The Tarkington Student Foundation honored Barbara C. Toler with the 2025 Commitment to Education: TISD Employee Award. The award is presented annually to a former or current employee who has made significant contributions to the education of Tarkington students.
Barbara Cox grew up in the rice fields near Beaumont, where her parents worked at the Texas A&M Rice Extension Center, learning early the value of hard work and perseverance. She moved to Dayton at the beginning of her sophomore year of high school and graduated from Dayton High School in 1962. There she met the love of her life and future husband, Glendon “Bubba” Toler Jr. They married in 1964 and had three children — Kristen, Kimber and Daniel.
In May 1966, Barbara received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in secretarial science from Lamar State College of Technology. She later took advanced business courses to enhance her education in hopes of one day completing a master’s degree but decided that her roles as a wife and mother should be her focus while using her undergraduate degree as an educator.
Barbara taught for 19 years in only two school districts — Tarkington for 10 years and Cleveland for nine years. She first taught at Tarkington from August 1966 through January 1967. She recalls a phone conversation with Principal A.L. Nelson, who exclaimed, “We need you!” Barbara fondly remembers teaching seventh- and eighth-grade English and Typing I and II — both typing classes taught in the same room at the same time. Later in Cleveland, she taught Typing I and II, Shorthand, Accounting and other courses related to office procedures.
Barbara returned to Tarkington in 1981 and taught accounting and shorthand to seniors for almost six years. She recalls following in the footsteps of a legendary business teacher and, through some trials and tribulations with students who missed her predecessor, finding the most fulfilling work experience of her life. Barbara especially enjoyed her time as senior class sponsor, watching with encouragement as seniors matured throughout the year to overcome “senioritis” and receive their high school diplomas.
Barbara is proud that two of her children graduated from Tarkington — Kristen Toler (Brosey), Class of 1985, and Kimber Toler (Hinch), Class of 1989. A granddaughter, Hailey Brosey (Hall), graduated in 2019, and a grandson, Glendon Dawkins Toler III, son of Daniel Toler, is a freshman at Tarkington High School.
When asked what Tarkington means to her, Barbara said, “From the first day of my first time until the last day of my second time working at Tarkington High School through today, I’ve loved Tarkington. One could not help but love the kids, the school, the people in the community and the whole environment radiating with pride. Thinking about Tarkington always brings me joy and a smile to my face because I realize how fortunate I have been to make so many wonderful memories there with my own family and my extended family of friends, students and their families. I used to tell people, ‘I would do this for free if I needed to,’ because that is how much Tarkington and its students meant to me.”
The Commitment to Education Award was presented to Barbara at the 2025 Tarkington Round-Up on Saturday, Oct. 4, at noon at Tarkington Middle School. Barbara was joined at the award presentation by numerous family members and friends.