WHEREAS, Martha Anderson Rollings of Dendron, who inspired generations of students as a teacher and as an administrator, died on January 22, 2012; and

WHEREAS, Martha Rollings graduated from Buckingham Central High School and entered State Teachers College at Farmville, now Longwood University, when she was 14; she graduated with honors from college at age 18 and started teaching school; and

WHEREAS, throughout her youth, people would tell Martha Rollings what a wonderful teacher her mother—who died when Martha Rollings was three—had been; early in her life she decided to become a teacher as a tribute to her mother; and

WHEREAS, Martha Rollings did not give up after her first challenging year of teaching; on a friend's recommendation, she transferred to a school in Surry County and went on to work at schools in Southside Virginia for more than 40 years, often using her early experience in education as an example for her students, teaching them the time-honored lesson of not giving up when facing difficulties; her career advanced as she taught at various schools; and

WHEREAS, as an English and Spanish teacher, Martha Rollings was known for instilling a love of Spanish culture in her students; she taught her students how to cook Spanish foods and they also learned about the music and dance of Spain, both in the classroom and on trips abroad; and

WHEREAS, after becoming a school administrator in Surry County, Martha Rollings excelled in many different roles; she was assistant principal, associate principal, director of instruction, and assistant superintendent for instruction before retiring in 1995; and

WHEREAS, in recognition of her contributions to education, Martha Rollings received an Alumni Achievement Award from Longwood University in 1994, and in 2007, she was honored by the Surry County Business and Professional Women's Organization; and

WHEREAS, Martha Rollings was a charter member of the Dendron Historical Society, worshipped at Dendron United Methodist Church, and held leadership positions in the Gamma Epsilon Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, which recognized her many contributions in 2010; and

WHEREAS, Martha Rollings, who was predeceased by her husband, Norman, will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by her daughter, Faye, and by many other family members, friends, colleagues, and former students; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Delegates hereby note with great sadness the loss of a respected educator and a person who was devoted to her family and her community, Martha Anderson Rollings; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Martha Anderson Rollings as an expression of the House of Delegates' respect for her memory and appreciation for her decades-long commitment to educating Virginia's children.