Blessed my heart...

Warning.. this is going to be a long post involving correspondence back and forth between myself and an older lady who use to attend school in the town where I teach now. Wooster had a school a LONG time ago but it was consolidated and this year our school district built an elementary school in their town. The community is so excited about this and has been so involved. We're having a "History Day" and were trying gather information about the old Wooster school. A lady wrote in about her memories and I was moved I just had to write her back. I'm pasting it all here for others to be moved by her but also so I'll have it as a keepsake. Soooo.. it's long but rich with wisdom!

Letter from Mrs. Rice:
I wanted to respond to your request in providing trivia about Wooster Elementary School in the "olden days". I still enjoy some very pleasant memories from the 1940's when my "educational career" began. Our first grade teacher was, I guess the politically correct description now is "height impaired", but we referred to her as a midget. The little first graders were taller than she and when we misbehaved she would draw a circle high upon the black board, and we would have to tippy toe and put our nose in that ring until she told us we could step down. I remember how astonished I was when she discovered a student cheating on her paper, and put a placard around her neck reading "Copy Cat" and instructed that poor child to walk through the school in front of her peers, even upon the stage. Can you imagine the law suit that action by a teacher would encourage in this day and age!

I believe we were fortunate to attend that little school. We were taught so much more than academics. My history teacher, Mr. Glover, convinced us it was easier to say "red apple" than a dirty word that could be offensive. We marched like little ladies and gentlemen to the cafeteria, where Mr. Hankins asked us to bow our heads, while he said grace, before we began eating. We sat on the front steps of Mr. and Mrs. Glover's home next door to the school building, played jacks, and ate green apples that grew from the trees in the yard. I remember it was called upon us to take a pail and walk around the campus and clean the litter. I recall one day when we were thrilled to be driving to Conway to see a movie for an "educational field trip" and just as we got near town, Mr. Hankins would stand in the front of the bus and caution us to be quiet as we were near the "junction". Another time Mr. Glover was taking us to see a movie and when we reached the "junction" he stopped to call the theater (remember, we had no phones in Wooster) and came back to the bus to inform us that we would have to return to the school as the movie that was playing was not age appropriate. I will never forget the name of the movie..."Lady of Burlesque". Why, we didn't even know what burlesque meant, so we were not very happy.

The best time of my entire life was when we presented a little three act play, "No Bride for the Groom" and I had the part of the elderly bride. How much fun we had when we practiced for that little play.

So many wonderful memories. We survived without a school nurse, without a guidance counselor, without telephones, without indoor toilet facilities, (Hard to believe!!!) etc. but certainly not without our values being re-enforced by those who dedicated their lives to "someone else's children". I do wish in loco parentis would become the philosophy of education again.

Good Luck Wooster Elementary School. You are so privileged to have such a beautiful, new school. Take good care of it and yourselves.

(Mrs.) Hope McKay Rice

My response to Mrs. Rice
Ms. Rice,
I read your letter about your time at Wooster elementary and it literally brought tears to my eyes. Oh how I wish we had those days back again! I teach Special Education at Wooster. I really enjoy it but sometimes find myself so discouraged because there is such little time to teach character. Not only is there little time, but so often parents are offended if you correct their children and try to teach them how to behave. I would've loved to have been a fly on the wall back in the 40's to witness what it must have been like for you guys.
Thank you so much for sharing!
God Bless!
Jenny
Ms. Wallace,

Her Reply:
I appreciate your response to my trip down memory lane at Wooster Elem./Jr. High school way back when! I understand exactly why conscientious public school teachers must be so frustrated now. I retired from a public school (high school secretary position) in our large suburban high school after working there 27 years and I saw and heard what is happening in our schools, and I was so disheartened. From the administrative point of view it seems to have gone from a human institution to a business and our kids are the tools of the trade. Too many problems go unaddressed for fear of politically tarnishing the image of the schools and also repercussions from irate parents. Instead of parents' gratitude to know that their child needs attention to some immature problem, they threaten law-suits for "embarrassing the family". The need for prestige and privacy and the need to project a "good image" seems to have replaced the integrity of our classrooms. It is very sad, as our kids are the ones who are missing out, and it is almost impossible for parents alone to counteract all the negative influences of our present culture.
Thanks again for validating my concerns. "I most often feel like a voice in the wilderness."
Hope

Ms. Rice,
You sound like an amazing lady. I wish I had the opportunity of knowing you! We've been dealing with an angry parent this morning over the most ridiculous situation. Although it's so easy to throw in the towel, God has given me an unwavering burden to reach as many as I can. Every moment I have, I try to teach respect and responsibility. I am a young mother of 3 and am so saddened by the state of society. There's not a day that goes by that I do not pray that God will help me and my husband raise our children to honor Him. Thank you so much for your wise words. Would you mind if I shared your words with others for encouragement?
Thank you again!
Jenny Wallace

Ms. Wallace,
You have lifted my spirits much more than you know. You certainly sound like a teacher/mentor any parent should be proud to have for their child. I remember hearing the President of NEA say a long time ago, "do not go into teaching if you cannot love other people's children". How can you look the other way, deny a problem or cover up a problem, if you truly love that child? We have reached the stage in our culture when we need to work harder to protect our children, than protect the problems.
Please share my thoughts. I have no problem with my convictions.
Hope McKay Rice