“Teachers affect eternity, one never knows where their influence stops” Henry Adams
Do you remember your primary and secondary teachers? I sat here in my chair that swivels and rocks and put myself to the challenge. This is part of what I remember. I invite you to take the poll, and yes, I’ll press publish.
I remember…
first grade
Johnson in PA
Hovell in NJ – We moved in the middle of the year
second grade
Kaloden -I don’t remember much, but yes, I do remember her name and I had a crush on Richard.
third grade
Perkins – She taught me to love reading chapter books and I developed another crush on Ken.
fourth grade
Trotter – very pretty
fifth grade
Smith – She let me create murals for the bulletin boards and she liked my silly poems.
sixth grade
Foreman – She encouraged my writing and I met my bff Peggy.
piano lessons after school on Fridays
Ellison – concert pianist from Estonia – she taught me to love music!
Macormack – greatly encouraged me to sing – wonderful man
seventh grade
Franklin – language arts – She taught us to diagram sentences and made us memorize 300 lines of poetry. I thank her for remembering “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”, “The Charge of the Light Brigade”, “The Wonderful One-hoss-shay”, “Trees” by A. Joyce Kilmer. She worked hard and I admired how she juggled family with us 7th graders never compromising her teaching.
Kirkham – modern math – She was tough and I was afraid of her…in a good way.
Talkington – Spanish – I loved the class!
I don’t remember, it was PE
Prestwood – science – She had a classic approach. We produced a college grade notebook of drawings of all the phyla of animals, class, family and she even had us catching bugs in the spring, 25 of them that were mounted and identified in two cigar boxes. And we collected 35 leaves pressed and identified in a book. I can’t help but think nowadays, that a parent note espousing some objection, would exempt a student from the rigor of these projects. Sheeesh.
Prestwood – Texas History
eighth grade – Amburg – English. She taught me never to write something I wouldn’t want read. Clearly, a woman ahead of her time anticipating the internet.
Strange – American history and our bus driver
Osbourne – Math – very good – my dad got relief as this teacher even taught algebra before I really took it.
Cosper – Art – I made a tile mosaic that mother hung in the family room for a while.
I don’t remember, it was PE again
Cruise – Science – she understood and conveyed a love for geology and marine life.
ninth grade
Crouch – Alabama history – She was from Texas. Yes, by the 9th grade I had taken 2 state histories. In her class I learned Alabama was the 14th colony!
Algebra – ? – Her reaction to my “modern math” background. “That’s the problem with modern math. You don’t learn the basics.” My reaction: “Just give me the formulas.” And learn them I did.
Spanish – Watson
English – Galloway – among the best teachers I ever had. She published my first poems.
Home Ec – Balentine, cute as her name, like a Valentine. I learned a lot about sewing and cooking. I still have her recipe for pie crust!
Choir – Bruton – she cast me in a musical.
tenth grade
? – English
Walterhouse – social studies – retired army colonel, Viet Nam vet, nice man
Binchadler – biology – modern from an ecological point of view
Williamson – Another one among the best teachers I ever had – from Spain, red headed, really taught me about Spanish and introduced me to Dalí.
Bailey – Algebra II – My dad got relief that year. She taught me a lot of math.
PE – Why can’t I remember those PE teachers’ names?
eleventh grade
Fumero – social studies
MacDonald – English – very good – The Great Gatsby, W.B. Yeats, ee cummings
Paddock – Spanish – There weren’t many of us in the class.
? – chemistry
Garrison – geometry – Excellent!!!
Pitts – French – Excellent, she loved French
twelfth grade
MacDonald – again – English – didn’t mind a bit having her again
Fumero – again – social studies
Paddock – again – Spanish – independent study
Blackwelder – French
Garrison – again – Trigonometry and College Algebra, now there was a math teacher!
swim team – Dr. Constans – now there was a coach!
Do you remember?
I don’t remember all, but some are vivid as can be. Miss Huedupohl in first grade, who sat on a tiny chair with us in the reading circle and introduced us to Dick and Jane. Miss Johnson in second grade, where we went to visit the state capitol and churned butter in Mason jars. Mrs. DeKamp was my fourth grade teacher – she read aloud to us for a half hour every day, and made her way through all of the “Little House” books.
Mr. Ratliff in 7th grade world history approved my diorama of the Parthenon. Mrs. Deutsch in 8th made us memorize poetry and taught us to diagram sentences. I hated Mrs. Brown in 10th grade biology – we just didn’t “click”, and I refused to do assignments for her! (We worked it out and I didn’t fail.)
And of course there was the most formative of all, Dr. Goeser, who shaped me forever during my master’s program – partly because he used Moby Dick to help me understand people who have “an infinite grudge against the universe”.
I’ve loved all the teaching I’ve had opportunity to do in past years. If I could start over as who I am now, I’d love to be a teacher – but when those decisions were being made, I wasn’t at all ready to take on that kind of challenge.
I’m wondering how you pronounce Miss Huedupohl and remembering how important it was to get the Miss or Mrs. right. haha Nowadays, we’re all Miss, and one student even called me Miss Georgette. I never corrected her…the students didn’t either. She had her own presence in the classroom. You do remember quite a few and dare say could go on remembering more. Thank you for highlighting the most memorable.
I loved remembering each one that I could remember and marvel at how they made me feel. To have had so many that did it right, is a marvel and I am so grateful. I guess, I had a few I didn’t care for, but the majority were very good. Do you remember which poems Mrs. Deutsch had you learn?
One of my aunts wrote her master’s thesis on Moby Dick at the University of TX – El Paso. I googled her name once, the institution and found her thesis online. Her typed pages had been scanned and there for me to read decades later. I was amazed to find it.
HUE-da-poll. She was very tall, with dark hair. And the “Miss” still is very common in some places – I think it’s more a southern and rural Texas thing. When I lived in the Victoria area, it always was “Miss Ida”, even when Ida was 90 years old and three-times married. In fact, I have a friend from Arkansas/Mississippi who calls me Miss Linda regularly. She says it shows a “respectful familiarity”.
Oh! Do I remember the poems? I surely do. Lots of Longfellow, Poe and Whitman. Frost and Sandburg. Dickinson. Langston Hughes. Decades later, “Evangeline” started me on my blogging career!
“Evangeline”! It was your reference to it in one of your posts and my remembering (not memorizing…except for “This is the forest primeval…”) that long poem in my 7th grade anthology that made me think, your blogs should appear in an anthology some day. There’s humor in your writing as you describe Miss Huedupohl. I remember learning Longfellow’s “The Wonderful One Hoss Shay”, over 100 lines long, but it helped me chip away at the 300 line requirement in one fell swoop. And to think Mrs. Franklin managed the time to listen to all those lines times x number in the class! I remain inspired by Mrs. F who carved out the time.
Wow. I thought I remembered nearly all until I saw your incredible list. And this should be etched in stone: Amburg – English. She taught me never to write something I wouldn’t want read.
WOW back at you Elyse, for even getting to Mrs. Amburg on the list. My list kept growing and I wondered “Who is going to read this?” I did something similar on fb last year…just listed the names. It took two status update boxes to get through the names, only the names.
Happy Teacher’s Week. It is also Nurses’ Week. I don’t remember a lot of my teachers, but I don’t have a lot of memories from my childhood at all. The ones I remember are all good memories, though.
Happy Nurse’s Week, Teacher-Nurse. I can tell by your writing you can relate to a broad spectrum of folks, something I always looked for in hiring back when I was a department chair. Your students are lucky to have a teacher with your knowledge, talent in other disciplines, depth of compassion, life experience, encouraging spirit and HUMOR. And no, I’m not being patronizing…it shines through.
Well, thanks, Georgette. I think to be a good nurse (as well as a good teacher) you have to learn to embrace the broad spectrum. To do anything less is a disservice to those you are supposed to be serving, but also a disservice to yourself.
I cannot tell you how many times, as a nurse, people have surprised me by revealing aspects of their life that they felt comfortable enough to share – helping me to grow and learn and appreciate each person as a unique, deserving being. That is not to say that I approve of everyone and everything that they do, but I can learn something from each human contact. I have always felt each person brings with them a gift or a lesson for us if we will only look for it. And when we judge, we lose that receptiveness that enriches us both.
You have stated this so well. I remember changing my handwriting to a more readable cursive…then it evolved to printing, as so many couldn’t read cursive. Just as we can’t judge, we need to meet folks where they are. A friend from college went into teaching, then changed careers to nursing which she practiced for 30+ years. A friend of my daughter went into nursing and just yesterday graduated from UConn in teaching. Interesting how both those stories have turned out. I’ve enjoyed the conversation, k8.
Remember all my grade school teachers names & some in high school, but no junior high & certainly not all at CBHS … thought I had a good memory until I read this! LOL You always bring back memories for me … thank you.
Did any names jog your memory? I wonder if we had any of the same ones. Maybe you can remember the PE teacher’s name. Very nice, understanding lady but I can’t remember her name. (smile)
I actually do remember many – not kinder or 1st, but Johnson in 2nd, Broom (Kull) 3rd, Ivy 4th, Ross 5th, Lunderman 6th, none in Jr. High though I remember bomb drills in Chorus & wearing John Kabboards letter sweater & feeling like the cat’s meow!! Had a really tough Algebra or Geom teacher in high school, love the typing teacher & can picture her but can’t remember her name (though I’d know it if someone told me). Doelker (Lucas), Shananberger, Price, Lunderman, Corley, Wolfe, & Arnold. Can picture some but not put names with them … can’t even remember all the courses I took, but remember teachers I didn’t have! Remember, you were in the ‘smart classes’ & well, I wasn’t! 🙂 Have always loved my teachers & thankful to them for all they taught me academically & about life … they were really a great support group for me … esp in high school. My 3rd grade teacher is why I became a teacher – adored her & still remember her perfect handwriting!! Yes, you do bring back the memories, my friend!
I remember some of those names! Thank you for posting and jogging my memory outside of my classrooms. Blueberries soon, my friend? Today was the last day of finals, grade tomorrow, post grades on Friday…next week, maybe?
Next weeks sounds good – been missing you!
Text, call or message me or I’ll get to you. Next week but one day is free.
i can’t remember names well at all. faces? yes. i loved school so had no problem w/ teachers.
Why o why can’t I remember those PE teachers’ names? I remember their faces and what they taught me. Just watch…while I’m driving or some night this week…their names will come to me. 🙂
I remember all my teachers too. The kindness of Miss Thompson in first grade (no kindergarten then) and Mrs. Threewitts (3rd grade), the harshness of Mrs. Glazebrook in 2nd grade. Mrs. Williams in 7th grade always matched her jewelry to her outfits, and that was when I really started noticing clothes and wanting to look nice. My very favorite high school teacher was Mrs. King, who taught me typing (that I still love), and shorthand. Thanks for the reminder! Have you seen this quote: “If you can read this, thank a teacher!”?
Good reminder, Dianna. “If you can read this, thank a teacher.” What would our English teachers say if they could read what we
blogwrite?I remember them if not by names by the blessings they gave into my life. I believe that teachers are the unsung heroes of our society. If not for them and their passionate heart to give and teach, we won’t learn how to make our mark in this world. To all the teachers out there, I thank you all. God bless you all for what you gave to all of us generously…Beautiful post. Best wishes….
Thank you, IT. I’m delighted you understand. My hope is readers will fill in their own blanks. There are many we will not forget.
I really enjoyed this; I don’t remember all names, but I do remember every single teacher from K-8th grade b/c – at that time- I went to a country school with about 68 kids. H.S. was a blur … you’ve made me smile with your list – well done!
MJ
Thank you, MJ. Remember the anticipation of who we would get for each grade? Postcards were mailed in the summer and then we used to call our friends to find out whose room they would be in to figure out the class roster before Day 1? I think the reputation of each teacher (hard, nice, pretty – really general descriptions) heightened our excitement.
It was fun to think of my former teachers, though I’m sure there’s a couple from junior high and high school that I’m missing. Some are quite memorable, though, especially if I liked their class–biology and geography were favorites. Thanks to teachers who give so much, day after day, year after year.
They made each period something to look forward to. On a rainy day, I still remember the warm, cozy feeling of being glad I was “home” in class. There were good teachers and some not so good. But all in all, I feel blessed to have had a majority of winning teachers.
That was fun! Yes, I do remember almost all of my teachers from primary & secondary school, but very few of my college professors. As I thought about that, I found that odd. I can only assume my college profs didn’t make that much of an impression on me?
I agree with you, that is odd. We think alike in that regard. I cannot say I remember the college professors as well as those in the most tender years. But still yes, among the best I had were in college, and I do remember the names of the best. I wrote two posts dedicated to one graduate professor in previous posts. It’s going to be a busy week finishing up my semester but, let me take this opportunity to wish you a happy mother’s day, mama, next Sunday.
I too remember the teachers and the things they left me with. I even remember most of my college professors. Some left deep impressions, other less so. My art teacher from high school really made a big impression. I started an art club because of his influence and was determined to see some of the great art of the world. Some of it I have been blessed to get to see – namely the Sistine Chapel Ceiling. He’s always the first person I think of when I recall teachers who made a difference in my actual life. What a nice post, Georgette. You’ve got us all remembering some great people and their lessons. Yours seem priceless.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this and that it brings back memories of those who made a difference. My line about “yes, I’ll actually push publish” was me uncertain how folks would enjoy reading a list. But I’m so glad it’s compiled. It’s something I hope the daughters, nieces and nephews will read.
That is wonderful you started an Art Club. Your teacher sounds like he loved his job that he helped you, influenced and most of all inspired you. What a wonderful experience to have visited the Sistine Chapel! My family reports it’s smaller than what one would think, which is logical since it is a chapel! I say my family…because I have never seen it, in fact, I have never been to Italy although my mother, father, sister and brothers have been several times. I was traveling other places they haven’t seen. Thank you for weighing in today.
Your family reported correctly. It was diasappointing. But another little chapel more than made up for it.
I gave you an award today. Hope you like it.
Thank you for the nod. What a lovely way to end my last day of the semester!
I remember about three fourths of my elementary teachers and probably half or more of my secondary teachers, both the good ones and the bad ones. My eighth grade English teacher, Mrs. Bachelor, taught me about archetypes, and it was she who made literature come alive for me and make me want to become an English teacher. I have many great memories of outstanding teachers who inspired me.
I’m so glad you had Mrs. Bachelor. We were very fortunate to have an English teacher who inspired. I wondered if anyone would read my list – I hope my daughters, nieces and nephews do. Those who choose to go into education probably for the most part had good experiences. Weren’t we blessed?
Yes, we were blessed, and I like to think that our names would be on someone’s list of favorite teachers, too.
🙂
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I remember each and every one of them. I had a few in college that were such great mentors to me. One in particular, a sociology teacher, helped me look at things completely different and shaped my life afterward in ways I can’t even begin to list here. I also remember all of my music, chorus teachers in elementary school and beyone, they were some of my favorites.
What happy memories you must have to respond with such a heartfelt “I remember each and every one of them”! How cool is that? I know your children are benefiting now from your enthusiasm. And you just reminded me of one I left off my list…
My mom would be so pleased with the results of this wee survey, Georgette. She’d be so delighted that 80% or more people would feel they remembered all their teachers.
Let’s face it, we most often had more time with our teachers than our parents during the week. And didn’t we work really hard to please them? Regardless of how cool we wanted to be?
Even the arm’s length personae of university profs are burned in my brain.
We did spend a lot of time with them. Nowadays, even the younger grades change classes. I hope they spend enough time so that they remember, too. I am surprised by this little survey that the majority remember…but certainly, this is not scientific by any means. I am delighted by all the “weighing in” leaving behind the name of some special teachers they remember. Thank you for visiting. My thoughts are with you and your family.
wow….what a remarkable list of teachers and special memories from their classes! My favorite was a college professor who inspired us all with the joy and wonder of classical music….he compared certain notes to bubbles of champagne…and to this day, when I hear those notes, that’s the sense that I get! Truly a magical human being!
That sounds like a memorable class. What a lovely memory. Perhaps there’s still an art appreciation or music appreciation class yet to be taken in my future. Those are two classes I would love to take. I did take a one credit University Choristers class on Wednesday nights. We practiced each Wednesday and at the end of the term presented a concert. Several friends and I made it a point to take the class together, so we walked over and back to the dorm together. I’m glad I/we did that.
Thank you for the sweet poem to go with my “Mother Goose” photo today! It’s perfect! Happy Mother’s Day to you, my friend!
So glad you like it…A mama goose begs to be noticed with a rhyme. Just had to say something about the pink of that sand and that sweet family. Another great photo, Dianna!
Wow – you have a great memory! I can only remember a few.
Congratulations to you and all the other wonderful teachers who have/had such a profound effect on most of our lives.
I guess this blog is about a lot of memories! Thank you for reading even more. Yes, I remember almost all of them, but interestingly not as much the college professors. Rather than remember each and every one of them, I remember about one of the best each semester…but then the semesters became more of a blur to me.
I remember all my elementary school teachers but only recall the middle school and high school teachers who had the good taste to favor me over the other kids.
What a compliment to you. I’m sure they needed you to stir things up, so it wouldn’t become the proverbial boring place. Classes don’t have to be proverbial…they can be fun! I’m sure as I remember my teachers, your teachers remember you.
I thought I remembered most of my teachers until I had to stop and think of their names. I can onlytell you the half dozen or so main teachers in our small high school…Your list in UNBELIEVABLE! hey I get it, you must’ve written their names in your journal!
No, sadly, I have no journal. I do have some stories and thoughts, but my teachers’ names aren’t listed there. I would have to dig around to find old report cards and I didn’t use a yearbook either. For real, I wrote this from my chair in one sitting.