Focus on TUSD - October 2007

Childhood Memories: Former Student Returns for Hughes' 80th Anniversary
When the Sam Hughes Elementary School opened in 1927, Selma Marks was only four years old. Two years later, she joined her first-grade classmates at the small school, built on the edge of town, just north of Broadway between Tucson Boulevard and Country Club Road.

"It was the newest and best school," she remembers as the school celebrated its 80th anniversary and dedicated its new additions at an open house on Oct. 6. "It may not be the newest anymore, but it's still the best. They kept the architectural style when they added on space, and I'm so proud of it."

But for part of her first-grade year, Marks was shuttled to a building at Tucson Boulevard and Sixth Avenue because the building was so crowded. When she came back for the second-grade, her teacher was Mary Naylor, for whom Naylor Middle School is named.

Marks, whose last name was Skora when she was a student, said the school gave her a foundation for building her future. She became an attorney at mid-century, a time when many women did not attend college or have careers. She was the only female in her University of Arizona law school graduating class in 1956. She is now a retired Pima County deputy county attorney and serves on several local and national boards.

Sam Hughes, which cost $49,801 to build, still offers a traditional Spanish Mission-style enclosed center patio. And it's still nestled among traditional houses in a quiet area, but it's undergone improvements over the years as space was added.

"There was no back area for classes where the additions are now," Marks said. "They had a bigger playground instead."

Hughes now has a new multipurpose room and a remodeled library built at a cost of approximately $2 million. At the open house, the library was rededicated in honor of former school librarian George Monk and the multipurpose hall was renamed Tallmadge Hall for Hughes educator Jim Tallmadge, who was a favorite teacher of Marks' youngest son, David Paul, a Portland, Ore., attorney.

All of Marks three sons went to Hughes for six years, including Buddy Paul, an Idaho attorney and Ron Paul, a Portland businessman.

Hughes now has a 310-student enrollment under the leadership of Principal Roseanne DeCesari.

"I would recommend Sam Hughes to everyone," Marks said. "It's a wonderful neighborhood and kids get a good education here.

-- By Sharon Dunham
Communications & Media Relations