Ph.D. candidate remembered as ‘phenomenal teacher’

By Bernard Baker

Published: May 10, 2008

This should have been one of the happiest weekends in Dorothea E. Holland’s life.

Holland was supposed to receive her doctorate from Virginia State University this weekend after years of study. It wasn’t to be; the popular math teacher at John M. Langston Focus School entered Danville Regional Medical Center in late April and died three days later. She was 42.

Principal Samuel Massie taught Holland when she was a seventh-grader. He described her as brilliant and encouraged her to become a teacher.

That happened shortly after Holland graduated from Virginia State University. She taught math at the Focus School from 1995 to 2004. She taught briefly in Rockingham County, N.C., before returning home and to the Focus School.

“Dorothea was a phenomenal teacher,” Massie said.

Harvey Martin is a 12th-grade student at the Focus School. He said he will remember the smile Holland always had on her face and how she stayed on him to get his schoolwork done.

“She was one of the best math teachers I ever had,” said Martin, who called her a friend.

Tameka McCollum, a 10th-grader, said Holland was a fun teacher to be around.

If a student made mistakes, she knew how to help them without putting them down, McCollum said.

“She kept me out of trouble by separating me from other people,” student Javone Blackstock said.

It’s hard for health and physical education teacher Doris Kelly to talk about Holland without shedding tears. Holland’s passing remains too fresh in her mind.

Kelly talked about how they would call each other at night to talk about how the day went. She said Holland’s office was a magnet for other teachers who would talk about how they could help their students.

“She was a loving and caring person. It’s hard to come here and not see her,” Kelly said. “This is where she wanted to be. This was truly her calling.”

Kelly said the big difference between Holland and other teachers was that some educators cover the lessons, but otherwise do little else. Holland’s belief was that no child should be left behind, Kelly said.

Mae Davis said Holland tutored students whether they went to the Focus School, George Washington High School or if they were in college.

There was no such thing as office hours to Holland because she worked with people at night, in her office and on the weekends, said Davis, the school’s instruction specialist.

She said Holland loved her students and looked beyond their weaknesses.

“We lost an educator, one who genuinely cared,” Davis said.

Massie said a scholarship has been set up in Holland’s memory at VSU. He said a tree will be planted at the Focus School in her memory.

Contact Bernard Baker at or (434) 791-7986.