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Ben Barlow
by Margaret Cahoon
Photo by William Patrick Butler
April 26, 2006
After spending his first years out of college as a chef on a cattle ranch in Wyoming and a salesman in Colorado, Ben Barlow came back to Mississippi to try his hand at the family business; both his mother and grandmother were teachers for 40 years, and his cousin is also in education.
Currently in his fifth year at Northwest Rankin High School, 32-year-old Barlow teaches both Learning Strategies and a reading-specific class to 9th graders and the dreaded state-tested English II to 10th graders. He also coaches girls' volleyball and the 9th-grade boys' basketball team, who this year won their first championship. "More importantly, they had fun playing, and they passed their classes; they're an easy team to coach," Barlow says.
Though he works in Rankin County, Barlow lives with girlfriend Jeannie, mutt Maggie and dachshund Sugar in Jackson. He loves Cups and, while drinking his coffee, announces that he is never going to Starbucks again. "They only have one flavor. This has a distinct flavor—I can tell the difference!" (A dark roast, in case you were interested).
He also has little tolerance for people who whine about Jackson but aren't trying to make it better. "You can't complain about what's going on in the community if your fingers aren't involved," he says. He wants Jacksonians to focus on urban renewal and not on urban sprawl. "There's nothing wrong with these buildings (downtown)—let's get this city moving. Plenty of cities do it; why don't we?" he asks.
Barlow's motivation is infectious. When he didn't have time to go himself, he encouraged Jeannie as she worked on a huge Habitat for Humanity project. Though he couldn't get down to New Orleans to be more hands-on with Katrina aid (because of his teaching schedule), he made the time to help his mother and grandmother wash and fold clothes for people with no homes.
After our meeting, he is headed out on a two-and-a-half-mile run to the gym with Jeannie to work out, to be followed by a two-and-a-half-mile run home, all as part of their self-training for an upcoming marathon. As I myself was headed home to eat pizza, I admired this dedication, which seems to be a part of everything in his life that Barlow talks about.
When his students and players ask him why he cares so much, Barlow tells them he knows he'll be old someday, and he wants to make sure he has done a good job of helping raise the people who will be running things when he no longer can. With the framework he seems to be building, he ought to be in good hands.
posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 04/26/06 at 01:33 PM. [printer version] Share |
COMMENTS
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May 23, 2012 | 01:37 PMBryant Signs Voter ID Bill
golden eagle: Wow, my English was bad on the previous post. You know how it is on these iPhones.
May 23, 2012 | 12:30 PM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
golden eagle: @Jess, I think the word you're looking for is "assassination". @Darryl, do we really know that the majority of MS'ians wanted this, when you consider that this was a ...
May 23, 2012 | 12:18 PM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
DonnaLadd: I can only hope that the reason that this bill passed is that, for once, our lawmakers listened to the majority of Mississippians and crafted this bill. Considering that the ...
May 23, 2012 | 11:57 AM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
justjess: @Darryl 5/23 "....for once, our lawmakers listened to the majority of Mississippians and crafted this bill." My question is still on the table: What were you "majority ...
May 23, 2012 | 05:26 AM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
Darryl: justjess, I can only hope that the reason that this bill passed is that, for once, our lawmakers listened to the majority of Mississippians and crafted this bill. But, recall, that ...
May 22, 2012 | 04:26 PM
One Night at Fenian's
DonnaLadd: ... because if there is anything The Clarion-Ledger can muster the resources to do, it's show up any night of the week and take drunk pictures. Meantime, they crib our sports stories. ...
May 22, 2012 | 03:53 PM
One Night at Fenian's
Rico: Next time just call Metro Mix at the C-L and have them come and take some pretty pictures for the newspaper. Hell, the got some on karaoke night Monday.
May 22, 2012 | 02:07 PM
[Editorial] To Do Its Job, Council Must Show Up
RobbieR: And Chokwe wants to run for Mayor? Hopefully the citizens of Jackson don't fall for this clown's rhetoric.
May 22, 2012 | 01:15 PM
Catholics Sue Over Birth Control Rule
Brian C Johnson: I cannot decide whether this is a vanity lawsuit, in the sense that the bishops know they stand little chance of prevailing in court. Or to put it more charitably, ...
May 22, 2012 | 01:00 PM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
Brian C Johnson: Darryl, I think it is simply a statement of fact that African Americans in Mississippi are less likely to have the required photo ID. If so, the new law is discriminatory in ...
May 22, 2012 | 11:25 AM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
Duan C.: I am in agreement with Golden Eagle - requiring I.D. ties a fee into voting, the only reason why its considered "discriminatory" towards black, is because it places back into an era ...
May 22, 2012 | 10:22 AM
Person of the Day: Rep. Andy Gipson
RobbieR: What? I was clearly referring to Bennie Thompson, not Rep. Gipson. Rep. Bennie Thomson represents Mississippi's 2nd Congressional district; Darryl noted that he rep'd the ...
May 22, 2012 | 09:59 AM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
justjess: Darryl, out of my "simple ignorance" I ask you this "little question:" Why are registered voters here in the State of Mississippi being asked to produce a picture ID? When the State ...
May 22, 2012 | 08:49 AM
Person of the Day: Rep. Andy Gipson
Duan C.: @ Robbie R - you lost me on that one? They have him listed in the 77th District - covering Rankin, Simpson, and Smith counties?
May 22, 2012 | 08:47 AM
Bryant Signs Voter ID Bill
bill_jackson: I would be interested to know what percentage of the voting age population does not have identification in this day and age.
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