Frances Haynes-001Frances Haynes is an avid gardener, retired school teacher and administrator, and a 75 year resident of Hall County.
Frances, at 101 years old, dotes on her great grandchildren and visits the hair salon every Friday. There are so many stories she has to tell about life and children and her love for Hall County.
As a longtime resident of the historic Longstreet Hills neighborhood, she reminisced about all the neighbors she had such as WL Norton.
Born in Oglethorpe County and raised in Comer, a “Gainesville Boy” is what brought her to our area.
“He just didn’t think there was anywhere else to live, so I always knew we would come back to Gainesville,” she said, which they did so in 1940.
A school teacher since she was 17 years old, she thought she would stop teaching to raise a family with her new husband. Then the war started and he enlisted in the navy. During that time, the superintendent of Hall County Schools talked Mrs. Haynes, (then Mrs. Miller), to come back to teaching. So she did. And she taught at Candler Street School, where she would go on to be the principle for eight years. While working, she drove back and forth to Athens to continue her education. She holds a Bachelors and Masters degree from the University of Georgia, as well as a Specialist degree in Administration. She went on to be the Assistant Superintendent of Hall County Schools and in all served the community as an educator for 33 years.
She smiled while we spoke of this, and said, “I think that’s why I have lived so long. I loved every one of those 400-500 students so much. Their mischief made it interesting. None of them were bad. But if they would have been perfect, I would have been bored. Children aren’t born to be perfect.”
Recently, we asked Mrs. Haynes a few questions about her life, likes and interests to share with fellow members of our community.
Question: If you could only eat at one place for an entire week in Hall County, where would it be?
Answer: “Longstreet Cafe.”
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met in Gainesville?
A: “I could never pick just one, I have met so many.”
Q: If you could travel anywhere right now, where would it be?
A: She thought about this for a moment, and then said “I have been all over the world. Everywhere except for the far-east. And I think I would have to stay in Georgia.”
Q: What is your favorite social outing in Gainesville?
A: “I love to garden and my garden club. I don’t do it much anymore, but I have always loved gardening.”
Q: What is your favorite movie?
A: “I couldn’t say just one. I love musicals.”
Q: What former local business makes you the most nostalgic about Hall County?
A: “Estees. That was a nice store.”
Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?
A: “Be yourself. Always. I think people forget to just be themselves. And love people.”
Q: What is your favorite thing about Hall County?
A: “It’s a progressive county. I like to see things moving and getting better.”
The Faces of Hall County is a project to showcase the amazing people that live or work in our community. If you would like to nominate an interesting person to be featured please email babernathy@gonorton.com.