Today I'm thinking about a lot of things, but I'm thinking most about Mrs. Baylor. Mrs. Baylor was my third grade teacher. Along with teaching penmanship, and reading, and writing and math, she taught us about Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglas, George Washington Carver, and Martin Luther King, Jr. It was 1968-69, a turbulent time. I'm not so sure any other teacher at that school would have taught us about those historical figures.
Being an American meant a lot to her. After Mrs. Baylor realized we didn't know the words to the Star Spangled Banner, believe me, we learned them. Back then there wasn't a holiday for Martin Luther King, but when the first anniversary of his death arrived, Mrs. Baylor didn't attend school that day. Her absence reminded us of the importance of one man.
Today I thank her. Because of the great Americans and their struggles that she introduced to our class, this day holds even more meaning.
No comments:
Post a Comment