Teacher Appreciation . . . only a little tardy

Our awesome school system was my subject last week, but I failed to mention it was Teacher Appreciation Week. Hopefully, you agree it’s never too late to appreciate, and will afford me time to do that now.
I spent 13 years in the Lawrence County School System, from kindergarten with the sweet Mrs. Mary White in a basement classroom at “Old Public” to senior English with Betty Marston, who gave me an appreciation for language and literature. I was blessed with many more amazing teachers who put up with my shenanigans and prepared me well for life as an adult. If you are not part of this article, it is due to lack of space and shortness of memory. I’m glad Teacher Appreciation Week is an annual event.
Early on, I appreciated teachers’ ability to get a classroom under control. It was a treat at Old Public to go to the top-floor (un-air-conditioned) auditorium with the rest of the student body. We were there this time of year for a talent show, where my brother Steven’s singing voice carried the day. But in the middle of the program, a bird flew in an open window and our principal Butch Morrow chased it out with a broom. Talk about a show! I was amazed even as a kindergartner at how quickly our attention was redirected to the stage.
I loved and appreciated the creativity and enthusiasm of my first grade teacher Mrs. Lee Moore, and her favorite color, purple, on our walls. Old Public was a circa 1920 architectural jewel, but a new building was sorely needed when we moved to the current Lawrenceburg Public when I was a second grader in 1986. Now I can appreciate the effort it took to establish a wheel tax to help pay for it and other schools that have and will follow.
In the fourth grade I was introduced to a new reward system by Mr. Stacey Shedd, who traded candy for select classroom accomplishments. I’d like to say he introduced me to the paddle, but I was already familiar with it. Today I appreciate the discipline I got in the classroom and at home, and believe its return would solve many problems in our nation’s schools.
I appreciate the unique classroom project Mrs. Doris Lyles led in my fifth grade year. Every student was assigned a quilt block to finish and help stitch into a whole. I believe tactile projects are great for young learners, especially kids with diverse learning styles like me. My classmate Rob Thomas won that quilt in a drawing at the end of the year, and still has it in spite of the great offers he gets for it at every class reunion.
Mr. Ronnie Bonner was a fantastic English teacher who taught us to diagram sentences and offered extra credit for memorizing “The Village Blacksmith.” I was an 11-year-old sixth grader, and can still quote most if it today. I appreciate the challenges he gave us and the way they stretched my mind.
I appreciate the lessons I learned at Coffman in Mrs. Julie Rolen’s English class, and from Mrs. Jamie Marston in Algebra I. I’m glad they and my other teachers chose corporal and not capital punishment.
At LCHS I met Mr. Jerry Thomas, a brilliant man who taught me so much. Mr. Aaron McCroskey is still an inspiration in my life. Mrs. Joanne Campbell was able to explain the concepts of Trigonometry, and dealt in a mostly good-natured way to the tests I put her through, like moving her dry erase markers before class every day.
After high school I went to college in two different states and married a Texas girl, but it was very important for us to live in Lawrence County so our children could benefit from the schools I grew up in. I’ve always said it takes a village to raise a Morgan, and I knew the Lawrence County school system was the best partner we could ask for.
Just like me, my children benefit from the work of custodians, school secretaries, school nurses, librarians, cafeteria employees, School Resource Officers, bus drivers, and educational assistants. Today the school system employs 50 licensed administrators; 560 licensed teachers, librarians, guidance counselors, and social workers; 25 nurses and mental health specialists; 36 clerical employees; 70 bus drivers, attendants and mechanics; 57 maintenance and custodial employees; 83 food service employees; and 180 educational assistants. Lawrence County, with the help of a state grant, provides 15 SROs.
All deserve our appreciation and thanks. I vow to continue my efforts to support them in any way I can.