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A Lifelong Dedication To Education Honored
 Anyone who has ever loved or been loved by a grandparent knows how precious and strong the bond can be in a grandparent-grandchild relationship.
To honor the memory of his grandparents, David Haralson and his wife Dolores of Hobe Sound, Fla. have established the Olive and Edgar May Education Endowment Fund to provide financial assistance to an undergraduate student majoring in any program within the College of Education. Preference is given to students from Trinity.
“My grandmother was a teacher and administrator for Trinity schools for many years,” said Haralson, “and both my grandparents made significant contributions to the Trinity community.”
Olive was a graduate of Sam Houston State University. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and a Master of Education degree in elementary education. She later received a Professional Elementary School Principal Certificate, all from Sam Houston State.
As an educator, she taught in the classroom, coached, conducted spelling bees and established the Student Council. She also served as the principal of Trinity High School.
“I remember counting textbooks with her when I was very young during the hot summers to make sure there were enough for the students when they came back to school in the fall,” Haralson said.
Even after Olive retired, she continued to work with school children by substitute teaching and tutoring.
Her husband Edgar was a civic leader in Trinity.
“He was involved in everything pertaining to the town, and everyone in the area knew him,” said Haralson.
Edgar would open his welding shop at night for local students to decorate floats for the fair and homecoming parades and to make decorations for other occasions such as dances and school parties.
“My grandfather would also pass out buffalo nickels to the young children in town so that they could buy ice cream cones,” said Haralson. “Both my grandparents were well-known and well-loved in the community. I didn’t want their name to be forgotten.”
Haralson’s employer, United Technologies Corporation, supports a matching gifts program for scholarships, and he decided that establishing an endowment would be the perfect way to keep Olive and Edgar’s name alive in the community in perpetuity while honoring their passion for education.
“We must have an educated population in order to benefit society and ensure human development,” said Haralson. “What better way to honor the memory of two people who strongly believed in the importance of education than to provide academic funding for students who intend to go into the teaching profession.”
The first Olive and Edgar May Scholarship was awarded this year to Brandi Carroll of Trinity.
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