Among the list of former teachers at Livingston Academy who had the respect and admiration of most every student he taught was the late Arley Poston, someone whose teaching career began in the early 1930s and continued through the mid 70s. Sixth, seventh, and eighth graders were among the first students taught by Mr. Poston, and it was during the 1937 and 38 school year that a scrapbook was signed by most of the students he had in class that year.

Born on July 9, 1911, Arley Huntsman Poston was the son of Erasmus Cullom Poston and wife Amy May McCormick Poston. He was married to Ruth Carmack Poston, and they were the parents of one daughter, Myrna K. Poston Sells, grandparents of Brian Sells, and great-grandparents of Haydon Sells. Mr. Poston died on July 12, 1996 and was buried in Overton County Memorial Gardens. The following entries were taken from the scrapbook and along with 26 photographs of various sixth, seventh and eighth grade students in Mr. Poston’s class at Livingston Grammar School. Some entries have only the first name of the student.

8th grade – 1937-38
Dear Mr. Poston, you have been my arithmetic teacher two years and I have learned to love you lots. Always remember me as a friend and student.
Katherine McDonald

Dear Mr. Poston, I will always remember my arithmetic teacher as a friend and teacher.
Your student, Lucille Evans

Dear Mr. Poston, I will always remember you as a friend and my arithmetic teacher for two years. I hope you forget our fusses. I hope you lots of luck and if there is any one any luckier than you, I’d like to know them. Remember me. Betty Qualls

Dear Mr. Poston, I will always remember you as an arithmetic teacher and friend and uncle.
Your student and niece, Anna Mae Eldridge

Dear Mr. Poston, I shall always remember you as one of my best teachers that I ever had. Remember me as the quietest little girl in the 8th grade in arithmetic class. I never do talk, do I?
Rose Evelyne Evans

Dear Mr. Poston, I will always remember you as my arithmetic teacher as a friend and teacher.
Your student, Elise Pinkston

Dear Mr. Poston, You said we might not see you again till we were old and grey headed. I hop not, but you may remember me anyway if you want to. I shall always remember my arithmetic teacher. Love, Lois Arlene Hodges

Dear Mr. Poston, I shall always remember you as a real mean (good) old teacher.
Olline Bell Wheat

Dear Mr. Poston, I shall always remember you as one of the best teachers I ever had. And I hope you will remember me as one of your worst students. Your student, Grover C. Peek, Jr.

Dear Mr. Poston, Though you have only been here for a short time, I think you are one of the best teachers I ever had. Even if I can’t make good in arithmetic, I don’t think you are to blame. I should study harder. I will always remember you as a teacher and friend.
Your student, Jessie Peek

Dear Mr. Poston, Always remember me as the worst dumbbell you have ever taught. I shall remember you as one of my best teachers. Bill Taylor

Dear Mr. Poston, I will always remember you as my best arithmetic teacher, although you may not remember me. Your best friend and student, Marie Dalton

Dear Mr. Poston, I will always remember you as my best arithmetic teacher I ever had. You have been my teacher for one year and I have learned to love you lots.
Your student, Oliver Lowell McDonald

Dear Mr. Poston, I shall always remember you as my friend and arithmetic teacher for two years which during that time I have learned to love you lots. I hope you always remember me as a friend and student. Verna Stout

Dear Mr. Poston, I will always remember you as one of my best friends and arithmetic teacher. Although I can’t learn arithmetic, you have been a good teacher. Always remember me as your student. (Buttercup) Anna Upton

Dear Mr. Poston, I shall always remember you as one of my best teachers. Even though I can’t learn arithmetic, I sill know that you are not to blame, for you do try to teach it to us. I have not known you long, but I have learned to love you lots. Always remember me as one of your good arithmetic students. Your student, Mary Ferrell

Dear Mr. Poston, Always remember me as one of your student of the eighth grade of 1937-38. Carl Ledbetter

Dear Mr. Poston, Always remember me as a friend or a mean student. I will always remember you and the good times we all have had. Joe Capps

Dear Mr. Poston, I have had some teachers that I would like to forget, but I don’t think I will ever forget you. And I am hoping you will never forget me as long as you live though. I was the dumbest thing you ever taught, I guess. I have had 2 good years under you 36-37 27-38 and wish you could teach me more. Wishing you the best success with your students to come,
Your Friend and Student, Jody Jernigan

Dear Mr. Poston, I think you are one of the nicest teachers I have ever had. Although you have been my teacher for about two years, I have learned to love you more each day. Always remember me as the dumbest student in arithmetic. I wish you much success and happiness all through life. Love, George

Dear Mr. Poston, I will always remember you as a real good arithmetic teacher and a friend. Since I have had you for a teacher, I have learned to love you lots. Remember me as a student and friend. Love, Ruth

Dear Mr. Poston, I will always remember you as one of the best arithmetic teachers. You have been my teacher for nearly two years and I hope you don’t get to be my teacher another year. But I have learned to love you lots. I guess you think I am one of the dumbest students you ever taught and I am sure you guessed right. Always remember me as a student and friend.
Love, Grace

Dear Mr. Poston, Always remember me as one of your arithmetic pupils. I haven’t known you very long but I like you real well. Your student, Bernice Norris

Dear Mr. Poston, You have been the best arithmetic teacher I ever had, and I like you very much. I will never forget you and hope you never forget me, although I guess I was the dumbest student you ever had. Your student, Lois Lee

Dear Mr. Poston, Although I haven’t known you very long, I have learned to love you lots. As I’m expecting to be in the eighth grade next year; hope you are expecting to teach the eighth grade arithmetic. Remember me as a friend and student. Ila Glyn Carmack

Dearest Mr. Poston, This is the first year I have ever had you as an arithmetic teacher, but I like you better than any teacher I ever had. Always remember me as a student who tried but wasn’t able to succeed in arithmetic. Your friend and student, Christine Dempsey

Dear Mr. Poston, you are one of the best teachers I ever had. I will always remember you that and as my best arithmetic teacher. Your student, Ward

Dear Mr. Poston, It is with great pleasure that I get to write in your memory book as rather scrapbook. I think you are one of the best arithmetic teachers I have ever had. I hope you will always remember me as one of your best friends.
Your 7th and 8th grade student, Charles Ray Eastland, Jr.

Dear Mr. Poston, I think you are an awfully good teacher and I do like you lots although I don’t study like I should. It’s my own fault. Always remember me as an arithmetic student.
Your student, Sara B.

Dear Mr. Poston, I feel it is a great honor to be one of your students. I think you are a grand teacher and I wish you a long and successful life forever. James Bilbrey Incorporated

Dear Mr. Poston, It is a great pleasure to get to write in your memory book because I like you so much and you like me so much (ha!). You make me mad sometimes and I get mad but just look over me because I don’t mean what I say. I think you are the grandest teacher in all the world no matter if you do hate me. I hope you a big success in life. I can’t get arithmetic but it is not your blame, it is mine because I do not study. I hope you don’t look like a bull dog when you get to be an old man because you might turn into one. You must get better to D.B. and S.B. because they are pals. Remember me as one of your students and a friend.
Love Evelyn Oakley (or Horseshoe)

Dear Mr. Poston, All the other students have been saying they like you for an arithmetic teacher, but I can say I like you better than any other teacher I ever had and I’ve had a lot. Although I can’t get arithmetic, it isn’t your fault because I don’t study as I should and never have. I’m sorry I didn’t start from the first and study, but I didn’t and now it’s too late, but I can study the rest of this year as I’m going to. I dread the rest of my schooling as I’ll be away from home and won’t have you for a teacher. Mr. Poston, I hope you’ll forget the times I’ve been so hateful and contrary for honest, I didn’t mean to be. I’m a bit high strung but I try to be as good as I can … like a fish!. Well, I’ve already written more than anyone else that’s written yet, so I better stop and save the rest of the page for someone else. I could write all day and not say anything but this is half a page. I remain, Frances Rooker (Peewee)

Dear Mr. Poston, I think you are a good teacher and I am glad to of had you for one for two years. Always remember me a sone of your dumbest students and a good friend. Bill Speck

Dear Mr. Poston, I have enjoyed having you for an arithmetic teacher, although I am awful in arithmetic. I know it isn’t my teachers fault. Always remember me as a friend.
Lucy Frances Mitchell

Dear Mr. Poston, I think you are a good arithmetic teacher and I know that I am the sorriest arithmetic worker in the school. I will always remember you as a good friend and I hop you do me. Yours truly, Doak Capps

March 3, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, I have enjoyed having you for a teacher in the sixth and seventh grades. You are a good arithmetic teacher and I hope you stay that way. Remember me as a student and a friend. Lyda Grace Poston

March 3, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, I will always remember you as one of my best teachers. I have enjoyed being a student under you in the sixth and seventh grades. I have had better times and liked arithmetic better since you have been teaching up here. Always remember me a s good friend of yours.
Lola Mae Poore

March 3, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, I have enjoyed being in your room. Love, Janie Sue Maynard

Livingston Grammar School
March 3, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, I have enjoyed being in your room these two years very much. You have been good in trying to teach us arithmetic although you don’t know very much about it. But I will always remember you as a very good teacher and I think a lot of you, even if you are such a big beggar for apples. Love always, Meekle Carr

Dear Mr. Poston, It has been great pleasure being in your class and hope you have enjoyed having me. I have learned a lot in your class. I will always remember you and hope you remember me. You have had a hard time teaching us but we have learned a lot.
Lots of love, Emogene Smith

March 3, 1937
Dear Mr. Poston, I have enjoyed being in your class. You have been a good arithmetic teacher and I like you very much. Some day I hope we meet again. I might have not learned much but it is because I have not paid much attention. You have been a beggar for Ski-Hi and apples. Love always, Janie Wheat 6th and 7th grade

March 3, 1937
Dear Mr. Poston, I have enjoyed being one of your students (altho you have fussed at me). I hope you will remember me as one who loves you dearly. Don’t forget the good old times we have had together. Your student in 6th and 7th, Colleen Brown

March 3, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, Remember me as a friend and student. It has been a pleasure being in your room. I will never forget the first day you taught at Livingston Grammar School. I thought I never could go to school to you, but it has been a pleasure two years. Hoping you are here next year, I am your friend and student, Bessie Coffman

March 3, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, It has been a great pleasure being in your room. Remember the one who loves you lots (even though you are a beggar). I have learned lots since I have been in your room and I hope you will teach the 8th grade next year. Love always, Frances Sue

March 4, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, It has been a pleasure having you for a teach for the past two years. Remember me as a friend and as I will you. Lots of love, Mary Jo Evans

March 4, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, It has been a great pleasure to me having you for a teach. Remember me as a friend and student. I don’t think I can ever forget you. Your friend, Marie Eubank

March 4, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, I have enjoyed being in your room for the past two years and I hope I will have you again next year. Remember me as a friend and student as I always will remember you.
Your friend, Elizabeth Howard

Dear Mr. Poston, It has been a pleasure having you as my teacher for the last 2 years and I hope you can be my teacher next year. You have been nice to me and I have loved you. Always remember me as a friend and student. Love, Anne Lollar

Dear Mr. Poston, I certainly have enjoyed being in your room for the past two years and would like having you for another year. I hope you will always remember me a sone of your best friends and a student of the 6th and 7th grades. I wish you happiness and success in life.
Your friend, Marguerite Padgett

March 4, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, It has been a great pleasure to have you as a teacher for the last 2 years. I have enjoyed having you for a teacher very much. I want you to remember me as a student and friend of yours. Your Student, Reba Arney

March 4, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, It has been a pleasure to be in your class this year. I think you are a nice teacher. Remember me as one of your best friends. Love, Ora D. Halsell

March 4, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, I will remember you as my arithmetic teacher and I like you fine as I haven’t gone to school but four months. I hope you will be our teacher next year.
Your friend, Geneva Pangle
PS Forget-Me-Not

March 4, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, It has been a pleasure to have you as one of my teachers two years. I hope you will be my teacher next year if I pass. You have been very nice to me and I love you. I hope you will always remember me as a friend and student. Love, Imogene Reeser

Dear Mr. Poston, It has been a pleasure to have you as my home room teacher for two years. I hope that you are my teacher next year if I pass. You have been a nice and sweet teacher and nice to me. I hope you will remember me as a friend and student always.
Love, Betty Reeves Smith
PS Flowers may wither
Lilies may die
Friends may forget you
But never will I.

March 7, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, I have enjoyed being in your class and to have you for a teacher. I hope you will remember me as a student and a friend. Love, Sammye Young

March 7, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, I have enjoyed you as a school teacher and a friend. I will always love you as I do now. You may change but I will never. Love, Evelyn Conatser

Dear Mr. Poston, I have enjoyed being in your class. Always remember me as a true friend and remember the good times we have had together. I hope you will be my teacher next year.
Love, Maurine Carmack

Dear Poston, I have enjoyed being in your classes and I hop you will be my teacher next year if I pass and always remember me a friend and student of the 6th and 7th grades.
Your student, Edward Snow Windle

Dear Mr. Poston, I have enjoyed being in your class and I hope you will remember me as a friend of yours. Your student, Huston Gillentine

Dear Mr. Poston, I have enjoyed being in your class and I hope you will be my teacher next year. I always will remember you as a friend and never forget you as a good teacher.
Your student, Bobby Taylor

March 7, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, You are the best teacher I ever had and I really mean it. And you are really a good arithmetic teacher too. I learned all I ever know under you and you are a real sport too and I will remember you always. Your student, Billy Story

Dear Mr. Poston, I have enjoyed being a student of the seventh grade these few months I have been in this school. I have liked you as a teacher and friend.
A Seventh Grade Student, Henry Whitefield

March 7, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, I will always remember you as the teacher that put lots of arithmetic into my head which I hope I don’t forget. I like you for a teacher and always will. I don’t believe I could get a teacher to teach you to get your lesson well and who look out for the students interest.
Your student, Leonard Roberts

Dear Mr. Poston, I will always remember you as a good teacher. Your student, Douglas Verble

Dear Mr. Poston, I will always remember you as one of my best teachers. I hope you consider me as one of your friends. I have learned more arithmetic under you than any other teacher.
Your student, John Tom Poindexter

March 8, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, I have enjoyed having you for a teacher the past two years. You have made arithmetic easy for us, but we can learn a lot about it if you are teaching it. Try to be a teacher here next year. Your student and friend, David Smith

March 10, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, I wish you would get your wish about following us on through high school for it has been a pleasure as being one of your students. I will always remember you as one of the best teachers in school and hope your life will always be full of happiness.
Your student, R.B. Oakley, Jr.

March 10, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, I wish you could be our teacher on through high school. I think you are one of the best teachers in school. I hope you have lots of success in life.
Your Student, Adrian Mitchell

March 10, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, I wish you could be our teacher next year for it has been a great pleasure to have you as a teacher. A.B. Ferrell

March 10, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, I wish you could always be my teacher. You are the best one I ever had. Remember me as a friend. Claude Cantrell

March 10, 1938
Dearest Mr. Poston, I have enjoyed having you as my teacher in school. I have had a lot of good times in the years of 1937 and 1938 in your room. I shall always remember you as one of my best teachers in school. Always remember me as your pupil. Love always, Elise Brooks

March 10, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, I am very grateful to you, especially in arithmetic. Since Daddy said I didn’t know anything about it and you have straightened me out in it. Please remember a sixth grade student who likes music better than arithmetic. Love, Patricia Louise Smith

Dear Mr. Poston, It has been a pleasure to be in your arithmetic class this year. You are a swell teacher. Always remember me as one of your best friends and an arithmetic student.
Lovingly yours, Jeane Freeman

Dear Mr. Poston, I like you very much and I wish I could be in your room all my school life. I hope you won’t get too mad at me because I like you and want you to like me. I hope that you will always remember me. Your friend, Bill Mitchell

March 10, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, I have always liked you and I hope you are my arithmetic teacher next year and the year after that and I hope you have liked me the two years in which you have taught me.
Lovingly yours, Earl Roberts, 6th Grade

Dear Mr. Poston, I like you better than any other arithmetic teacher I have ver had and wish you could be my teacher every year. Lovingly yours, Gradis Gore, 6th Grade

March 17, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, I like you very much. I think you are a very, very good teacher. I hope you will be my teacher the rest of school. I get a lot out of your teaching my arithmetic.
Your Student, Clarice McCormick, 6th Grade

Dear Mr. Poston, You are an awful good teacher and I like you very much. I hope you success all through life. I hope you are my teacher all through school.
Yours truly, Howard Winningham, 6th Grade

Dear Mr. Poston, I like you for a arithmetic teacher that I ever had. I wish you could be my arithmetic teacher always. Your Student, Clay Parsons, 6th Grade

March 10, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, I am glad to write in your memory book. I like you very much and hope you are my teacher next year. Best Wishes, Noel Qualls

March 17, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, I like you very much. You have been a good teacher. I hope you are my arithmetic teacher next year. Your friend and student, George Neal

March 17, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, You are a good teacher when you are asleep. When I get in the 7th grade, I wish you will be my teacher. Your good, good friend, L.E. Oakley

March 12, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, I am glad to write in your book. I like you fine and hope you are my teacher next year. Your friend, Virginia Deane Gunter

March 18, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, I am glad I got to write in your book. I like you very much but not as much as one teacher. I will not tell you who it is because you might get mad at him. I hope you will be my teacher next year. Your friend, Hank Halfacre

March 10, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, It is a pleasure to get to write in your book. You are a good teacher and I hop you get a teacher’s job next year. Hoping you a world of success, Your Pupil, Leon Garrett

Dear Mr. Poston, I am very happy to write in your book. You are a good teacher and I hope you come back next year. I hope you have great success in life. With love, Henry Jernigan
PS Always remember me.

Dear Mr. Poston, I am glad to write in your book. I like you very much. I have enjoyed having you for a arithmetic teacher for the last two years and hope you will be in the terms 1938-39. I hope you the best luck and success in life. Sincerely yours, Marie Ogletree

Dear Mr. Poston, It has been a pleasure to have you for one of my teachers. You are a good teacher. I hope you are one of my teachers next year. I hope you much success in life.
Your friend and student, Margaret Winningham

March 18, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, I will always remember you as a good ole arithmetic teacher as well as a good friend. I hop you will always remember me.
2-YY-U-R
2-YY-U-B
I-know-U-R-2-YY-For me
Yours, Sarah Christian

Dear Mr. Poston, I like you very much as a friend and teacher. I want to thank you very much for letting us on writing that note but I wanted to know so much that I wrote that note. I am sorry I did it and I won’t do it again. I hope you are my teacher next year.
Your Student, Evelyn David
Remember me as a girl that can’t write with a fountain pen

March 18, 1938
Dear Uncle Arley, I like you very much as a arithmetic teacher and a friend. I haven’t much to say, but I wish you all the luck and success in later life.
Student of the 6th Grade, Your Friend, Sydney Ruth Eldridge

Dear Mr. Poston, I wish you all the success and happiness in life. Oleeta Garrett

I think you are a real good teacher. Next year I hope you are my home teacher.
Ruben Smith, Student of the 7th Grade

March 21, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, I like you very much as an arithmetic teacher. I hope that you are my arithmetic teacher next year. Your friend, Harlan Brady

March 21, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, I think you are one of the best teachers I have ver had and I wish you all the success and happiness in life and I hop you will always remember me. Your friend, Junior

March 22, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, You are one of the best teachers I ever had. Always remember the good times we have had together. So I wish you luck and happiness all your life. Always remember me.
Your best friend and pal, Edward Parrigan

March 22, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, You are the best teacher I eve had. I hope you will always remember me.
Your friend, Lorene Daily

March 22, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, I like you very much and hope you teach here next year and if you do, I hope you like me better than you did last and this year for I want every one of my teachers to like me and I want to like them. When you are old and retired on candy, fried chicken, pies and cakes, remember me and give me some. Love, Reva Copeland

March 22, 1938
Dear Mr. Poston, I like you very much (but you don’t think so). I hope you teach here next year if I am here. I hope you will learn to like fried chicken. Yours, Martha Ann Taylor