About TLC

The concept for the Terry Learning Center was born over 75 years ago by a nurturing grandmother who not only cared about the education of her own children, but also for other children of her generation. On October 15, 1909 , Carrie “Mae” Terry was born to Roy and Willie Stanford in Harris County , Georgia . As a daughter of sharecroppers, she grew up determined to get an education. After graduating from the 7 th Grade, she returned to the fields to help support her family. In April of 1928, she married Willie Terry, who was also a sharecropper. In addition to her sharecropping responsibilities, Mrs. Terry also started her dream profession of affecting the youth of her time by becoming a substitute teacher. On March 12, 1929, Mrs. Terry delivered the first of 12 children. She was determined to make sure that all of her children and grandchildren had a good education in order to end the line of sharecropping in her family. Mrs. Terry fulfilled her goal of providing an education for her children, and for providing supplemental education for children around the country through her church mission work. Several of her children and grandchildren have continued her educational lineage by becoming educators or educational administrators, including her eighth child who became the superintendent of the school district where she raised her children. Click to continue