Oscar
Ledford
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The late Oscar Ledford
was a visionary- a man who
was forward-thinking in
helping improve Macon County’s
future. He always thought
Macon County’s young
folks were the finest in
the state and knew that
they are the county’s
future. Their future, he
realized, depended on quality
education.
Those are the words of
Ronnie Beale, who is preparing
the program that will honor
Ledford’s legacy when
Southwestern Community
College’s new Macon
Campus Building is dedicated
to Ledford during ceremonies
set 2 p.m. Friday, June
5.
Ledford, one of college’s
founding members, served
on the Southwestern board
of trustees from 1968-75.
“He had a vision
of what Southwestern could
be,” said Beale, chairman
of the Macon County board
of commissioners. “He
realized that it could grow
from being a technical institute
to a community college that
stands on equal footing
with other colleges and
universities. Southwestern’s
ranking as the number four
community college in the
nation certainly proves
Ledford’s projection.
“Oscar felt strongly
about the young folks of
Macon County getting the
best education possible
and I know he would be especially
pleased that this Early
College building will be
named in his honor. What
better education can we
offer our young people than
free tuition at a nationally-ranked
college?”
The new 6,000-square-foot
building will provide instructional
space for community college
classes and for Macon Early
College’s high school
classes as students transition
to college, said Connie
Haire, vice president of
the Macon Campus.
“Growth at our Macon
Campus has seen a phenomenal
35 percent increase in enrollment
in one year and this facility
near the Groves Center and
the Macon County Public
Library will help accommodate
that growth,” said
Haire.
Constructed by Warth Construction,
the $847,108 building houses
four classrooms with technology
for instruction, a computer
lab, Macon Early College
administrative offices and
faculty work space, lockers
for the MEC students’
laptops, textbooks and supplies
and a multi-purpose room
for studying, student activities,
dining and meetings.
“I think it is a great
honor for them to name the
building for dad,”
said son Jim Ledford, who
lives in Otto and works
with Duke Energy. “Dad
was such a big supporter
of Southwestern. He never
went to college himself
but he realized, as times
change, how important college
was to get a really good
job.”
“Dad had such a spirit
of giving and public service,
whether it was serving on
the Southwestern board of
trustees, the Macon County
board of commissioners,
or with his community, church
and family,” said
daughter Kim Ledford, an
administrative law judge
who now lives in Raleigh.
“Southwestern serves
the local community, too,
and I think dad would really
be pleased to have this
building named for him.”
Ed Shatley of Franklin,
who worked with him on many
civic projects, said he
admired Leford’s communication
skills, especially in motivating
young people. “Oscar
had a special interest in
working with young people
- he was just a fine citizen
and a good friend.”
“Oscar’s leadership
was the beginning of a very
progressive movement for
Macon County,” said
SCC trustee and long-time
friend Jerry Sutton.
Among other projects, Ledford
helped secure funds for
the Community Facilities
Building, the Fine Arts
Center and the Recreation
Department, Sutton said.
With a fore-sightedness
known to few, Ledford sold
his prime property below
market value to the county
so Macon could have its
own landfill, Beale added.
“We are the only county
from Hickory west with a
landfill that has a 30-year
capacity.”
Jim Ledford was just 6-years-old
when his dad was first elected
to the Macon County board
of commissioners in 1966.
“I can remember dad
always going to some county
meeting or activity,”
said Jim Ledford. “As
a leader he was honest and
knew what the right thing
to do was. He would spend
a lot of time thinking things
out. When he got behind
a project he would then
line up others to help him
support it. If he ever had
a problem with someone,
or if they ever had a problem
with him, he would always
meet with them one-on-one
to work it out. At home
he kept kind of quiet about
all the inner workings of
government but we got the
big picture.”
Ledford was a consensus
builder, added Beale. “He
knew how to put a coalition
together to support a project.
And he was a good friend-
a true friend. His friendships
weren’t just political.”
“He was a busy man-
yes, but he was always there
for his family,” said
Jim Ledford, who, as a young
boy, often went to work
with his dad. In high school-
and up until he was 24-
Jim Ledford worked in his
dad’s business, Ledford
Livestock and Franklin Frozen
Foods.
“Dad certainly passed
along his love of farming
to me and my sons,”
said Jim Ledford, father
of Ben, 23, and Jacob, 21.
“Dad taught us by
example the value of hard
work and honesty,”
said daughter Kim Ledford.
“And he also had
a great sense of humor and
liked to kid around a lot.”
“Oscar was a great
politicker, too,”
said Sutton, who, along
with Ledford, was a “great
supporter of former Gov.
Jim Hunt.” Sutton
recalls how Ledford used
to load up his vehicle with
country ham and sausage
when he “headed out
to Raleigh for some politicking.”
Hunt appointed Ledford
to the N.C. Department of
Transportation board, a
position Ledford continued
to hold during Republican
Jim Martin’s term,
according to Jim Ledford.
Ledford also served on
the N.C. Wildlife Commission
and was active in various
civic and charitable organizations.
A native of Macon’s
Burningtown community, he
was a U.S.Army veteran of
World War II and a member
of First Baptist Church.
“Dad resigned from
the Macon board of commissioners
due to his health in 1974,”
said his son. “In
his later years when dad
couldn’t get out much,
he watched CNN and a lot
of the news programs. He
remained political and a
die-hard Democrat.”
Ledford died in 2003 at
age 81. His wife, Louise,
is also deceased.
The public is invited
to the June 5 dedication
of the new building on Siler
Road. |
