McNoble Harper

In his lifetime McNoble Harper was a coach, teacher of vocational agriculture, a math teacher and campus principal for more than 40 years.

He taught in Marietta (Gethsemanes), McLeod (Rambo} and Atlanta ISD, before retiring in 1974.

He was born in Bivins, Texas on August 1 of 1906 to parents Mack and Callie Harper. He married Corine Rosetta Collins and had two daughters, Gloria Harper Lett and Mackie Harper Norris.

He attended high school at New Zion School in Bivins, Texas and Pemberton High School in Marshall, Texas. He went to college at Prairie View A&M University where he received B.S. and M.S. Degrees.

As a basketball coach at Booker T. Washinton High School, his teams won State Championships in class B, A and 5A divisions.

As an agriculture teacher he started the New Farmers of America Chapters, which was organized for African American agriculture students’ kind of like FFA. It was sponsored by the United States Office of Education and helped to teach Black students about farming.

His chapter won district and state championships in parliamentary. McNoble Harper would take his students to area ranches and give them (hands -on) training with horses, cows and hogs.

I met one of his students in a local barber shop recently and at 75, Hardy Webster could still recite the creed from his class.

His motto was,” A Life of Service is a Life that Counts”. Harper passed away in 1980. In 1990 the City of Atlanta dedicated a park in his name. McNoble Harper Park is located at the corner of Hodge and Melrose Streets.