School.
After Cassels moved to Union his wife Linda, who already held a degree from a two-year business school, began taking classes at USC-Union. She completed her bachelor’s degree from USC-Spartanburg, where she was the only person in her class to graduate summa cum laude. The Cassels have two children — Leigh and Warren. Both graduated from USC and work in the medical field.
Smith had hired Cassels on a “warrant,” meaning Cassels had to become certified as a teacher. Cassels and another USC-Union classmate, Tim Harrison, enrolled at Winthrop College — now Winthrop University — where they simultaneously earned master’s degrees and became certified to teach.
After a year of teaching at Carlisle-Santuck, Cassels was named assistant principal at Central School, where he worked three years. Next he was principal at West End School. He became principal at Excelsior Elementary with the retirement of the late Tom Gowan.
When Union Middle School was established for sixth-graders, Cassels was placed in charge of putting it together. He remained there 12 years.
Next, Cassels served as principal at Jonesville Elementary School for a year.
He retired in 2006 after serving as principal of Excelsior Middle School for 13 years.
Cassels also does some personnel recruiting for the district, fills in for principals during lengthy absences and occasionally supervises disciplinary hearings for the district.
Cassels said if USC-Union had not existed, he would have gone to college anyway, but it wouldn’t have been nearly as convenient.
“I was satisfied with the small environment; the teachers gave me a tremendous amount of help,” he said. “It was satisfying to work and pay most of the tuition. I felt like it was on my dime and if I failed, it was on my money. That was a good feeling and made me work a little harder.”
Closing the school would be devastating to the community, Cassels said.
“Our unemployment rate is so high anyway because of the lack diversification as far as the textile industry,” he said. “When the textile industry virtually collapsed it really took a toll out of the community. I think it would be mind-boggling to know just how much revenue USC-Union really generates. It allows a lot of students to go to college and get their four-year degree and advanced degrees.”
Cassels points out that some of the professors have working at the school since it opened.
“They are people who care about the community and care about students,” he said.
“It would be traumatic if we lost it,” he said.
Post a Comment
