EDITORIAL: Robert H. Harvey, Walter Judge deserving of school system honors

The Dougherty County School Board honored two worthy educators Wednesday when it named a pair of school system buildings in their honor. Each of the two educators gave more than three decades of their professional lives working with students in the Dougherty School System.

The School Board voted unanimously to rename Jackson Heights Elementary School for that school’s first principal, Robert H. Harvey.

And in a departure from its policy, the board renamed the Isabella Complex after former school system Associate Superintendent Walter Judge.

The school system’s policy is not to name buildings for living individuals and, as a general rule, that’s a good policy. The reason many government boards have a policy such as this is simple. Once a person has passed away, it’s unlikely that some revelation might come up later that would cast a bad light on his or her name. The same can’t said for the living, unfortunately.

In the case of Walter Judge, however, the board’s decision to make an exception for the man who has made such an impact on the lives of students at the secondary and college levels in Dougherty County was a sound one. He has always been a man of exemplary character, and it is especially nice that he has been afforded this honor at a time when he can enjoy it.

Clearly, Judge was touched by the gesture. “I think this is terrific and is a big honor for me,” he said. “I certainly never expected it, and I am thrilled to death with the news.”

While Harvey, 94, passed away last month, he at least knew that naming Jackson Heights for him was in the works. Retired in 1984, Harvey explained in a February interview with The Herald his great love for the school he guided from its first day of operation in 1951.

“That school meant a whole lot to me,” Harvey said in the interview. “It was a good school, But times were hard back then (during segregation); it was rough.” But beginning with its original 14 students, Harvey was a guiding light to students at Jackson Heights.

Neither Harvey nor Judge was simply “given” honor through the School Board’s action. Each of these men earned that honor and recognition. Each positively affected thousands of students in the Dougherty School System.

Theirs have been brilliant lights of knowledge and guidance, lights that, we hope, other educators will work hard to emulate.

— The Albany Herald Editorial Board