Scholarship is a family affair

The Sue J. Jones, Jean J. Degges & Henry J. Jones Scholarship is truly a family affair. Years ago, members of the Jones family received help to attend Hinds Junior College. Now the current generation is helping to pay it forward.

Henry J. Jones originally started the scholarship in memory of two of his sisters who were Hinds Junior College graduates, Sue J. Jones in 1935 and Jean J. Degges in 1939.

In 2021, Henry J. Jones’ nephew, retired Clinton dentist Dr. Len Jones, spearheaded adding Henry J. Jones’ name to the scholarship. Henry J. Jones, now 101, attended Hinds in 1940-1941 before moving on to Kentucky to finish an accounting degree. He now lives in Florence, Ala.

“All three of them have ties to Hinds. We felt very supportive of the college and wanted to make sure education would continue to be passed on,” said Dr. Len Jones, whose mother was Sue J. Jones.

Henry J. Jones said he and several of his seven brothers and sisters inherited some money that allowed three of them to attend college in the 1930s and 1940s. He also worked in the Hinds cafeteria, serving at tables, to make ends meet.

“Hinds Junior College was a good school for my sisters, it was good for me and I’ve heard compliments of it down through the years. I’m proud of the school. We are aware of how fortunate we were going to Hinds Junior College. We have a close-knit family, and so we decided to set up the scholarship,” he said.

He has many fond memories of Hinds, including playing tennis with the late Director of Vo-Tech Walter Gibbes, for whom a building is now named on the Raymond Campus.

Henry J. Jones and his siblings grew up mostly in the Amite County area. Family members spanning four generations are now scattered throughout Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida and Alabama. Despite the distance among them, family members still honor his wish to add money to the scholarship fund each year.

His daughter, Jan “Cookie” Shultz, said the help the three siblings received as well as their capitalizing on the opportunity to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees has been inspirational to the rest of the family.

“Education has just been an important part of the Jones family. That initiated us wanting to do something to help others too and just pass the favor on, and hopefully they will do the same,” she said. “We’re really proud of what y’all at Hinds are doing. It’s an honor to help a student move forward.”

Shultz said the legacy of her dad and his seven siblings, who are now deceased, has been to stay connected through large, frequent family reunions. “It’s a most unusual family, and they looked out for each other. They really modeled getting together for my generation. We all know each other, and we all do still keep in touch,” she said.

The Jones family also connects through family projects, including the Hinds scholarship. “It’s a fun thing to do, and it pulls everybody together. Hopefully we can help somebody, too, which is icing on the cake,” Shultz said.

Her dad said it’s important to him that current students are helped instead of investing the money to help future students. The family also wants to help students who really need the help and will use it well.

“We want someone who will finish your program and do something with their lives. We want to help somebody do that,” Shultz said.

Sisters, Sue J. Jones and Jean J. Degges