Newspapers / Watauga Democrat (Boone, N.C.) / June 6, 1957, edition 1 / Page 12
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Teacher Tells Story ^ (Continued Own page oae) confidence to try to iwallow a beta without cutting it into I had really gaiaed enough confidence in bjmU that 1 could talk with ant trembling After aupper, Ned auggeated that 1 nay with him in an up Man room. Thia waa the tint rr lief that I bad been given and aeon 1 waa at Mae On Monday morning Ha Elvany handed each of ua a nice lunch Then with plenty of inftructiona. ahe aent ua off le aehool. ' Nothing eventful happened on thia flrat day of achool except reg late ring and aaaignmenta. Aa aoon aa I returned to my new home, I waa informed that the board waa coating me five dollar* for each .month, and I waa to get credit for my work at five-centa per hour for cutting wood, hoeing, and working in the garden. Thia 1 waa happy to do. All went well until one hot day la July. It waa rumored that Com had brought hia new canoe down the river to a apot near the aca dewy. and tlMt during the booh boor Um professors ud certain bojn were to be ftvea a boat ride I did not know the inside dory, but I learned about it MM. All went well until we ran into eight feet of water Tbni suddenly big tat John bacan over balanced aad fall overboard. This threw the professor backward with Ui« boat Such a scuffle! Not one of us escaped • dnrtlin. Haw we were to sat our clothes dry was the question. Finally soma of the boys persuaded the professor to let us study outside that afternoon. This we did. Before studying began, we dismantled and hung our cloths* on the fence to day. During those hours the hot sun dried out our clothes. To my dismay, my blue jeans had made another four inch climb up my lag, leaving about six inches from the bottom to my knee. • When 1 got back home that evening Mother Elvany said, "Take off those pants and I will fix them." This I did and studied in my room while she did the work. PROTECT YOUR FAMILY BY BECOMING A MEMBER OF Reins-Sturdivant Mutual Burial Association, Inc. TELEPHONE DEAL AMberst 4-MM A 25-Cent Pec Is Charged Upon Joining, After Which The Following Dae* Are In Effect: DOUBLE BENEFIT Quarterly Yearly Benefit One to Ten Yeari $ .20 f .84 I1N.M Ten to Thirty Years 40 I SO 200.00 Thirty to Fifty Yeari .80 3.20 200.00 Fifty to Sixty-Five Yeara 1.20 4JO 200.00 Nothing eventful happened until thirteen of u» were notified bf the Superintendent (our Principal) that we were to go with him to the county teat to take the teat (or otur county certificate* This to me was a lite or death proposition There were all my obligation* for clothe*, board, tuition and • whole dollar for my certificate*—If 1 should be fortunate enough to pane Promptly at 6 o'clock. August IT, we left the academy to walk to the county mat. Here we were to ipend the day taking written teat*. With each teat I gained confidence In myeelf, and at five o'clock we had finished and started to our respective domicile# Some were happy, aome were feeling rather dlacouraged. Aa for me, I could Just see myself in a school teaching young minds how to shoot up and grow. On Monday, August 24, we were to get our certificates. That picture is still an oaals in my life. With all the gusto of a philosopher, the Superintendent climbed up on the high stage and this is what he said aa he held up the certificates: "Young gentlemen, last week when I gave your tests, 1 promised you that In maklag put your grades I would hew to the line and let the chips fall where- they may. Here are your certificate* as you made them." I will call out the names and grades, and you may come for them as 1 call your names. All went well until he called my average. Ninety-six was the final grade. I was so .elated that I sprang to my feet and yelled, "My, My, a first grade certificate!" I would not vouch for the number of toes 1 mashed as I made my way excitedly to the stage. Nothing mattered now. 1 was a school teacher. The next day I packed my belongings in that same old valise and a bag, bade my benefactors good-by and started eight miles away to my home. On my arrival I was met with a Joyous welcome by my family. My first move was to hand my certificate to my mother who read and explained to my family that It made me a school teacher. Then my pother's face suddenly lighted as she said, "I have been to see the committee of our district, and they are going to let you teach our school. You are to begin Monday week. They will pay you >18.00 per month." This $18 00 per month meant little to me, except to get my bills && 1 was a school teacher. My first school na to be taught ia • log school house, which wu sixteen by twenty feet This m to be the borne of forty-six (iris and boys, ranfing in age from fix to twenty yean Grade* war* from the flnt to seventh The trade depended on the reader the student could read ia beat. On thi* first beautiful Mooday morning in September, I walked into the school building, armed with a small bell, a set ff books, and a degree of pride Out could not be daunted. The first day was taken up with grading and assignments. It did not take long to get around that the new teacher was making them bohave and get their lessons. So far I had scored two points. It was not*ong until we started the "Friday Evening Spelling Bee." Parents were invited to listen. Here are the words of one of the fine dad's: "I tell you that teacher is learning (sic) those youngsters how to spell." All went well until one afternoon on my way home. I came upon six of my largest boys who were engsged in a free-for-all fight. So there in the road I held court. Each of them wanted to put the cause on the other fellow. According to the judgement of the court, me, the teacher, they were all guilty of an affray; so without consulting any of their parents, 1 gave each of the boys a good thrashing. I knew that the next day would bring new people on the scene. As 1 passed one father, he said, "You wait there, I am going to give you what you gave my boy." 1 finally persuaded bim not to beat me up. So I won there. On this same morning I had jukt quieted things down and was ready for work, when there was a call at the door. Imagine Any consternation when I faced a mother and her two boys. They were to back their mother in giving the facts about the fight. Since it was such a cold morning, the mother's split bonaet was wet. It looked to me more like a baseball bat than a bonnet. I did not venture out but closed the door instead and pulled the latch string inside so as to prohibit entrance from the outside. This episode was soon over and the school term closed without much more excitement. From this school experience my school career was launched. For a number of years, I attended schools that were available and tktfkBt through elementary school, academic school, and high school, also on tmt» college. From out U Umh schools that I loved io much haa come ooe Kovcrnor five doctor* dentists nurses, lawyers, lecturers and nun isters. Perhaps the moat diatinguiahed group are tiie trained teachers, who are scattered throughout the land. These teachers are re/lectio | credit on their achoola and teachers. I love and adore everyone of them. Aa I look back to the botany April morning in 1894 aa I sat on that old plow beam and made my deciaion to be a school teacher, my prayer la that after these fortysix years of happy service that I may say with the preacher: "Let ua keep on keeping on, saying our prayers, making friends with youth, helping them to accomplish their good purposes in life." Marriage Licenses The Watauga County Reister of Deed! office issued marriage licenses during the month of May to the following: Ted Franklin Church and Mary. Belle Presnell, both of Boone; Jerry Randolph Hill, Shelby, and Elizabeth Bonham Eggers, Boone; Robert Charles Rausch, FostorU, Ohio and Carol Ann Boytim. Sandusky, Ohio; Francis Brackett Northug, Winston-Salem, and Audrey Jean Fowler, Charlotte; Paul J. Sawson, Lenoir, and Ella Faye Ward, Reese; Robert Craig Austin, West A*hevUle, and Lena Penick Lewis, Boone; Carson F. Eller, Vilas, and Linda Z. Townsend, Valle Crucis; Charles Dewey Ashcraft, Monaca, Pa., and Nellie Belle Cunningham, Aliquippa, Pa.; Samuel McQueen and Frances Ruth Bettini, both of Johnson City, Tenn.; Robert J. Thrift. Ill, and Mary Margaret Phillips, both of Fayetteville, West Virginia; James Edgar Reese, Zionville, and Mary Martha Walls, Vilas; Homer Ruppard and Harlene Betty Baird, both of Banner Elk; Fred M. McNeal, Chester, Pa., and Pearl Josephine Cowles, Boone; Billy O. Pendley, Rt 3, Boone, and Patsy Rae Bentley, Rt. 1, Vilas; William M. Presnell, Vilas and Betty Mae Parks, Reese. CARD OF THANKS I want to thank my friends and neighbors for their many acts of kindness during the sickness and death of my husband. The food, the help, the messages, and the flowers meant so much to me. May God bless each of you.—Mrs. Walter L. Johnson. In
Watauga Democrat (Boone, N.C.)
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June 6, 1957, edition 1
12
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