Calhoun’s Nelson: At the Heart of It All
Two hearts converged more than 52 years ago at a community center in the heart of the Sandy Run community, nestled within the heart of Calhoun County and South Carolina’s Midlands region. One of those hearts belonged to Ned Nelson, who now represents District 4, encompassing the small town of St. Matthews, on the Calhoun County School District (CCSD) Board of Trustees.
On Jan. 8, 2027, Nelson and his wife, Marge, will celebrate their golden anniversary and the union from which so much good followed. His parents, a Boy Scout leader and several teachers helped shape Nelson, but the woman who has held his heart all these years inspired him to become an educator.
“She knew I had been an indifferent student in grade school, but she sincerely believed I could do better academically,” Nelson said. “She pushed me gently but firmly to do whatever it took to get into college.”
Unlike his brothers, who knew early in life what they wanted to become, Nelson did not. In fact, he admits he never tried very hard and needed constant encouragement.
“As a child and young adult, I tried to think ahead and plan my life, but it just didn’t work,” he said. “So, around the time I was 17 or 18 years old, I gave it to our Heavenly Father to handle for me, and it worked.”
His journey toward becoming an educator began at the Calhoun County Purple Martin Festival at the Sandy Run Community Center. Marge, a rising sophomore at Winthrop College, had been dragged to the dance by her parents. By the end of the night, she was having dinner with Nelson in Columbia.
“Those events took place in May 1974. We married on Jan. 8, 1977, three weeks after Marge graduated from Winthrop College,” Nelson said. “I truly believe the Lord brought us together that evening because it was His plan for our lives to be together.”
Marge became a teacher while Nelson worked for Carolina Eastman, the first major industry in Calhoun County and, by many accounts, the source of some of the state’s highest-paying jobs. Nelson could easily envision spending his entire career there.
“When we got married, I had been employed at Eastman for four years and was doing well there,” he said. “I felt lucky to have a job at a very good company where the pay and fringe benefits were very good. As far as I was concerned, I was going to stay there all my working life.”
Marge envisioned something different for him. She encouraged Nelson to pursue college despite his doubts about being accepted because of his poor academic performance.
Going to college also meant leaving a good job with a promising future to pursue what Nelson considered an impossible and completely foolish endeavor.
Nelson earned his bachelor’s degree in three years and joined CCSD. During his 29-year career, he served as a middle school science teacher, elementary school physical education teacher, high school football coach, assistant principal, principal and, finally, director of operations and athletics at the district level. Along the way, he earned a master’s degree in education administration from UofSC.
After becoming a principal, Nelson had the privilege of
singing in a choir with one of the teachers who had made a lasting impact on
his life. He has never forgotten what she told him after a rehearsal.
“Of all my students, in all my years, I am most proud of
you,” she said.
As for Marge, Nelson said she made it all possible by having
faith in him and working as a teacher to support their family while he attended
college.
“I would not be where I am today if I had not stopped at the
Sandy Run Community Center on that Saturday evening in May 1974,” he said.
Marge invested nearly her entire teaching career in the
district. She retired in 2004, then returned to work part time as a reading and
literacy coach for five more years.
Nelson was the son of a department supervisor at the State
Record Newspaper and World War II veteran and a homemaker. His family came
to Calhoun County from the capital city of Columbia when he was young. Today,
he encourages young people “to never underestimate their ability to achieve
what may seem to them at any time in their life to be an impossible task or
dream.”
After the family moved to Calhoun County, Nelson’s father
cleared some of their land and purchased several farm animals, including cows,
hogs, chickens and a horse. The family planted a large garden, collected eggs
and kept a milk cow, which provided plenty of fresh, raw milk. Nelson believed
the property was a dream come true for his father, who was not a farmer but
found fulfillment in trying to become one.
Even Nelson’s mother went to work for CCSD as a classified
employee after becoming an empty nester.
“She didn’t need to work,” Nelson said. “She just wanted to
do something useful and fulfilling.”
Perhaps the same longing for useful and fulfilling work led
Nelson back to education as a school board member after his retirement.
“I missed being connected in some way with my profession to
which I had dedicated 29 years of my life. I decided to offer for election in
2012, and I’ve been fortunate to have been elected several times since then,”
Nelson said. “I firmly believe public education is one of the cornerstones of a
prospering society.”
Nelson was a student during what he calls the “so-called
separate but equal days” and graduated from St. Matthews High School on the
heels of court-ordered integration. Those experiences helped shape his enduring
belief in public education, which he calls one of society’s greatest
foundations. Though saddened by the recent challenges facing public education,
he remains hopeful. Just as in days past, he believes what is right and equal
will prevail.
Nelson and Marge are the parents of Kate, who is married to
Jeret. Both are UofSC alumni.
