news-record.com

Northeast High School could soon have a new name for its gym — the John Primm Gymnasium, in honor of the school’s longtime athletic director.

“I think it’s a wonderful idea,” Principal Anitra Walker said. “He’s very deserving.”

The Guilford County Board of Education voted Aug. 27 to post the proposed name on the Guilford County Schools Web site — www.gcsnc.com — for a 30-day public comment period.

Primm worked for the school district for 37 years, 20 as the Rams’ athletic director.

When he retired as AD in January, he told the News & Record that the job included “everything from putting the letters on the marquee outside to making sure there’s toilet paper in the stadium bathroom.”
Primm was a teacher, coach and athletic director at Northeast Middle and High schools.

“We have come full circle with John, from being ... his students to working beside him in the school system to having our own children being under his care and guidance,” wrote Rick Apple and Gary Swing in their nomination.

Apple was Northeast High Booster Club president from 2004 to 2009, and Swing was president from1999 to 2003.

On his resume, Primm lists his teaching motto: “Unless you have taught a person to be a first-class thinking machine, whatever else you have done, you had not educated that person.”

During his 20 years teaching Advanced Placement American history and AP European history at Northeast High, Primm’s students consistently passed the national AP exams, scoring a three or better. His students have won state and national awards in the National History Day competition.

As a coach, his teams have been to the conference championships and state playoffs. He has been honored as conference coach of the year and for the past four years he served as commissioner of the 3A Athletic Conference.

“I can’t think of a better way to honor such a man as to name a gymnasium he worked so hard to obtain for our community after him,” Apple and Swing wrote.

— Staff report