Sumter native Bernice Stukes-Mose has been through her share of life's ups and downs.

When she was 7 years old, her mother, Ella Jane Wells, died, leaving her father, Matthew, to care for her and her three siblings. As an adult, Stukes-Mose dealt with the death of her husband, James Stukes.

In her autobiographical book "The Guiding Inspiration of Bernice W. Stukes-Mose" (Cecil Williams Publishing, ISBN 0-944514-29-4, $24.95), the author ide.jpgies factors that have enabled her to be successful, not just professionally, but as a person and a mother, too.

About six years ago, Stukes-Mose said she began compiling the events that made a difference in her life. She credits her success to the strength and perseverance she carried with her throughout life.

"I had to project myself in light of so many disappointments," Stukes-Mose said. "I kept on persevering, and I kept on trying to perform. I wanted to share some of these facts with the people with whom I've worked throughout my career and early childhood years."

In her book, Stukes-Mose recalls her mother's death and the days, weeks and months that followed. An aunt came from Ohio to help her father take care of her and her siblings.

Stukes-Mose said her father was a determined man, and he strived to keep his family together no matter what.

"I never realized we were poor because we had the basic necessities of life," she said.

With a meager amount of money, Stukes-Mose's father sent her to college. In addition to his career as a pastor, he opened a grocery store to provide a second source of income for his family.

Stukes-Mose received a bachelor's degree from Morris College and began her teaching career in Sumter, where she taught adult, regular and special education classes for years.

As an educator, Stukes-Mose dealt with overcrowded classrooms and students that weren't reading up to their potential, among other challenges.

"Young people don't know some of the circumstances that we were faced with back then," she said.

She recalled teaching 49 fifth-grade students in one classroom and having to divide the classroom using a linen sheet.

"Teachers nowadays will look at my experiences and be inspired and encouraged to accomplish more in their classrooms," Stukes-Mose said.

Later, Stukes-Mose wanted to further her education and attend graduate school. While she was accepted to both New York and Columbia universities, she chose to attend Teachers College at New York City's Columbia University because it offered graduate degrees in special education. She received her master's degree and continued advanced studies at CU.

Stukes-Mose said at that time, blacks were not enrolled in the major universities, and she found herself competing with students from all over the world. The fact that she came from rural South Carolina and was able to work with students from various backgrounds inspired her even more, she said.

A few years later, Stukes-Mose landed a job at South Carolina State College as a professor and coordinator of special education. She served in that capacity from 1965 to 1999. During her tenure, in 1973, she was awarded a Doctor of Education degree from Columbia University.

Following her first year at S.C. State, Stukes-Mose developed a special education conference for teachers and administrators because she said she believed many did not have the background and training she had received. She conducted the conference for 34 years.

Stukes-Mose has received numerous awards and recognition for leadership, service and commitment to the professional development of teacher educators. She has written proposals and published articles in referred journals, scholarly papers and monographs. She is active in the Orangeburg community as a member of Williams Chapel AME Church, the local chapter of the NAACP, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and the Orangeburg Chapter of Links Inc.

T&D Features Writer Candace Newson can be reached by e-mail at cnewson@timesanddemocrat.com or by telephone at 803-533-5540. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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