Dorothy Smalls Taylor

1919 - 2020

Dorothy Smalls Taylor
January 2, 1919 - October 6, 2020
Georgetown, South Carolina - Dorothy Albertha Mayhams Smalls Taylor was born on January 2, 1919 to Norridge Cain Mayhams and Julia Lavinia Bryant Mayhams and reared on the family homestead at 409 Orange Street, Georgetown, SC. She lived on this property until December 2019 when she moved to Morningside of Georgetown. She died at Morningside on October 6, 2020.
Dorothy started first grade at the Howard School housed in the Church of God located at 422 King Street under the leadership of principal Joseph B. Beck. She remembered Arlene Alston, her first-grade teacher, as the nicest teacher that she ever had. She graduated high school in 1936 as third honor student. She attended SC State College receiving a Bachelor of Arts majoring in English with a minor in Social Studies. She also received a Master of Arts in Elementary Education from South Carolina State College and pursued further study at the University of Chicago.
Mrs. Taylor was a second-grade teacher at Howard School and J. B. Beck Elementary and a seventh-grade teacher at J. B. Beck Junior High School. She recalled that at Howard School each teacher had to present a program for the entire school on Friday morning with music and recitations performed by the students. She was the first African American to teach an advanced English class at J. B. Beck Junior High School. Dorothy retired in 1979 after 35 years of teaching.
She was involved in volunteer work in her community, state and on the national level. She served as Secretary of the Georgetown County Teachers Association, Representative to the National Education Association (NEA), and Volunteer Tutor of Children and Adults at Bethesda Baptist Church and in her home. Dorothy also taught Head Start students how to read, write, and speak correctly. She was a Docent at the Georgetown Rice Museum. Dorothy was featured as one of five (5) African American women and five (5) Caucasian women taped for a documentary, "The Women of Georgetown County", about their experiences growing up and living in Georgetown County. This documentary was made possible by the South Carolina Humanities Council.
Mrs. Taylor's parents were lifelong members of the Church of God headquartered in Anderson, IN. She was brought up, with three brothers all deceased Norridge, Joseph, and John Mayhams; two sisters both deceased Sara Blackman and Miriam Mayhams; and two cousins James Arthur Carolina (deceased) and Rosa Lee Franklin,in a Christian home with strict religious tenets. Her father sold books and newspapers instilling a lifelong love for reading and learning. Her mother was a lover of music and sent her three daughters to study music with Mrs. Bertha Sawyer and Mrs. Wilhelmina Daniels. During, high school she took a more active role in the Church of God teaching Sunday School. As an adult she played the piano and organ for Sunday School and Sunday Services and directed the Easter and Christmas programs. When she was 100,Dorothy continued to serve God and her Church by teaching an Adult Sunday School class and serving as pianist and organist for Sunday School and Sunday Services at her beloved First Church of God in Georgetown.
Dorothy married the late Louis Bryan Smalls, a childhood friend and fellow church member, who is the father of her three daughters, Eleanor Julia Scavella (deceased), Carla Joyce Smalls, and Lois Dorothea Smalls-Fletcher. Her five grandchildren are Kristen Marie Clark, Dr. Erica Scavella Hill (Dr. Darryl Hill), Henry Kershaw George, Jr., Louis Lavelle Fletcher, Jr, Colin Mayhams Fletcher, and Joshua Bryan Fletcher. She also has two great grandsons Darryl Justus Hill and Jordan Grant Hill; and a special niece Ellen Veronica Akins. She was also married to the late Wilbur T. Taylor.
The family is grateful to Kathy Dozier, caretaker, Carter Owens, hospice nurse and the staff of Morningside of Georgetown for their loving care of Mrs. Taylor.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First Church of God, 422 King Street, Georgetown, South Carolina 29440 in her honor.
Because of the Coronavirus, the family will have a private burial service at the First Church of God Cemetery, Georgetown, SC and will not receive visitors at the family home. Cards may be sent to the family at 409 Orange Street, Georgetown, SC 29440. Wilds Funeral Home, 130 N. Merriman Rd. Georgetown, SC 29440 is assisting the family and online memories and condolences may be sent to the family at Wildsfh.com.