The Life and Legend of a Polio Victim: Memoirs of Dr. Cliff Edward Williams

By Dr. Cliff Edward Williams

Dr. Cliff Williams was born in Yazoo City, Mississippi. At age eighteen months, he was stricken with polio. He had corrective surgery when he was about five years old. Dr Williams attended St. Francis Elementary and High School, Yazoo City, Mississippi.
After high school, he had the second surgery on his right foot and later was fitted with a leg brace. The next year he had the third surgery again on the right foot. He kept the faith and attended Mississippi Vocational College, Itta Bena, Mississippi, where he earned the bachelor of science degree in business education. Later, he attended the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, where he earned the masters degree in business education. He also earned the doctorate degree in business education with a cognate area in Organizational Behavior Management at the University of Houston, Houston, Texas. Dr. Williams spent one year in St. Louis, Missouri, and worked as a teletype operator for the Third District Police Department. He returned to Mississippi and taught school at OBannon High School, Greenville, Mississippi, for two years.
After the last year at OBannon, he accepted a position to teach business subjects at Mississippi Valley State University, Itta Bena, Mississippi. He was employed there for thirty-five years. During this time, he was married to Ms. Catherine Williams and he is the father of two children.
Tragedy struck in his life as his brother-in-law was killed, gangland style, in Chicago, Illinois. Another brother-in-law was killed during a robbery, while he was working in a convenience store in Houston, Texas. Later, his auntie died from emphysema, and his father had a fatal heart attack. All of this occurred within a span of two years.
He had gotten numerous articles published in the Clarion Ledger, a Jackson, Mississippi based newspaper and had published a book. Dr. Williams retired in 1999 and since has served on numerous boards. He also served as vice president of the Mississippi Valley State Alumni Association, Humphreys County chapter and is currently serving as the vice president of the Retired Education Personnel Association, Humphreys County Chapter.
He has been able to take family vacations to places like Dayton, Ohio, where they visited the Air Force Museum. Noticeably seen there were the airplanes that were used by presidents Roosevelt, Bush Senior, and Bill Clinton. A trip to Cape Canaveral, Florida, resulted in a tour of the National Aeronautic Space Administration (NASA). They went to San Diego and visited other cities such as Lake Elsinore, Alpine, Los Angeles, and Escondido. They stayed at the Lawrence Welk Resort in Escondido, California. While there, they went to Mexico. A trip to Phoenix, Arizona, resulted in a trip to Old Town and the Titan Missel Silo. On a tour they saw George McGoverns home and the home of Paul Harvey. One year, they went to Little Rock, Arkansas, and got a chance to visit the Bill Clinton Library.
Another noticeable trip was the one to Orlando, Florida. They visited the Believe It Or Not! Museum, Universal Studios, Epcot Center, and Sea World.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Mar 19, 2009
• ISBN: 9781462837984

Dr. Cliff Edward Williams

Dr. Williams taught school for thirty-seven years in the state of Mississippi. His early training was done at St. Francis, Elementary and High School, Yazoo City, Mississippi. Upon completing high school, he attended Mississippi Vocational College, Itta Bena, Mississippi. He earned the bachelors degree in business education. He attended the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, and earned the master’s degree in business education. He earned the doctorate degree from the University of Houston, Houston, Texas, in the area of business education and Organizational Behavior Management. He also studied at the University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi. In 1972, he was inducted into Delta Pi Epsilon, an honorary graduate fraternity in business education. At the University of Houston, Houston, Texas, in 1975, he was inducted into Phi Delta Kappa, a professional fraternity in education.

Book preview

Copyright © 2009 by Dr. Cliff Edward Williams.

Library of Congress Control Number:        2008908694

ISBN:       Hardcover                      978-1-4363-7364-7

                 Softcover                        978-1-4363-7363-0

                 Ebook                            978-1-4628-3798-4

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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Contents

Preface

Introduction

Autobiography of Dr. Cliff E. Williams

Birth Place

Stricken With Polio

First Surgery

Elementary School Years

Moving From House To House

High School Years

Classmates By Name

Second Surgery

Third Surgery

College Years

Employment

Enrolled In Doctoral Program

Other Tragedies In My Life

Retirement

Vacations

Vacation Scenes

Highlights of My Life

Summary

Appendix

Appendix

A Paper done in the first grade at St. Francis Elementary School

B Eight Grade Diploma,St. Francis Elementary School

C High School DiplomaSt. Francis High SchoolYazoo City, Mississippi

D Bachelor of Science Degree,Mississippi Vocational College

E Cover of the Summer Commencement Program,University of CincinnatiCincinnati, Ohio

F Names listed on the Program,University of Cincinnati,Cincinnati, Ohio

G Masters Degree University of Cincinnati,Cincinnati, Ohio

H Commencement Program,University of Houston,Houston, Texas

I Doctors Degree, University of Houston,Houston, Texas

J Certified Business EducatorCertificate, The Business Education Certification Council, Livermore, California

K Phi Delta Kappa Certificate,University of Houston,Houston, Texas

L Articles published in the Clarion Ledger, Newspaper, Jackson, Mississippi

M Cover of Book published, entitled The Ayers Case

In

Memory

photo.jpg

To my mother, Mrs. Estelle Williams

and

father, Mr. John Wesley Williams

Preface

I got the idea to write this book because I had to exist in a straight world with a physical disability. I have lived my life being a polio victim. I feel I can give some insight to people and parents who have disabled children who must live in a straight world with other people who are different. It should be a joy to see a child with a handicap able to do the same things that other children do, such as read, play, or go through the lunch line. It is important, however, to distinguish between accomplishments that are attained with about the same degree of effort that is required from most children. I was able to do what most children and grown-ups, as I grew older, were able to do. I was supported and encouraged by my parents; relatives; and my teachers, the sisters of St. Francis Catholic School that was located at East Powell Street, Yazoo City, Mississippi.

Introduction

This book will set forth the life and legacy of a person who was stricken with polio at an early age of eighteen months. It shows his ability to cope with everyday life and his ability and courage to succeed despite his disability. His life is traced from birth to the present time, with all trials and tribulations that he had to overcome in order to be successful in life. As you read and understand, he did not let his disability keep him from leading a normal and active life. It is hoped that any person, disabled in any way—through birth, disease, accident, injured in the military, or in any other way—can catch some vision that will lead them to make adjustments, in life, that will enable them to ultimately become productive citizens. Goals can be reached and success achieved despite the disability that a handicapped person or persons live with each day. Don’t give up, failure should not be an option. Strive for success.

Autobiography

of

Dr. Cliff E. Williams

BIRTH PLACE

Out of the ancestry came a gentleman by the name of Cliff Stephens who later chose Ms. Annie Butler as his bride. These two would later become my grandmother and grandfather; for to this union was born four children; namely, Estelle, Nelson, Sarah, and Annie. Estelle was later married to a Mr. John Wesley Williams who later became my father. Of course, she became my mother.

I was born in a house on Battle Street, located at the top of Broadway Hill in Yazoo City, Mississippi, which leads to Highway 49W. The house was rented by my parents—it still stands today. According to the birth certificate, the birth date was July 23, 1936. You see, the midwife, Peggy Brasfield, put the wrong date on my birth certificate, and it stands today. It was the night of July 22, 1936; and she recorded the next day, thinking, I suppose, it was after midnight. At that time, she was not well educated and either forgot or did not know any better.

These were exciting times in the world. Hitler opened the Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany, German Volkswagen beetle made its debut, the United States population was reported at 1,713,000, a new car costs $780, a new house $3,935, a loaf of bread ç8, a gallon of gas ç10, a gallon of milk