ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, November 22, 1996 TAG: 9611250207
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: NEWS OBIT
SOURCE: JON CAWLEY STAFF WRITER
``You never tell my momma no."
That is how Cynthia Kelley described why her mother, Mary "Mae" Butts, founded North Cross School in the basement of her Salem home in 1944. Butts died Wednesday at her home in Salem at age 88.
Public school officials told Butts, when she tried to register Cynthia, that her daughter was too young and would have to wait another year to begin school - the birthday that would have made her eligible fell 16 days after the deadline to register. Butts did not agree, so she formed the first class of North Cross school, consisting of 19 neighborhood children, in the basement of her home, Kelley said.
There were painted murals on the wall, but no desks in that first classroom. A big rug covered the floor, and children sat on the floor or on benches against the walls.
Butts' husband, Dr. Howard Butts, was a hunter so there were also stuffed birds on the walls. "It was intriguing and intimidating at the same time. But we were happy and had nice homemade lunches every day," said Pam Ogden a member of that first class.
Butts made sure her daughter was treated the same as the other children. "I used to sit on the top step leading into the basement and have breakfast while I talked to everyone. I would then have to put on my jacket, walk outside and come in like everyone else. I couldn't just walk down the stairs," Kelley said.
Butts never was a teacher. She left classroom instruction to Margaret Northcross Ellis, whom the school is named after, while Butts served as vice president. Mrs. F.L. Hoback was the original president, Ogden said.
North Cross school was located in Butts' basement for only one year before moving to Union Street in Salem, where Olde Salem Furnishings is now. At that point the curriculum expanded and special activities, such as May Day and dressing up for holidays, were observed, Ogden said. "We were always dressing up."
After Butts' involvement with North Cross ended, she put her degree in Library Science, from the William and Mary extension in Richmond, to work as a librarian for the Salem Public Library. Butts also sat on the library's advisory board and was the only living member of the original board still alive and serving when the new library was built on Main Street, Kelley said.
Butts also was active in her church and community organizations. She served as president of the Salem Women's Club; was a member of the Salem chapter of the Eastern Star, the Roanoke-Salem Horse Show organization and the Salem Music Club; helped build sets for Showtimers Studio; was a Cub Scout den mother; and worked for 25 years with the Red Cross Bloodmobile. She even appeared on the "Panorama" talk show, to demonstrate her needlework technique, in 1966.
"She had more energy than you and I put together," Kelley said. "And she gave to everybody."
LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines KEYWORDS: 3DAby CNB