Case, Mildred Blackwell
Mildred Blackwell Case (1913-2013) served as the first teacher of the high school division at Bible Training School. In 1932, the high school program was added at BTS. 20-year-old Mildred Blackwell of Joplin, Missouri, (and later of St. Joseph, Missouri) was hired as the first teacher for those courses. Her father was a Church of God minister who recently had been appointed to a ministry position in Cleveland. The Bible school leadership was being urged to begin a high school, so when Mildred arrived the timing seemed right. Mildred had a positive reputation and some college training. She had graduated from high school in 1930 and completed two years at Missouri junior colleges, earning an Associate’s degree in 1932 with the third highest rank in her class.
Mildred served as the main teacher for the high school division for the first two years. In 1933, R. R. Walker, a high school principal in Morgantown, Mississippi, was secured to lead the high school division as principal. He had to finish out his teaching contract with the public school, but he arrived in 1934 and was the first male teacher with a Bachelor’s degree. But it was Mildred Blackwell who first served as the teacher for this program, and she continued to teach the high school courses until 1937. Lee had this high school division until 1965.
An interesting story about Mildred is her call to be a missionary. In 1937 she served as the first official choir director at North Cleveland Church. The following year, she married Hoyle Case. According to historian Charles W. Conn, “Mildred had felt the call to the mission field since she was 12, but the call was very private. While she was leading the choir on Sunday morning in singing ‘At the Cross’ the Holy Ghost came upon her and she said, ‘Someday I hope to hear the Hindu singing this song.’”
Soon after their marriage, Mildred and Hoyle left North Cleveland for India. Dr. Charles Conn later wrote, “Wonderfully, after her arrival in India [‘At the Cross’] was the first song she heard the Indians sing in their native tongue.” The Cases served 11 years as missionaries before returning to the U.S.A. to pastor.
At age 50, Mildred returned to college to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Education and then a Master’s in Spanish. She then taught for 16 years at high schools and at a Christian college in California. She and Hoyle returned to Cleveland in 1990 and she died in 2013 at age 100.
/ L.F. Morgan
Mildred served as the main teacher for the high school division for the first two years. In 1933, R. R. Walker, a high school principal in Morgantown, Mississippi, was secured to lead the high school division as principal. He had to finish out his teaching contract with the public school, but he arrived in 1934 and was the first male teacher with a Bachelor’s degree. But it was Mildred Blackwell who first served as the teacher for this program, and she continued to teach the high school courses until 1937. Lee had this high school division until 1965.
An interesting story about Mildred is her call to be a missionary. In 1937 she served as the first official choir director at North Cleveland Church. The following year, she married Hoyle Case. According to historian Charles W. Conn, “Mildred had felt the call to the mission field since she was 12, but the call was very private. While she was leading the choir on Sunday morning in singing ‘At the Cross’ the Holy Ghost came upon her and she said, ‘Someday I hope to hear the Hindu singing this song.’”
Soon after their marriage, Mildred and Hoyle left North Cleveland for India. Dr. Charles Conn later wrote, “Wonderfully, after her arrival in India [‘At the Cross’] was the first song she heard the Indians sing in their native tongue.” The Cases served 11 years as missionaries before returning to the U.S.A. to pastor.
At age 50, Mildred returned to college to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Education and then a Master’s in Spanish. She then taught for 16 years at high schools and at a Christian college in California. She and Hoyle returned to Cleveland in 1990 and she died in 2013 at age 100.
/ L.F. Morgan