SYLACAUGA, Ala. – The Sylacauga Alliance for Family Enhancement’s (SAFE) President Margaret Morton has been inducted into the University of Alabama’s College of Education Hall of Fame.
On Saturday, Feb. 26, Morton was introduced as one of the newest members of the esteemed group. She was joined in the Class of 2022 inductees by Vickie Brown, Dr. James McLean, and Dr. Carol Schlichter.
The College of Education Hall of Fame in Tuscaloosa was founded in 2012 by the university’s Board of Advisors. According to Dean and Professor in the College of Education, Peter Hlebowitsh, the honor is considered the highest given by the college, and it represents “a lifetime of sustained accomplishment.”
“Each inductee is memorialized with a plaque that is mounted and displayed in Autherine Lucy Hall,” said Hlebowitsh. “The College’s Hall of Fame inductees have acted in a variety of roles to bring advancements to the teaching and learning endeavor. Whether in the capacity of administrator, classroom teacher, community supporter, or researcher, our hall of Fame honorees have all left an astonishing mark of achievement in their wake. They have truly made the world a better place.”
Two Sylacauga natives that either formerly studied or currently study at the University of Alabama wrote recommendation letters for Mrs. Morton to the Hall of Fame Board.
Former student Caitlyn McTier noted that “Mrs. Morton is not shy about making her voice heard while amplifying others’ voices. She has worked her entire career to find sustainable solutions for making Sylacauga better than she found it.”
In her letter, current Alabama student Ibby Dickson said that she has “consistently sought so much help from her along the way with projects and many other endeavors.”
“[These] honorees represent our College’s gift to the next generation,” Hlebowitsh said. “We honor our inheritance today by publicly granting it more full to those who have come after.”
Mrs. Morton is married to 2014 College of Education Hall of Fame inductee Dr. Joe Morton. The couple have two sons (Matthew and Josh) and four grandchildren (Harrison, Easby, Josephine, and Linley).