My first teaching job was in the coal mines in
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. I was so young. The truth be told I didn’t really
know what I was doing. I was so grateful to have a job after college, and I
went after this one with great gusto.
I finished my degree in Scranton, Pennsylvania and we were
living in a small house on the side of a hill in Clarks Summit. It was a great
little town. When the boys were young, I put the twins in a stroller and Abe in
a back pack and we went down the hill to town every day. We bought cookies from
the bakery, exchanged our books at the library, bought stamps at the post
office, and sometimes did a little grocery shopping…although not much as there
was no place to put the groceries. One day as we were walking one of the shop
keepers came out the door and whisked us all inside just as a big black bear
lumbered down the middle of the street!
When we moved to Indiana to live off the land, I didn’t
teach for a couple of years. And, then one day, it just fell into my lap. I was
actually calling Ginny Sparks about selling my green beans. That was the year I
was picking them by the garbage bags and I just couldn’t can any more of them.
Ginny said, “Too bad you aren’t a teacher, you would make more money and we
need teachers at Hamilton Community Schools.” I told her I was a teacher and
she gave me the name of Steven Kesslar and his phone number at the school. I
called. We set up an interview. Did I want this job? Well, probably not and
besides we had no running water at the time. I took a “shower” in the pond in
early May, put on my Goodwill skirt and blouse and headed over to Hamilton.
Do I daresay it was magic the moment I walked in? Do I
daresay it was magical for 30 years? It was magical to work for a principal who
would always give approval before the ideas were out of my head! As I think
back on those days (30 years’ worth of days), I am in awe of them. I always,
and let me repeat that, I always loved going to school. And there were some
trying times in my life. The school embraced me…well, the school embraced
everyone. Am I making a plea for the life of the Hamilton Schools? Well, of
course I am. It is the heartbeat of that community. I saw it firsthand every
single day. There must be a school in Hamilton for the children and for the
parents. There must be a school for the community, even if the community does not
always realize this. Anyway, another related topic.
Hamilton Community Schools, MSD, Prairie Heights, and
Fremont are all public schools with teachers who give from their hearts and
their pocket books. (I know that to be true in every way.) Somewhere along the
line, we, in Indiana, have missed the opportunities to fully support these public
schools. I know I grew up with public school…my kids…my students…my family. Oh,
if only I could publish list after list of college graduates and their accomplishments.
I love Indiana public teachers and the work they do. I have
also seen the decline in teaching staff. I have watched good friends and great
teachers leave the field. We should have the cream of the crop in there with
our kids…our grandkids. Don’t you agree?
There are ways to help and one is coming up this week. On
Wednesday, from 4-6 on the Courthouse lawn in Angola, teachers are hosting a
“Grade-In.” This is a peaceful event with teachers bringing chairs and papers
to grade to bring awareness to Indiana’s teacher salaries, excessive testing
and other issues. Guess what? We can all go and show our support for our
favorite teachers and schools. I know I will be there. I am so proud of my
friend, Scott Hottell from Angola Middle School, for putting this together.
All of my grandchildren go to public schools in Angola and
in Charleston. I want so much for them, and I want their teachers to be
appreciated.
Our teachers need us. They have worked miracles with our
children. Now it is our turn to stand up for them. We can help make a
difference!!
See you Wednesday!
*First published at KPC.
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