BAMBERG — In 1951, the television show “I Love Lucy” debuted on CBS. That same year, direct dial coast-to-coast telephone service began. It was also the year that Mary Frances Harrison of Bamberg began what developed into a 55-year teaching career.

Harrison, who retired in June after teaching music in Bamberg School District One for 31 years, is believed to be the second longest serving teacher in South Carolina. According to officials from the South Carolina Department of Education, the longest-serving teacher on record retired after 59 years in the classroom.

As minister of music at Thankful Baptist Church, Harrison is responsible for providing music for all of the activities in her church including worship music every Sunday, choir rehearsals, Vacation Bible School and special programs. A double major at Benedict College in music and English, she said she loves teaching music. Before accepting a music teaching position in Bamberg in 1968, she taught music at Palmetto High School in Mullins from 1951 until 1968.

“I loved it at Palmetto High. I directed the high school choir, and those students were great.” Harrison said.

Her choirs during that time received many accolades for their performances, with the competition adjudicated by college professors.

“We would always perform well in the district festival competitions and then go on to compete in the state’s competition of Music Festivals,” she said.

Harrison is the daughter of the late Vannie and Mamie Harrison of Bamberg. She is the youngest of five children.

She proudly acknowledges that all five siblings are college graduates.

“Daddy believed in education and exposing us to things that were different,” Harrison said, adding that even though blacks could not use the public library before she began her teaching career, her father made sure that the library came to his children.

“He kept books in the house for us, and we took the newspaper. Daddy wanted to make sure that we knew what was going on in our community,” Harrison said.

Her parents thought it was important for her and her older sisters to learn to play the piano, too.

“I started taking piano lessons when I was in second grade,” Harrison said.

By the time she was 12 or so, she was playing for her church.

“The preacher would tell me each week what songs we were going to sing on the following Sunday, and my piano teacher would work with me on those songs so that I would be ready for Sunday,” Harrison said.

While she will misses the smiles of her students — the youngest ones, especially, Harrison says she will continue to be involved in the community. She is active in her sorority, Sigma Gamma Rho, the Prince Hall affiliation of the Eastern Star, the Arts Council of Bamberg County, the Bamberg County NAACP, the American Association of University Women and the Bamberg County Choral.

Harrison is a member of the Board of Trustees for Thankful Baptist Church, and she holds membership in several professional organizations including the South Carolina and National Education Associations and music education organizations.

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