FAYETTEVILLE’S DOWNTOWN is alive and well on a busy Monday afternoon. Even on a sweltering summer day, the heat doesn’t keep folks from running errands and visiting local shops and cafes while the cars and trucks rumble past, trying to keep up with the day’s hectic pace.
But just off the busy square is the quaint historic family home of one of Fayetteville’s most beloved citizens. A well-known educator, storyteller, and just a generally good human being, Eugene Ham has spent a large part of his life as a resident of Fayetteville. He is considered by many as one who shapes the heart and soul of the community.
From his famous storytelling to teaching the youth of the community, Ham has passed down wisdom and knowledge that is priceless and will long outlive the man himself. Steadfast and spirited, he doesn’t know a stranger, and through each encounter he makes, whether with an old friend or a new acquaintance, he’s helping to preserve the past, nurture the present, and build a future just by being a kind and friendly representative of the area.
Ham’s life is a unique story of its own that is filled with trips across the country, unique teaching jobs, and finding stories in everyday life.
A native of Greenville, Mississippi, Ham said his first encounters with Fayetteville were annual summer trips to spend time with his grandmother. Over the years, Ham said he enjoyed making the trip to Tennessee to spend time with his family. His love of the area would find him attending and graduating from the University of the South at Sewanee with a degree in English.
“I had the wonderful privilege of being able to spend a good old time on holidays with my grandmother,” he explained. “As for school, my great interest was in biology, but chemistry was a real booger. So, I did my degree in English. In those days, we were not allowed to choose a major until our junior year of college. You know, the joke of being an English major was that you could keep entertained all your life because you can continue reading, particularly if you are very serious about it, which I certainly was.”
His love of English led him to attend the University of Virginia, where he would complete graduate work and receive a master’s degree. He would also teach for a short stint at the university.
Ham was then dispatched to Lincoln County to help with family matters, such as tending to land on the family farm. His teaching career also followed him to Southern Middle Tennessee, where he continued to teach in Sewanee and Tracy City. Eventually, Ham was able to enter the Lincoln County School System, where he finished out his teaching career. During his 40-year teaching career, Ham instructed students from kindergarten through college.
Ham stated that his nearly half-century of teaching taught him a lot, but most importantly, the lesson of continuing one’s journey in learning. Incidentally, he also picked up advice on the benefit of continued education from a former teacher of his own.
“I was very lucky after I came here (Fayetteville),” said Ham. “Over the years, I was in and out of Sewanee and was able to get to know some of my teachers. One of those teachers was a brilliant gentleman, a great naturalist and biology professor. At times, I would send him things that I found that I couldn’t identify. He would scribble his determination of what I had sent him on the back of a postcard. He always ended with the injunction, ‘Stay interested in everything.’ So, that’s what I’ve tried to do — stay interested.”
For Ham, staying interested comes in many forms. Whether it’s meeting newcomers to town, visiting with old friends, or even sharing a story or two at the St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church, he makes sure he stays busy and interested.
“I also have a responsibility to look after family members. And I traveled here and abroad, and I stay active locally underfoot in various organizations,” he said.
Ham added that it’s an honor to be considered a staple of the Fayetteville community. He encourages all locals to be as interested in their community and history as he is.
“People are kind,” he said. “Wherever I lived, I’ve been interested in what I can know about the history — the natural history and social and economic history of places. And I did have the advantage of being around people in my family who were willing to talk about the past and share the history of this community. It has been a joy to share what I’ve learned. I hope they think about that when considering me, and I just did a little bit of good.” GN
