I composed a letter to the trustee of the school district which had so recently hired me, thereby tendering my resignation from a job I had never worked. I stayed with my first school job.
The slight twinge of conscience I felt was soon quieted and the job of educating the prepubescent youth of the community continued apace.
Half-dozen years down the halls of time. Schools all across the state were being encouraged (not saying coerced) into merging with other small school districts in the interest of efficiency and supposedly better educational opportunities for the kiddies. In any event, the township school district in which I was working merged with two adjacent townships to form a metropolitan school district.
Soon there were plans on the drawing board to build a new high school to serve the students of the newly created district. The building was erected and in 1971 the high school students were removed from the premises in which I worked. The elementary students stayed in the old building. However, few years managed to slip by before talk of a new elementary school was in the air. This provided the staff with the opportunity of working with the board and the architects in the design of this facility. Very interesting times, yet a certain trepidation niggled around the edges of my consciousness as the building neared completion. The new facility opened in 1979.
I now had to drive six miles to work, whereas before I could walk to and from school. But the new surroundings were state of the art, and meeting new people with whom I would work was an interesting time in my life. It was about a year later that I began to see the children of the first students I taught show up in my classroom.
By the time I retired, I was teaching grandchildren of my first students. But the sense of community that I developed as I grew with this small town and with the new school district was a real boon. I watched the children grow to adulthood and select their own paths in life. I became an integral part of something much greater than myself. I was growing older, but so were the people I had taught along the way.
5 comments:
A well told and well thought out avenue. "I became an integral part of something much greater than myself." I suspect that would have happened no matter the fork you chose.
That would require a longer-than-normal work career to have grandchildren of your students in your classroom.
Shelly, thank you. Though this not exactly the path I chose, it has some similarities to the one I did pick.
Chuck, not so unlikely as one might think. I started teaching at age 25 in 1959. I could have started my fortieth year of teaching in 1999 at age 65, thus it would be more likely than not that some grandkids should be encountered. Even more likely for high school teachers than for sixth-grade teachers!
Your tale puts me in mind of those great movies "Good Morning, Miss Dover" and "Goodbye, Mr. Chips".
Sounds as though your career has been just as satisfying.
Thanks for being a teacher; the world needs more like you.
John
John, thank you. I did derive much satisfaction from my chosen career. The Lord is good!
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