Day 37: How many of your teachers can you remember from pre-school to high school? Try to make a list. Skip over the ones you can't remember... it might come back to you. Jot down anything else that comes to mind: school name, principal, PE teacher, librarian, bus driver, advisors, etc.
Wow, this is a stroll down memory lane. A long one...
Pre-School
I attended Pre-School next door to my grandmother's house. It was taught by a woman name Tubby Toombs. She was a retired teacher that, obviously, taught preschool out of her house. It was awesome. I remember the smell of the black permanent ink markers. I loved doing projects with them. (No, I didn't become a "huffer" at an early age, I just distinctly liked the smell. Jack-holes!) One bonus of attending PS at Tubby's house was that it also included swimming lessons. BONUS! Well, that and it was next door to my Mawmaw's house which was probably my favorite place to be. I also recall doing projects with glow-in-the-dark crayons and black lights. So cool.... and the hermit crabs. One pinched me on the thumb. That will teach me to pick them up, huh? I learned to read, write, swim, spell, sing... you name it... before I ever stepped foot in a real school.
Elementary
Kindergarten
My first elementary school was at M.C. Lively Elementary. I always thought that was SO neat to go there specifically because it was where my father had attended. My Kindergarten teacher was Mrs. Stevenson (or Stephenson). I'm not certain of the spelling. I remember she was SO TALL (to me). In retrospect, I suppose all adults are tall to 5 year-olds. I remember we had carpet squares where we would all sit during circle time and one day a little boy had an "accident" on his. I felt badly for him and after he changed into extra clothes she kept in a supply closet, I let him have my square so he had a place to sit and I just sat on the rug. I loved playing in the centers. Each group of kids were assigned a color and shape and those were on large squares of laminated construction paper. Those would be clipped up to each of the centers so you had to look and see exactly where you were "assigned" for that time period. I loved those times...and I LOVED learning all The Letter People (pictured)! Those were SO MUCH FUN to me. Each letter was Ms. "Something" or Mr. "Something" and we did all kinds of activities that correlated to each one. That was probably what began my true love affair with words and letters. In thinking about attending school at MC Lively, I'm not sure why I went to school there since we weren't in that school district. It was, however, close to my grandmother's house and I stayed with her before and after school each day. She always met me at the corner and we would walk to her house together (unless it was raining or something).
First Grade
I attended half of first grade at MC Lively as well in Mrs. Manning's class. I don't remember much of her... I do think she had short brown hair. I think my sister had had her for a teacher as well when she was in first grade. I could be wrong.
Eventually I transferred over to a fancy new school when we moved from Cunningham in (somewhat) North Irving to Woodoak in South Irving. John F. Townley Elementary was FAAAANNNNCY! Mrs. Margaret Young was the principal. She wore lots of polyester shirts that tied around the neck in a bow and had an infectious laugh. I also remember Mrs. Vanderbilt in the office (or something that started with a V). She was so pretty to me. Fluffy blonde hair that was always immaculately styled. This new school was, in a word, AMAZING! They had an actual aviary inside with dove. Their coos were so peaceful to hear as you walked down the halls. My best friend growing up, Shane Echols, cared for them. He lived across the street. Anyway, for the day, this school was state-of-the-art! The classrooms had these convex bubbles that were the windows for the passers-by in the hall to see in. The colors were so fresh and vibrant. There was even a ceiling to floor waterfall with a little bridge. The library was an open concept floor-plan and was probably one of my favorite places to be. Mrs. Cargill was our librarian and, although I thought she talked kind of funny and was as skinny as they come, she was so excited about books. That got ME excited about books, too! I remember when we had author, Marc Brown come to our school. I was just beside myself and probably dominated his time with questions about writing and illustrations....
My first grade teacher was Mrs. Adams. However, I didn't get to meet her until several weeks later because the day I happened to start school, she went into labor. I was sitting in her class... while the entire class went WILD since there was no teacher. I didn't know anyone other than David Stambaugh (from church and our parents worked together at Irving Police Department). The class was acting just like you'd imagine they would in a movie if the teacher was gone. The back corners of the classroom had what they called a "reading pit" with three steps that went down to a lower area that had one raised "seat" for the teacher in the corner. Kyle Barbour was running down the pit, hopping up on the teacher seat and then jumping off and running back up the stairs and spinning on his stomach on the tables at the back. He wasn't the only one. There were many. I remember that day -- my first day there -- the principal walking into the classroom with her paddle, grabbing about 13 students, taking them to the back workroom that adjoined the classrooms and you could just hear "WHACK WHACK WHACK". You'd then see a crying child grabbing their backside and walking back to their seats to sit quietly. THAT was my first day at school. I was SCARED SHITLESS! THEY BEAT PEOPLE HERE!
Second Grade
Second grade was Mrs. Jo Carol Adamson. She was about 4'10' and had a vast collection of polyester pantsuits in all kinds of pastel colors. She always wore heels. Her mother, "Dot," was my nurse at our family doctor, Dr. Powell. She was feisty! This is the year that I was exposed to chicken pox and missed all of the Christmas parties and fun December "stuff" you do in elementary school. My entire Christmas break was spent at my grandmother's taking Aveeno oatmeal baths and sleeping. Chicken pox sucked.
Third Grade
Third grade was Mrs. Gallagher. I was told that she was one of the MEANEST teachers at the school. She was a former Drill Sgt. in the military. Frankly, I adored her. I remember at one particular school gathering she was recognized for some significant moment in her military career... and she broke down crying. She was the first true patriotic person I can recall meeting (other than my grandfathers).
Fourth Grade
This was my favorite year of school -- anywhere -- ever! Mrs. Carol Schober was my teacher. She has beautiful porcelain skin, dark hair and bright lipstick. She loved apples. I loved her handwriting. I loved her disposition. I loved her black velvet jacket and red shirt that she'd wear to class. She had a hamster, too. Smokey. He bit me once. I'm seeing a pattern here with classroom pets and being a snack. She would read to us and while many kids would fall asleep, I would get lost in the words. We memorized Shel Silverstein poems in her classroom. I can recite many of them today.... Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me, Too.... We read "Where The Red Fern Grows." This was just my most favorite year... my most favorite teacher... I was more sad that this school year came to an end than any other. What is quite awesome, however, is that we have found one another again through Facebook and have become friends. She's still just as amazing as ever!
Fifth Grade
Again, I received "the meanest" teacher in school -- Mrs. Morris. Again, kids truly don't know the quality of a teacher. She was amazing. Shane Echols and I were in her class together. We were always in trouble. If we weren't talking, we were putting glue on our hands and letting it dry so that we could peel it off. I'm not sure many days went by without my name on the board (for talking). Can you imagine? Gasp! This is the year I was able to be on the Safety Patrol. What a big deal that was.
Sixth Grade - Eighth Grade
Lamar Junior High School, Irving, Texas Unfortunately, I'm really drawing a blank here.
Sixth grade -- Mr. Tyrone was a science teacher. Gene Penrod who used to be my best friend (until about a year ago) and I were introduced in this class. They wanted me to dissect a baby pig and I refused... and sat in the hallway...and cried.
I remember having a math class and Joshua Price would sit behind me right after PE and he always smelled like B.O. I hated that.
Mrs. Petty was my reading teacher. I always thought she talked kind of like she was clenching her back teeth together. This was one of the only classes I ever almost failed. I still have no idea why.
Ms. Garner taught History. She was awesome. She taught kids HOW to take notes from which to study.
Ms. Tickle was the speech and Drama teacher. I loved her. She loved me. She smoked which made her breath and clothes stink... Oh and she had that typical "smoker's laugh." Other than that flaw, she was awesome.
Mrs. Woods was my English teacher in 6th and I LOVED the way she taught. She was probably my favorite teacher that year.
Mrs. Vickery was my 8th grade English teacher... I think. She used the word "contemplate" a lot. She had a vocabulary that I envied. I loved that. She was pregnant... wore a lot of dresses.
I kind of feel like a huge HEEL not remembering all the teachers I had... especially in knowing that we had SIX PERIODS each day for THREE DIFFERENT YEARS. You'd think I'd remember more.
I remember taking an elective about the stock market. That was one of my most interesting classes. I think, however, this class should have been geared more toward high school. My team was the one who won, however, by not losing our money. We had an amount we had to invest over the semester and then watch it grow (hopefully)... follow trends... know when to buy and sell, etc.
Ninth - Twelfth Grades
I honestly don't remember much of this era at all. I have probably blocked it all out. Chester W. Nimitz High School in Irving, Texas. Class of 1991.
Teachers....
I remember Mrs. Butts. Great personality. I have no idea what she taught. I remember she had HUGE hair (beehive) and used LOTS of Aquanet. It was quite gross.
Mr. Simpson -- Physics. Fun guy. Hated his class because he required the building of PROJECTS every 6 weeks which I never did. I am NOT "builder" savvy. Never have been. Aspire to be but never have been.
Ms. Cowen was a short black teacher with bug eyes and a big mouth and an even bigger personality. LOVED this woman! She taught Speech/Debate. David Webb stole my Oakley shades in this class.
Mrs. Jasheway -- Chemistry -- tree huggin' granola hippy chick who never shaved her pits... spent most of our class teaching with her head laying on the lab table because she had morning sickness. I quit showing up to her class because she NEVER TAUGHT. She never counted me absent or tardy.
I remember Ms. Ditucci. She was my French teacher. I thought she was ... odd... and a little too perky.
I remember Ms. Massengil... I believe she was English. I loved her. Everyone else hated her. Do you not notice a homologous tendency for me to not only like teachers everyone else hates, but also to just adore my English teachers? Hmmmmm....
Mrs. Gallemore was the Geometry and Algebra teacher. She would nod her head a lot like a bobble-head doll. It was distracting. She was also the cheerleading coach. She would use hot rollers on her hair. It was rather big.
My favorite teacher of all of high school HAD to be Mr. Coltharp. I'll give you three guesses as to the subject he taught. Of course -- you guessed it -- English. The man was BRILLIANT! He taught Shakespeare with more passion... you were IN the moment. I loved absolutely everything about his class. Senior English was da bomb!
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Those are the few that I can remember. I am almost tempted to break out the yearbooks to peruse. That would probably be considered cheating, huh?
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