Soul of 78: Tom Pace: English Instructor

Words by Justin Hunter | Image by Ryan McGill

As Tom Pace, a retired English instructor at Walker College and Bevill State Community College (BSCC), reflects on his 37 years of teaching, his soft-spoken voice carries the type of comforting, nostalgic rhythm one might find in the soundscape of rural Alabama at twilight. 

“There was a real harmony among the faculty and administration at Walker College,” says Pace melodically. “The college also seemed to be very well accepted and appreciated by the community. Walker College was possibly the only accessible opportunity for local students to begin their college education.”

Born in Paducah, Kentucky, a river city founded by explorer William Clark, Pace moved with his family to a farm five miles outside of the Jasper city limits when he was just two years old. As he came of age, Pace fell in love with the English language. 

“This may seem a little unusual, but I was interested in grammar growing up,” he says. “I loved the relationship of sentences, paragraphs, and essays in composition. Understanding the construction of sentences came naturally to me.”

Pace’s family moved around a good bit in his youth because of his father’s work. After his dad got a job with Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), his family moved to Florence, Alabama. Pace graduated from Coffee High School in 1962 and attended Florence State Teacher’s College. He earned his bachelor’s degree in English in 1966 and felt drawn to education. Once employed at Walker College, he went back to school and obtained his master’s degree in English from The University of Alabama in 1968.

“Once I finished my undergraduate degree, I wanted to try my hand at teaching,” Pace says. “Walker County had been my home for many years, and Walker College had an outstanding reputation. Many of us who taught here at that time had recently come from a university setting, and I think we brought that culture with us.”

For Pace, the beauty of English prose was found in the utilization of proper grammar. Most young students who sat in his English and English Lit classes overlooked the importance of grammar, so he tried to impress on them a need for correct grammar and the gravity of the written word. 

“I tried to get them to understand that it is vital to be able to use the language effectively and correctly. I also wanted my students to be interested in literature. Those weren’t easy things to sell. I often encountered very strong resistance bordering on revolt,” Pace chuckles.

Now 19 years into retirement, Pace is continuing to enjoy life. An avid reader, he loves playing old country tunes on his guitar, putting words to paper. To that end, he offers this bit of insight: “I would encourage doing more individual writing, just for the sake of getting thoughts on paper,” he says. “I know there are so many forms of self-expression now, but there’s something special about journaling your thoughts.” 78