Of all the vocations, mine included, is there any more vital to the welfare of our country than teaching? Okay, so I’m married to one, but we’re both retired and still dwell upon our careers.
Education is the cornerstone of our society, the enhancement of our youth, the way of the future. And who plants the seed better than the educators of our community? Sometimes an unsung breed – but always there to ring that bell of knowledge.
I never complimented my instructors in school; maybe criticized them from time to time, but never applauded their work – until later when it mattered. I’m afraid I’m not alone. A show of hands please, to all those who have taken their teachers for granted. Hmm…I thought so.
It’s been 57 years since I graduated from high school. I doubt if any of mine are still alive. The last teacher I encountered was at an earlier reunion. There was Mrs. Banks in all her splendor; well-worn by time, but still quite structured in her ways.
I asked her to sign my program and out came her pen with the green ink. That was her trademark. Everything green – report cards, notes to home, comments on papers.
We called her “The Green Hornet.” Her tea was green, she wore an emerald ring, and often appeared in a green dress. One day she divulged why green was her favorite color.
“When the traffic light turns green, what happens?” she asked.
“You move ahead?”
“Precisely,” she added. “That’s what I ask of my students. “Move ahead. Don’t get stuck in traffic.”
One of my favorite beats at the newspaper was covering our schools and watching the teachers in action. It takes a special breed. Unless you were involved, you might not know what I mean.
Teachers are surrogate parents, confidants, friends in need, and counselors. They are the torchbearers of wisdom, we know, but represent the pulse of our community. Without them, our schoolhouses would be empty.
At the risk of digging myself into a ditch, let me name a few who were near and dear to me throughout the decades. Josephine Delva taught school in my city for 55 years and was still giving instruction right up until the day she died at 103.
On her 100th birthday, she criticized a story I had written because it dealt with politics. She thought an article about the National Honor Society would have been more appropriate for our city.
She was correct.
That day, inside the nursing home, many of her former students showed up and she remembered most of their names. One visit was paid by Dr. David Reines, a Virginia-based cardiologist, who gave his former teacher much credit for guiding his scholastic endeavors.
“I saved another heart yesterday, but really, it was you who saved another heart today,” he said, taking her hand.
When asked about the secret to her longevity, Josephine had a ready-made answer. “Always be happy,” she shot back. “It’s not too difficult to be happy.”
Marion Charlesworth was cut from the same cloth. Her tenure stretched over six decades in my city. While still in her eighties, she hooked on as a substitute wherever they needed her, sometimes permanently. No car for this woman; she either walked or grabbed a school bus.
“What is it about schoolteachers that make them tick?” I asked her one day.
Marion had a ton of patience and an unbridled sense of humor. Bad as it could be at times with a classroom of desperadoes, she usually kept her poise.
“Could it be because we have a lot of class?” she smiled. No pun intended.
My aunt Alice taught high school English in Arlington for 50 years. She was the quintessential Mrs. Chips of her time, greeting students as they walked through the door each September. Her reputation for toughness preceded her.
But her pupils learned. Many of them took their knowledge to bigger places in the outside world, often returning to her classroom to show their appreciation.
To this very day when her name is mentioned to a graduate, it hits home. “Didn’t she teach English at Arlington High?”
“The one and only.”
On her tombstone, you will read this epitaph: “My class is not in session today, but never stop learning.”
Being married to one for 50 years has certainly been a complement. In many ways, it has served us well. We were at a nightclub one evening for a show and the seats were all sold out. The host happened to recognize my wife as his former teacher. “Give me a minute!” he said.
There happened to be room for two more patrons, right by the stage.
Tom Vartabedian
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Amen, Tom…..Thanks for your salute to teachers…..much appreciated, I’m sure, by all!
Wish all your former teachers could see this great pat on the back….they would beam with pride!
Bravo! Teachers are our unsung heroes. I did not realize this until my children were in elementary school. I witnessed then the many hats teachers’ do wear. Your article has inspired me to contact my teachers and express my appreciation for all. Thank you. I am presently a substitute teacher. Working with students is priceless and inspiring!