Rosalind Shealy Pardue is hailed as a creative, energetic and charismatic instructor, who made science fun through hands-on activities.

She taught science including biology and physiology at Hendersonville High School, in 1961-67 and 1990-99. She was faculty sponsor of HHS cheerleaders in 1961-62, and co-sponsor of National Honor Society students in 1963-68. She was quite the science student herself, winning first in the National Science Fair in 1957.
In between HHS stints and raising a child, she taught science in Hendersonville Junior High in 1968-73 and briefly in Hendersonville Middle School. Since retiring, she’s volunteered as a reading tutor for Drysdale and Upward elementary students.

In the Hall of Fame, Mrs. Pardue joins her late husband Jim Pardue who coached HHS boys’ basketball in 1965-84 and to the 1972 state title. Out of 71 people enshrined, the Pardues, Glenn C. and Dot Marlow and Dr. Frederick and Katharine Taylor are the only combinations of husband and wife.

She knew sports before marrying Jim Pardue in 1964. Her father was a football official. She played basketball. She graduated from sports-crazed Clemson. She and Jim had season basketball tickets there. Their daughter Kimberly has two young children.

Above all, Mrs. Pardue is recognized for turning science into a fun academic adventure. “I wasn’t the kind of teacher who told ‘em to read the next chapter, then answer the questions in the back,” she said. “I tried to make science more interesting, through experiments and ‘hands-on’ activities. So they’d learn, and it’d stick with them better.”

For instance, to show a stem’s parts in grades 5-7, she soaked celery stalks and carrot sticks in ink and then cut them open. Baron Jackson (HHS ’67 grad) lauded her “beautiful artwork” diagraming concepts. In mastering human body systems coded by numbers and color, students drew them on paper and added them in phases onto a chart. As Mrs. Pardue said, “We enjoyed learning together.”

Chiropractor Dr. Robert “Greg” Huskey, previously a chemist, is among Pardue-inspired success stories. He said Mrs. Pardue “sparked” his interest in science-related work. “She made her class fun, interesting and educational.” Clothier Joseph A. Laughter liked how Mrs. Pardue (“Rosie” to friends) was “animated,” and encouraging even after he spilled a dissected frog onto his lab partner’s lap. Her slogan, showing Coach Pardue’s optimism, was “we will do this.”

Larry Freeman (HHS Class of ’66) is a longtime WHKP-AM radio personality. He didn’t care for “slimy specimens and dissecting frogs.” But Mrs. Pardue (Miss Shealy then) was energetic, relentless and patient” with those less enthused. “She managed somehow to help me absorb just enough biology and drag me — kicking and screaming — to a passing grade.”

She could handle misbehavior with humor, or firmness. Current HHS principal Bobby Wilkins, Jim Pardue’s coaching protege and successor, was in her seventh-grade class. Wilkins recalls she briskly straightened out his priorities, after catching him gazing out the window rather than at the anatomy of a worm. “She made sure I understood that the (P.E. football) game outside was not very important, and that her class would make a difference.” Mrs. Pardue recalled firmly telling him, “‘Turn around, and pay attention to me.’ He did. He didn’t say anything about it then. Later on, as principal, he joked he learned more from that football field.”
Jim Pardue former players to coach include Wilkins, Chris Ferguson (Oklahoma State assistant) and Gary Rivers (HHS baseball) who’s become Blue Ridge Community College athletic director. Such players were like an extended family, some even doing chores at the Pardue home as favors, Mrs. Pardue recalled. “I teased them they did mopping and vacuuming, to make points with ‘Coach.’”
Attending Bearcat sporting or civic events, Mrs. Pardue is a familiar link to Hendersonville High’s academic and athletic legacy. She said that in turn, seeing her former students triggers wonderful memories and tremendous pride for “how well they’ve done in the community.”