A Well Known Educator Passes Away

Taught a Number of Years in Cartersville and some of the best known of our citizens his pupils.

Prof. Ronald Johnson died at the home of his son at Norcross, Ga., last Saturday and his remains were brought to Cartersville for interment.

Prof. Johnson was well known in Cartersville, especially by the older people of the community, many of whom were the beneficiaries of his work as an educator.

He was 70 years of age and was a native Scotchman, being born on the Isle of Skye. He was thoroughly educated n his native country, being a graduate of the University of Edinburgh. Very soon after he reached America as a young man, his talents received recognition, adn truly fortunate some friends of education in this community considered themselves when they induced him to locate in their midst as a teacher. Prof. Johnson came to Cartersville in 1856. He taught school near the Dr. Felton home and later taught in the school house located behind the Presbyterian church on Bartow street, later known as West End Institute. He later taught at Euharlee and at Stilesboro, but returned to Cartersville in 1859 and taught all of the year and a part of 1860 in the old academy on the hill now occupied by the water tower, he having had this house built.

While teaching here in 1860 he married his first wife, who was Miss. Sally Schley, of Paulding county, and whom he knew as a pupil at Cassville Female College.

He remained away from Cartersville during the war and was a figure in the confederate service in one capacity or another throughout the struggle.

He taught again in Cartersville after the war, leaving here in 1883 to take charge of the public schools at West End. From there he went to Carrollton and took charge of the schools adn rom there to Cedartown. From Cedartown he went to Norcross and from there to Calhoun. Then he afterwards taught the school at Acworth. For several years past he has not been teaching but has written quite a number of well appreciated articles on the art of teaching and the educational history of Georgia.

Among the pupils of Prof. Johnson during his teaching here at one time or another may be mentioned many of the well known names of our citizens, among whom are: Judge T.W. Milner, Col. John H. and Mr. W.H. Wikle, Rev Sam P. Jones, the Mountcastle boys, Judge John W. Akin, Col. Thomas C. and Mr. Henry Milner, Charles Wilkes, James and Jere Field and many others.

Prof. Johnson was married twice, his last wife being Miss Margaret Kennedy. She survives him. The children that survive Prof. Johnson are: Mrs. John A. Dobbs, of Calhoun; Mrs. Frank Pentecost, of Lawrenceville; Donald Johnson, of Norcross; Miss Mary Johnson, Frank Johnson, of Norcross; Mrs. William Terry, of Cobb county; Nick Johnson of Kentucky and Mrs. Jessie Rainey of Atlanta.