By BILL MARDIS, Editor Emeritus
Commonwealth Journal
Somerset —
A man whose name is synonymous with educ-ation in Pulaski County has died at age 91. Roy E. Holt, former superintendent of the Pulaski County School District, died Monday at his home. An educator most of his life, Holt was superintendent from 1971 to 1978. He followed in the footsteps of his father, James (Jim) Holt, who was superintendent between 1930 and 1938. Holt’s daughter, Jane Whitis, said her father, following his discharge from the Army in the late 1940s, operated a country store for four or five years at Alcalde. “Daddy let everybody have credit (at the store),” Jane said. “He could make more money teaching.” Holt started as a coach and teacher at the then-Shopville High School. Continuing his education, Holt moved through the ranks as principal and director of pupil personnel while eventually obtaining certification to serve as superintendent. It was during Holt’s tenure as superintendent that he led the way to construct the 6,000-seat gymnasium at Pulaski County High School. The Maroons had no place to play; their home games were at the National Guard Armory. “He was so proud of that (gym),” remembers Jane. Many people, including Joe Richards, director of public personnel services for the Pulaski County School System while Holt was superintendent, felt the gym should bear his name. It never happened, but the facility at the time was the finest in the state and is still one of the better places for high school basketball. Richards, and his wife, Betty, a member of the Pulaski County Board of Education for 20 years, fondly remember Holt. “Mr. Holt was always optimistic. He was a lot of fun, but was very dedicated to his job,” Joe said. “I worked in the Central Office with him for 24 years,” said Joe, who, as one of Holt’s enthusiastic supporters, was present at the school board meeting when Holt was named superintendent. Kenneth Ashley, assistant principal at Pulaski County High School during Holt’s tenure as superintendent, remembers him as a man of his word. “Mr. Holt kept his word. If he told you something he stood by it, even if it cost him politically. He was just a fine man,” said Ashley. The Holt family was musical. Jim led an organization called The Pulaski County Singing Convention, and Roy led the music at his church. Visitation for Holt will be Wednesday, Aug. 4 from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Lake Cumberland Funeral Home. Funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at the chapel of Lake Cumberland Funeral Home with Bro. Chuck Pollard officiating. Burial will follow in the Somerset Cemetery. The American Legion Post #38 Honor Guard will conduct full military honors. A complete obituary is elsewhere in this edition.