All her life, Georgia Beasley could boast that compassion always came naturally to her. And she still says it does after 100 years.

Beasley, a retired school teacher, pianist, singer and community volunteer, celebrated her 100th birthday last month.

About 100 friends, students and relatives joined her at the Marjorie P. Lee Retirement Community, Hyde Park on Sept. 13 to help her celebrate.

Julie Smith from the Cincinnati Opera sang "Happy Birthday." Former student Arthur Herndon, director of music at Calvary Methodist Church, Evanston, sang "Without A Song."

"That is my favorite song," Beasley said.

With her mother's strong support, Beasley said she was able to decide on the career she wanted at age 12.

"I knew I wanted to be a teacher," she said. But she also started playing the piano at age 13 and was taught by musician Clinton Gibbs.

She said Gibbs taught her about composers, singers, and artists, opera and symphony.

Along with the piano lessons came voice lessons from such notables of that day as Dick Fluke, Ruth Best and Louis John Johnen.

As she sat calmly in the library at the retirement community, Beasley briefly reflected on a career that spanned 41 years as a art teacher.

"Teaching has meant a lot to me. It gave me something special to see a child learn and see the child practice that learning right in the classroom," she said.

Some Good News

James O. Tibbs' classes had no graduates, he said.

"But you will learn some history about the Bible," he said.

Tibbs, 79, will be honored today for teaching the St. John's Congregational Church Adult Bible Class as the class celebrates its 50th anniversary. Tibbs has taught the class in the small church in West Covington since it was started in 1953.

"We started with 10 students. Right now we have about 12 students." At first he taught the history of the Bible, but for 45 years he has taught by having discussions. "Everybody gets a chance to say something in my class. But you never graduate," he said.

Along with his Sunday-school teaching, Tibbs carries on what he calls a Ball Point Ministry. He has written more than 42,000 notes, cards and letters to St. John's members, friends and associates.

The celebration takes place during worship service at 10:15 a.m. A luncheon will follow.

Golden Galaxy nominees

The winners of the annual Golden Galaxy Awards will be announced Oct. 22. Students are nominated in one of 11 categories based on their talents, and how they use them in their communities. Good Things Happening is profiling each of the 55 nominees.

Name: Ayla Golnessa Rapoport

Age: 18

School: Sycamore High School

Community: Montgomery

Category: Art

Parents: Robert and Haley Rapoport

Ayla is president of the Sycamore Art Club, which is working on a classroom mural and an art show to raise money for measles vaccinations in Africa.

Name: Ashley Trotter

Age: 17

School: Walnut Hills High School

Community: Evanston

Category: Art

Parents: Kendall and Anita Trotter

Ashley does illustrations for the school newspaper, and participated in the Bats Incredible project.

Name: Danny Mou

Age: 17

School: Seven Hills High School

Community: Westwood

Category: Foreign language

Parents: John and Sophia Mou

Danny is a National Merit Scholar. He tutors with Su Casa and has organized food and baby supplies drives.