Life as Mr. Jones sees it…

At the Feet of Our Elders

“The greatest thing you can do for a child is show them you care”

Many people do not know the importance of greeting one another. Simply saying hello and how you are doing to someone can change a person’s day. This has a huge impact on adults in the workplace, church and in everyday life. If it affects adults in a positive way, imagine what it can do for children. By saying hello and how are you doing to a child you make that child feel that he or she is important to you. This explanation on the importance of greeting someone is my introduction to the life or Paul Jones.

Due to my high esteem for this man, I will call him Mr. Jones throughout the article. He was born on Aug. 24, 1958, to James and Dorothy Jones at Burrell Memorial Hospital in Roanoke. Mr. Jones takes great pride in being born in an African American hospital. He grew up during segregation, but he says he never knew anything was wrong because his community had its own of everything. Growing up in Lincoln Terrace Apartments, he was around many children. In addition, he says, he had the best childhood just having fun with his friends.

He attended Lincoln Terrace Elementary School where Pete Dowe was principal. Mr. Jones says seeing a black man in a position of power helped him become the man he is today. He was interested in sports – his favorite being football. As a middle school student, Mr. Jones was bused to James Breckinridge Middle School instead of attending Booker T. Washington Junior High, which was closer. This was common practice during the time as school districts worked to comply with mandated integration. He and his friends took the same route daily – 10th Street from Lincoln Terrace because it was the quickest route with less traffic.

During their walk to football practice, they would pass by an elderly white woman’s house who owned a dog. Mr. Jones says that every time they would pass this house the woman would sic her dog on them. He remembered how she would sit in her yard and laugh while her dog attacked.

Mr. Jones would graduate from Patrick Henry High School in 1977. He always wanted to attend Lucy Addison High School but never got the opportunity. After graduating he went to Virginia Western and to trade school. He would marry his first wife Cecilia Franklin and produce two daughters, Johnese and Ingrid and a son, Carlos Preston Jones, who is deceased. He is currently married to Amanda Robison Jones and has two stepchildren who he calls his own, Nikki and Eric. He has, and he puts emphasis on this, four “wonderful, smart and beautiful” grandchildren – Taylor, Kyran, Malcolm and Jayshaun.

Mr. Jones has worked for different companies in the Roanoke area including Roanoke Memorial and the City of Roanoke Parks and Recreation. And, he says, his biggest impact has been time spent with Roanoke City Public Schools at Wasena Elementary School and currently Garden City Elementary School, where he works as building manager. He also spends time as a trainer at the Historic Gainsboro YMCA.

Working with Mr. Jones at Garden City you can witness the impact he has with not only staff, but also more importantly the children. Every single morning like clockwork, Mr. Jones is greeting each girl in the hallway saying, “Good morning queen. Go be smart today.” In addition, to every boy, he says, “Good morning king. Go be smart today.” One would think Mr. Jones served in the military by the manner he commands respect. He says the way he was reared and the teachings of his mother allow him the ability to command that respect.

The greatest thing you can do for a child is show them you care and Mr. Jones does that in his own tough love way. He teaches all the children he speaks with at the school how to clean up once you leave the table from eating. He teaches the children about African history. He teaches the children, especially the young men, about proper manners, and he makes sure to tell the young men to respect women always.

Anyone who has met with Mr. Jones has nothing but respect and admiration for him. I asked Mr. Jones why that is so, and he simply says, “I’m honest, straight up and I respect others.” Ask his family who is Paul Jones to them and they say husband, father, grandfather, protector and provider. His coworkers say he is a lifesaver or lifeline. Students simply say, “We love you Mr. Jones.”

To me, Mr. Jones is my role model, one who gives me advice and helps me out when needed. In Paul Jones, I see what everyone should aspire to be – honest, fair and good.