Brookland-Cayce High School EDUCATOR HALL OF FAME
MR. DRUE ADDY SPIGNER Inducted 2010
Born Christmas day in 1890, Drue Addy Spigner—"Mr. Drue" to BCHS students and staff—was one of eight children born to Martin Decatur and Martha Cook Spigner in Fairfield County. Tragically, Mr. Drue's father passed away early in his childhood, forcing his mother to place all her children in the Epworth Orphanage. While Ms. Spigner took a position as cook at Epworth, Mr. Drue became the de facto head of the family as he helped raise himself and his siblings. Although not the most ideal of circumstances, Mr. Drue found sanctuary in two of his favorite pastimes: fishing and wrestling. The former stayed with him his entire life as his grandchildren remember well trekking through the woods to fish with their "Grand Daddy" at the river bank. In fact, he often squared off with professional wrestlers as they came through Columbia. Because his family needed him to work, Mr. Drue did not have the luxury of formal schooling. He did, however, attend night school at St. Luke's Lutheran Church despite working long hours at the mill during the day. Like many men of his day though, Mr. Drue's "real" education came through work itself and the experience of living the mill life in a mill town (Olympia). It was also in this mill town that he met and married his wife, Lottie Louise Derrick. Together, they produced six children, who in turn delighted the Spigners with fourteen grandchildren. Eventually, Mr. Drue transitioned from the mill life to BCHS, where he became Head of Maintenance until his retirement in 1960. In the process, he redefined the job title with his strong work ethic and attention to detail. He also endeared himself to students and staff with his warm personality and friendly demeanor. In fact, in 1954 the Maroon and Black was dedicated to Mr. Drue, wherein the senior class wrote: "We, the seniors of 1954, dedicate our annual to one of unlimited kindness, human understanding, and warm sympathy . . . because he has lived with us, our lives are richer and fuller." While at BCHS, Mr. Drue also never forgot his youthful passion for wrestling. He served as a coach for the wrestling team for many years, where he passed on the knowledge he had gained from tangling with the pros. In 1990, Mr. Drue's contributions to BCHS wrestling were formally recognized as he was inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame.

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