Johnson becomes Chair of Business Department
Kory Porter
Issue date: 2/3/10 Section: News
"Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be obtained." This quote by Marie Curie seems to exemplify the life Janice Johnson has led.
Johnson, a Portsmouth native and graduate of Clay High School is the youngest of three children, and she learned at an early age that hard work is important. Her parents were tenant farmers, and both her brothers James and George helped their parent's plant and harvest corn, soybeans, cattle, and hog. Johnson said, "I enjoyed the farm mostly. I knew how to drive a tractor, but did not do that much. My parents handled the heavy equipment. I took care of the chickens (aggravating critters), helped clean barns, helped bale hay, helped with chores and repairs and wherever they needed a set of unskilled hands. You make farm work sound like an ordeal. It's a job, like any other job."
"School was my main job, and my parents made sure I always had time for homework. Summers were great because once I was done with chores I could take a book, find a nice tree to climb, and sit and read with the wind blowing through the leaves and dogs curled up below. Or go in the hayloft and play with the cats. I had a few morning chores, but mostly evening. And not in bad weather."
Johnson's parents opened a savings account for each child. Janice and George at the time of their birth, and James (JD) not at the time of his birth, but he had one as well. The children of these tenant farmers each had a regular savings account that they knew about, but James, George, and Janice knew the only way to use their savings account was after high school, toward college or whatever they chose to do. The children could not use the savings to buy a car or anything like that and they knew that. "I knew I was going to college and what I wanted to do and knew that I had the support to do it" Johnson said.
Johnson, a Portsmouth native and graduate of Clay High School is the youngest of three children, and she learned at an early age that hard work is important. Her parents were tenant farmers, and both her brothers James and George helped their parent's plant and harvest corn, soybeans, cattle, and hog. Johnson said, "I enjoyed the farm mostly. I knew how to drive a tractor, but did not do that much. My parents handled the heavy equipment. I took care of the chickens (aggravating critters), helped clean barns, helped bale hay, helped with chores and repairs and wherever they needed a set of unskilled hands. You make farm work sound like an ordeal. It's a job, like any other job."
"School was my main job, and my parents made sure I always had time for homework. Summers were great because once I was done with chores I could take a book, find a nice tree to climb, and sit and read with the wind blowing through the leaves and dogs curled up below. Or go in the hayloft and play with the cats. I had a few morning chores, but mostly evening. And not in bad weather."
Johnson's parents opened a savings account for each child. Janice and George at the time of their birth, and James (JD) not at the time of his birth, but he had one as well. The children of these tenant farmers each had a regular savings account that they knew about, but James, George, and Janice knew the only way to use their savings account was after high school, toward college or whatever they chose to do. The children could not use the savings to buy a car or anything like that and they knew that. "I knew I was going to college and what I wanted to do and knew that I had the support to do it" Johnson said.
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