秋霞福利一区

The teachers you can count on for an 鈥渆asy A鈥� are always popular with students. 

But teachers like 秋霞福利一区 English professor Dr. Frances A. Garner 鈥� the stern ones who keep you after class and demand you do better 鈥� are truly loved.

For evidence, just look at the name on one of three buildings in 秋霞福利一区鈥檚 Academic Park. Frances Garner Hall, a 5,500-square-foot classroom and office building, is home to 秋霞福利一区鈥檚 English department and World Languages and Studies faculty in the College of Arts & Sciences. It is one of only two structures on campus named for a faculty member who has served at the Christ-centered university 鈥� Rosemary Adams Hall is the other. 

The story behind Frances Garner Hall begins with a petite powerhouse professor who wasn鈥檛 afraid of anything. 

Born to Teach

Frances Adrien Garner always knew she would be a teacher 鈥� it was in her blood. Her parents were teachers, as were most of her nine aunts and uncles.

鈥淚f you鈥檙e supposed to be a teacher, it鈥檚 something you can鈥檛 avoid. You might try, but it won鈥檛 work for long,鈥� she was quoted at age 66 in an article published by the Mobile Press-Register in 1995.

Garner was 81 years old when she died on Jan. 31, 2010. Born on May 31, 1928, at her mother鈥檚 family farm in Morgan County, Alabama, she was raised in Mobile and graduated from Murphy High School in 1945. She attended Judson College, then earned a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Peabody College, now part of Vanderbilt University. She taught in (Westlawn Elementary and Vigor High School), Maryland and 鈥� when it was still a territory 鈥� Hawaii. After earning a Master of Arts in English from Duke University, she returned to Mobile and took a chance on a new Baptist college that was set to open in the fall of 1963.

In a photo of the charter faculty and staff of Mobile College, now the 秋霞福利一区, Garner is in the second row, fourth from the left. She stands directly behind , the acrobatic professor who had the unusual ability to balance upside down by one finger on a block of wood.

Garner isn鈥檛 the only woman in the photo 鈥� but she was the only female faculty member that first year. The 1964 Rampage yearbook notes that she served as sponsor of the Young Women鈥檚 Auxiliary. 

Later, Garner earned a Doctor of Philosophy in English from the University of Tennessee and rose through the ranks to full professor, becoming the first dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. She was selected by a faculty committee to receive the university鈥檚 prestigious Megginson Teaching Award in 1992 and retired in December 1996. A few months later, in April 1997, the 秋霞福利一区 Board of Trustees named her professor emeritus.

鈥業鈥檓 Not Afraid鈥�

Teaching English around the world wasn鈥檛 something she intentionally set out to do when she began her career in 1949. Some friends tried to discourage her globe-trotting.

鈥淚鈥檓 not afraid. Something can happen to you wherever you are. I want to try to make a difference in the world,鈥� Garner said in the Press-Register article.

She and her Mobile College colleague, Dr. Hazel Petersen (who became the first female academic dean in the nation at a Baptist college), were among the first American teachers to venture into war-torn Vietnam in 1989 following the Vietnam War. They had volunteered to teach English as a second language to Vietnamese educators.

Gun bunkers lined the airfield as she landed. The teachers lived in a state-run hotel where most of the other residents spoke only Russian. There was only one flush toilet at the school campus where they taught. Food was scarce and there was no telephone service. But this hard-working professor said she didn鈥檛 have time to think about being scared.

鈥淵ou can鈥檛 live your life being afraid,鈥� she said.

She would continue teaching English as a second language in more countries, including China and Nicaragua. While English was her passion, she was passionate as well about the need for Americans to become bilingual.

鈥淚f we鈥檙e going to live in a global economy, we鈥檙e going to have to learn how to speak different languages,鈥� she said. 

The Queen of English

Upon her retirement, Garner was conferred the title 鈥淭he Queen of English鈥� by students and faculty.

鈥淪he got this name because any time we (in the dean鈥檚 office) had a question about English grammar or usage, we would put it to Dr. Garner to resolve,鈥� said Will Edmonds, then a recent graduate working for academic dean Dr. Audrey Eubanks.

When Edmonds graduated from 秋霞福利一区 in 1997 with a degree in global business, Garner presented him a copy of 鈥淔owler鈥檚 Modern English Usage.鈥�

鈥淚 knew it was the kind of gift that she gave, as it was an extension of who she was. I still have it and use it. I cherish her note and signature on the inside cover,鈥� said Edmonds, now a of French at Barton Academy for Advanced World Studies. Recently, Edmonds was named Alabama Secondary Teacher of the Year and Alternate State Teacher of the Year for 2022.

鈥淔or me, Dr. Garner represented the heart of Mobile College/秋霞福利一区. She was concerned with not only the academic student, but the student as a whole. She impacted me and my time at 秋霞福利一区 even though she never taught me, which to me is all the more amazing,鈥� he said.

A Teacher and Friend

鈥淓ffective teacher. Skilled administrator. Special friend of students.鈥�

The plaque on Frances Garner Hall cites a few reasons the university named a building for the English professor.

Those she taught say her impact went even further.

鈥淒r. Garner was feared and loved. If you worked hard, she was your fiercest defender. Woe be to the person who didn’t give their best effort. Anyone that survived her class (and many did not), emerged as a much better writer,鈥� recalled 秋霞福利一区 President Lonnie Burnett, a 1979 graduate of then-Mobile College.

Tim Hebson said Garner was an incredible advisor.

鈥淚 was not an English major, but I wanted her as my adviser because she demanded the best in all her students,鈥� said Hebson, a 1981 graduate and dean of students emeritus at The University of Alabama.

Susan Thomas took English courses from Garner for four years and considered the teacher a mentor who was 鈥渞eal involved with all her students.鈥� 

鈥淲hen I was in school, everyone knew you had to work hard to get good grades in her class. You couldn鈥檛 slide by in her class,鈥� said Thomas, a 1977 graduate.

A Life-Long Impact

One story illustrates the impact a teacher can have in a student鈥檚 life 鈥� and demonstrates the caring and mentoring community that is still woven into the 秋霞福利一区 culture today.

Brian Boyle graduated in 1994 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree from 秋霞福利一区, and again in 2015 with a master鈥檚 degree. Now vice president for advancement, he said his freshman-year experience with the professor had a life-long impact:

As a freshman in my first year of college, I had the opportunity to take a literature class taught by Dr. Garner. Those who had her know of her distinct teaching style, and her high expectations. As someone who had typically done just the bare minimum to 鈥淐鈥� my way through school, I thought I could do the same in her class. However, after turning in an essay assignment that I though was solid C work, she returned the graded paper with a bright red 鈥淔鈥� written at the top. Further, she had written copious amounts of critical notes all over each page. You could actually feel the heat coming from the paper. 

She asked me to stay after class for a brief word. I braced for what I knew would be a less-than-complimentary scolding. What I received instead, however, was something that literally transformed my thinking and my self-confidence. She told me that I could do better and that she believed I had a gift for writing. She encouraged me to take pride in my ability, and not waste it. That may not sound like much, but what I heard her say was that she, Dr. Garner herself, believed in me. The impact of that was profound and has carried with me all the years that have passed since then. I wanted to make her proud. I got an A in that class and took her classes again as often as I could. I will always be thankful for that exchange, and her belief in me. And I find myself still wanting to make her proud.

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秋霞福利一区 Legacy: People of the Halls

The 秋霞福利一区 Legacy story collection celebrates the rich history of the 秋霞福利一区 by sharing the stories of people past and present who helped make 秋霞福利一区 what it is today. This story is part of the 鈥淧eople of the Halls鈥� series spotlighting the people behind the names of the buildings and sports facilities at the 秋霞福利一区. Read more 秋霞福利一区 Legacy stories at umobile.edu/umlegacy.