Friends mourn loss of former principal
Early in Warren Whitson's long career with the Aiken County School District, he served as the Jackson High School principal and then opened Silver Bluff High in 1980.
Whitson, 65, died at his home Monday morning.
Before his retirement in 2007, he returned to Silver Bluff as principal for three years. Stunned friends and colleagues said that experience was especially meaningful to him.
"He came back home," said Silver Bluff guidance counselor Cathy Neal. "He started the school and wanted to come back home to finish his career. Everybody loved him, and he did a great job. He will be sorely missed in the community."
Over his 36-year career in Aiken, Whitson also served as the Freedman Vocational School director, the Midland Valley High School principal, district testing coordinator and secondary education director.
Todd Bornscheuer was serving as the Silver Bluff assistant principal when Whitson returned to the school.
At the awards day program in May 2007, Whitson expressed his pride in turning the principal's job over to his assistant.
"He meant as much to me as any other single professional person," said Bornscheuer. "He was a model for what it is to be a man and father. Whenever there was a tough challenge, he would fight the fight if it was best for kids."
Dr. Bill Gallman, who retired in 2008 as deputy superintendent, said his friendship with Whitson goes back to the early 1970s, when both were pursuing advanced degrees at the University of South Carolina.
Gallman was already working for the district then, and, when the Freedman position came open, he recommended Whitson for the job.
Over the years Gallman served as Whitson's supervisor several times, but their relationship was far more collegial than their flow chart roles would suggest.
"I loved Warren, a great guy with a tremendous capacity for love and compassion," Gallman said. "He held on for what he believed to be right and was well respected by students. But he respected them, too. He let kids know that he cared about them, even if he was telling they were wrong. He would always do so in a manner they could respect."
Andy Reeves took over Freedman Center from Whitson in the 1970s, beginning their long friendship. Reeves was the Area 5 assistant superintendent when Whitson returned to Silver Bluff.
"He was such a good school person who always cared about the kids he served," Reeves said. "Like most of us, he wanted to give kids the best chance they could have in life. He got to see a lot of that."
Whitson always gave the impression of enjoying his work, said current deputy superintendent David Caver, another colleague for three decades.
"Warren always had a deep insight into situations and a great empathy for people who worked with and for," Caver said. "From his earliest days at Silver Bluff, he took great pride in the school."
Contact Rob Novit at rnovit@aikenstandard.com.