Anna Lou Wilkes Russell

I graduated at the age of 15, worked at Provident, Cumberland Corporation, and TVA. After the birth of my fourth child, I became a legal transcriptionist working mostly at home. In 1991, I switched from legal transcription and became a medical secretary/transcriptionist and worked for Diagnostic Center. I retired from there in 2002 and again started doing medical transcription over the internet for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. I guess that it was only fitting that I spent 50 years of my life doing transcription since I was the 1951 Trades and Industry Club grand prize winner for the State of Tennessee in speed typing and typing project, having attained that honor using an Underwood manual typewriter. I was also honored by being selected "Most Likely to Succeed" by the Class of 1951. I have had a wonderful life married to my childhood sweetheart and raising 4 great children and now with 7 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

I worked in the office helping Mrs. Locker fill in grades on report cards and answering the phone. I also typed a lot of letters and reports for Mrs. Brownsey. (Sometimes my typing ability kept me out of class--at that time I enjoyed that, but I think I could have been a little smarter had I attended bookkeeping class.) I was also known as "Lanky Lou" in a skit for the class play. I didn't have much time for having fun or getting to know people because I finished high school early by taking 11th grade and 12th grade subjects together as well as working part-time at the Board of Education for Mr. Welch. I finished up in summer school by taking 12th grade English. I do remember that I was the only girl in a class of 20 or so boys in Mr. Carr's health class, which was sometimes a little embarrassing.

Yes

Type Your Answer Here how many 7 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren

I married at age 17 (after my husband returned from the Korean War). Worked at Provident, Cumberland Case Company and then TVA until 1963 and then spent time working at home for various court reporters and raising my 4 children. I worked for about 50 years using the skills that I learned at Kirkman under the direction of Mrs. Hulon and helped by Mrs. Mullinex and Mrs. Brownsey to make enough money to help raise our four children and send them all to college.

I was in the Commercial Department, studying bookkeeping, office machines, and typewriting. I loved competing in typing contests and won every contest that I entered. I still am very competitive.

The few friends that I had at Kirkman were actually mostly in the 11th grade and graduated in 1952. Betty Jo French was my best friend. I remember Robert Bauer in summer school 1951, thought he was a nice person. I was always very busy working either at school or for the Board of Education. I was the youngest of 8 children from a poor family, so I had to work part-time in order to stay in school. Kirkman's policies in allowing you to work and get credit for it in school was of great benefit for me. Otherwise, I might not have graduated.