Apr 13, 2006 By Angie Oravec 4 min read

HOPWOOD – Jim Tobal sees the beauty in his community and the people he meets. Well-known in Hopwood for his friendly interaction with everyone from employees at the local restaurant to the grocery store to the barbershop, Tobal possesses an amiable personality, with his efforts to help rejuvenate Hopwood.

Tobal, 60, dedicated 36 years to teaching history in the Laurel Highlands School District, what he said was the “greatest job in the world.” He retired in 2003, was elected to serve on the school board last year and began his term by heading up the policy, public relations, curriculum and strategic planning committees in January.

Though, his true concentration for change is within the classroom.

“Better schools lead to a better community. People then have more pride,” he said.

And teachers, he noted, play a major role in influencing children and young adults. That’s why it is important that the lessons in the classroom are ones that will benefit students in life.

Learning local history, he said, is very beneficial to students because it builds pride and could lead to them not wanting, and, coupled with lessons in technology and the county job creation, not having to leave the area.

Tobal believes strongly that everybody should have the passion to do something in his or her own communities.

“I really believe you have to give back and ask what we can do to make this a better place,” said Tobal. “It’s easy to sit back and find fault and criticize, but to reach out and feel good you done something, that you can be proud of.

But, Tobal doesn’t take all the credit for his accomplishments. He said he had many very good mentors in his life, including his parents, his wife and Al Botti, former president of the Hopwood Village project and former principal at Laurel Highlands.

“He has to be one of the nicest, if not the nicest, person you could meet,” said Tobal. “He’s a true gentleman.

“It takes a village” to improve, Tobal said, quoting Botti.

Tobal remembers Hopwood before its transformation began, at a time when streets were not lighted, flower boxes did not dot the roadside and that feeling and flair of old-time charm was nonexistent.

“You go through Hopwood at night now, it’s beautiful,” Tobal remarked.

How does it happen? How does a community turn itself around to a brightly lightled decent place that many are happy to live in and be a part of?

“You have to have a vision, a dream and you have to really want something,” said Tobal. “You have to believe in what you’re doing and get other people involved.”

“Once people develop an interest in something, they want to learn more about it,” said Tobal.

He said this is how most of his efforts began.

Tobal is very happy at home, too.

Patty, his wife of 37 years, is a witness to his dedication.

She said she just got him to go on their first cruise. Why wouldn’t he go beforehand?

“I’m happy here,” he said, standing in the living room of his quaint, brick Duall Street home in Hopwood’s Bryson plan.

Tobal graduated from the former North Union High School in the Laurel Highlands School District, Class of 1963, and has a master’s degree in education from California University of Pennsylvania.

Raised in a home on Atlas Crossing Road, Tobal has been a resident of the community in which he lives for most of his life and a resident of the area for all of his life.

Tobal’s father, Pete, and mother, Sophia raised Tobal and his brother in Atlas patch located on Route 40 near the Hopwood border. His father worked in the coal mine.

“We lived a good life,” he said. “Your home life is where you learn your values.”

As a history teacher, Tobal immersed his students in the area’s local history and encouraged projects to that end.

In 1980, he organized a student-led tour of Mount St. Macrina in Uniontown that continues today during the National Road Festival. Previously, the nuns never had opened the mansion to the public.

It was such a success that the tours became part of the class’ curriculum, Tobal said. During the event’s first year, about 1,000 people toured the mansion.