Noble Chapman

Noble Chapman was a Fannin County educator. She taught school 38 years, all in Fannin County. One year at Spoonamore [see photo], two years at Whatley; two years at Lillie Branch, Telephone; 13 years at Sandy, Ravenna; 20 years at Booker T. Washington High School, Bonham - three years as teacher in the elementary department and 17 years as homemaking teacher in the high school department. After her retirement in 1966, she served as Director of Head Start in the Bonham School System for two years. She was very active in the Bethlehem Baptist Church.

She married in 1921. Unable to save enough money to attend Prairie View A&M to get a teacher’s degree, she asked Dick Saunders, president of the First National Bank of Bonham for a loan, which he gave and she repaid. She graduated from Prairie View in 1948 at age 44. It took her 25 years to graduate, going summers and teaching winters.

A wonderful interview with her is at https://www.fannincountyhistory.org/three-bonham-blacks.html