‘Incomparable legacy’: LH honors late agri teacher
PEARCY — A longtime educator in the Lake Hamilton School District, Melvin Daniel, died Wednesday shortly after being honored by the district with the naming of its new Future Farmers of America farm on campus.
During Monday night’s regular monthly school board meeting, the board unanimously passed a resolution naming the farm the Melvin Daniel Lake Hamilton High School FFA Farm. Daniel’s family was joined by school FFA members and other friends and supporters to witness the resolution’s passing.
Daniel’s daughter, Melissa Anthony, released a statement on Wednesday announcing her father’s death, noting the funeral service will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. inside Wolf Arena at Lake Hamilton High School. After the service, friends and family will gather at Centerfork Missionary Baptist Church on South Moore Road for food and fellowship.
“Mr. Daniel left an incomparable legacy in the Lake Hamilton School District community,” school Superintendent Shawn Higginbotham said Thursday in an email. “He influenced countless lives of students and others during his 33 years at Lake Hamilton High School. I have heard many testimonials of Mr. Daniel’s impact on LHHS alumni and fellow educators across the state. Melvin served and led selflessly and generously even after his retirement from public education. His commitment to agriculture education was truly a lifelong endeavor. He will be greatly missed.”
In addition to teaching agricultural education at Lake Hamilton for 33 years upon his hiring in 1969, he also taught in the Glenwood and Foreman school districts, as well as worked for the University of Arkansas Extension service for six and a half years. In October
2014, he was awarded the Honorary American FFA Degree — the highest honor a non-FFA member can receive — during the 87th National FFA Convention and Expo in Louisville, Kentucky, for his exemplary service to agriculture education and the FFA.
“It’s not very often that we ask you to recognize the accomplishments of individual employees, but when those accomplishments and that impact is so meaningful and so long-term, we feel like we need to recognize it,” Higginbotham told the board Monday night. “I believe this is the first time in district history that a superintendent’s going to ask a board to name a facility after a former employee.”
The resolution, a framed copy of which was presented to his family Monday night, praises Daniel’s leadership and mentorship in the district and the lasting impression he made on students and colleagues, instilling in them a deep sense of pride, responsibility, and community engagement.
It begins with the passage from the FFA Creed: “I believe in the future of agriculture, with a faith born not of words but of deeds — achievements won by the present and past generations of agriculturists; in the promise of better days through better ways, even as the better things we now enjoy have come to us from the struggles of former years.”
It notes that Daniel’s lifelong commitment to the school community has revolved around “nurturing future agriculturists and fostering responsible citizens through unwavering dedication to Lake Hamilton School District’s students, staff, and community.
“Over the course of four decades, Melvin Daniel has offered hands-on/minds-on learning experiences to students in agriculture and skilled trades, guiding numerous graduates into successful careers. … His influence will forever be remembered by those fortunate enough to have worked with him and/or call him a friend,” it states.
According to the resolution, Daniel, on many occasions, purchased livestock for students and allowed them to house the animals on his farm because they had no space for them or money to invest in their project.
A commemorative plaque bearing his name, image and a description of his contributions will be prominently displayed at the farm to serve as a perpetual reminder of his significant role in shaping the future at the district.