Volentine's Legacy
By Nathan Straus News Reporter

Nathan Straus Photo Tony Volentine feeds his pet squirrel "chubby".

Tony Volentine, principal, teacher and coach, may have retired, but his teaching lives on in the minds of those he raised, encouraged and educated.

Lynetta Bragdon, a third grade teacher at Brownsboro Elementary and Volentine's oldest daughter, said Volentine had taught and coached her for two years when she was in junior high.

"He was always involved," Bragdon said. "He is wonderful and was always supportive. "

Carolyn Denson, current cafeteria manager at Brownsboro Elementary, said she had Volentine as a coach when she played basketball for Central ISD at Moore Station.

"He was a very nice person, " Denson began, "and the first white man that came down to the school, too."

Denson said back in the `60s Central ISD was a segregated school, and it was surprising to see a white man working there.

"Volentine didn't see black or white. He treated all of us as if we were his own children, " Denson commented.

Tony Volentine himself said he always had a good time and tried his best in his career.

"I think I went in because I like to be around kids. I always enjoyed getting up and going to school," Volentine said.

While he estimates the number of lives he has impacted in the hundreds of thousands, Volentine reassures the individuals were not lost over to him over time.

"I remember their faces most of the time," Volentine said of the immense number of people he has affected through coaching or teaching.

Bragdon said her father, who spent 62 of his 70 years in the school system, even now continues to involve himself with children.

"He's involved through golf," Bragdon said. "He plays golf with his grandkids."

Denson said she was surprised at Volentine's decision to retire.

"He kept saying `This will be my last year,'" Denson said. "I just said `Yeah, we'll see.' Now he finally did it."

Denson also said Volentine had helped her through her own life.

"He has been a great mentor to me. His belief, his personality, he's been a great person," Denson commented.

But Tony Volentine said he didn't get into teaching just to be admired, but to teach.

"I didn't do it for honor and glory," Volentine said, "but there's a bit of honor and glory in working with kids."

Volentine was born in a community eight miles west of Brownsboro called Opelika. He said Brownsboro had always treated him well and that he enjoyed Brownsboro life.