Opal Roderick Hall

Opal Roderick Hall Opal Roderick Hall, beloved teacher and friend, passed away Friday, September 23, 2011 at Denton Rehabilitation and Nursing Center.

Opal was born on October 31, 1917 in Post, Texas to Grady William and Eula John (Nimmo) Roderick. She attended schools in Weeth and Iowa Park prior to her graduation from Henrietta High School in 1936. Opal entered the University of North Texas soon thereafter where she received B.S. and M.S. degrees with emphases in speech, drama, and counseling. She was married to Olen Venson Hall on October 9, 1941 in Gainesville, TX, he died in 2000.

Opal began her distinguished teaching career in Little Elm where she taught in the elementary school. She later joined the Ponder I.S.D. prior to her long-term career as speech and drama teacher at Denton High School from 1944-1987.

It was at Denton High School that Opal built a speech and drama program that was one of the premier educational programs of its kind in the nation. The program began as a single drama class, but soon evolved as a comprehensive program of radio production, drama classes, plays, forensics, and debate.

The Radio Workshop Players was in existence for 7 years, and included actual radio programming at Denton's local station, KDNT. Two drama classes formed the nucleus for the annual senior plays and a number of one-act productions.

The UIL one-acts were particularly successful, often advancing past district competition to region and state meets. Winning plays, one of which featured former Miss America Phyllis George, included The Barretts of Wimpole Street—Act III, Angel Street—Act III, and the celebrated state championship winning play, Mooncalf Mugford. Denton's National Thespian Society was established in 1955 and remained an integral part of the educational program at Denton High School for many years.

The speech classes formed the nucleus for some of the most successful and competitive forensic competitors in state UIL history. Denton high School was repeatedly successful in high school debate and forensic competition which also included prose and poetry reading, dramatic interpretation, duet acting, extemporaneous speaking, cross-examination debate, and other events. The team often went to Sonora and won the sweepstakes trophy there on many occasions. Many of Denton's current day attorneys and prominent citizens were members of the squad—some were state champions. Denton High School and the University of North Texas jointly sponsored the Denton Sweepstakes Speech Tournament which for over two decades attracted hundreds of high school students from throughout the state. Opal was the Tournament Director.

Under Mrs. Hall's leadership, Denton High School established its National Forensic League chapter in 1952. Opal's crowning achievement was in 1987 when she was inducted into the National Forensic League's coach's Hall of Fame—an honor reserved for the nation's most outstanding and successful coaches. Mrs. Hall was named Speech Educator of the Year in 1984 by the Texas Speech Association.

Opal is survived by her brother, Bobby Joe Roderick of Archer City, a number of special nieces, nephews, and cousins, including Marie Carmichael Huie of Dallas. She was preceded in death by brothers and sisters, Elbert Roderick, Albert Roderick, Woodrow Roderick, A.G. Roderick, Ozella Grable, Mary Newman, Royce Roderick, B.F. Roderick, Linda Louise Fordham.

A funeral service will be held at 1:00 PM Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at the Cindy Nichols Chapel of the First Baptist Church, 1100 Malone St, Denton. Rev. Cliff Feeler will officiate the service. Interment will follow at Roselawn Memorial Park.

Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church Sunday School Class "Fidelis Matron".

The Denton Record-Chronicle, Monday, September 26, 2011