Author Archives: Terry Lee Marzell

About Terry Lee Marzell

Terry Lee Marzell holds a bachelor's degree in English from Cal State Fullerton and a master's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Cal State San Bernardino. She also holds a certificate for Interior Design Level 1 from Mt. San Antonio College. She has been an educator in the Corona Norco Unified School District for more than 30 years.

PA dance teacher LaDeva Davis successful in Show Biz

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Beloved dance teacher LaDeva Davis of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, also earned fame in Show Biz. Photo Credit: The Philadelphia Inquirer

Many excellent educators have also earned fame in the entertainment industry. One of these was LaDeva Davis, a dance teacher and choreographer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who was also successful in Show Biz.

As a young woman, LaDeva studied at the Philadelphia Musical Academy. Once she completed her education, she accepted a position as a junior high school teacher in 1965 in the Philadelphia School District, where she taught her entire professional life. In 1978, she became a member of the inaugural staff of the famous Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA). She worked there as a full-time teacher for 44 years. In all, her career as an educator spanned 57 years.

Without exception, her students report that she genuinely cared about them. She made sure her kids got to their classes on time and checked up on their academic progress. And if one of them couldn’t afford new ballet shoes, she bought them a pair from her own pocket. She had a reputation for being a stickler for perfect grammar, good posture, and respect. And she helped them develop into accomplished performers. During her years at CAPA, LaDeva’s students performed in many Thanksgiving Day Parades, and in shows which she had choreographed in both California and Florida.

In addition to her work at CAPA, LaDeva taught at Swarthmore College, served two terms as President of the Board of Philadanco, and worked as a choreographer for commercials, local theater companies, and a Mummers fancy brigade.

In fact, LaDeva’s work in the entertainment industry began when she was very young. As a child, she made weekly appearances on the Parisian Taylor Kiddie Hour Radio Show. Later, she sang in supper clubs. In the 1970s, she hosted What’s Cooking?, which became so popular she became the first African American woman to have a nationally syndicated cooking show. Behind the camera, she co-produced the 2007 Dixie Hummingbirds album Keeping It Real: The Last Man Standing, and for her work on the album she was nominated for a Grammy. At various times in her life she performed with such notable entertainers as Josephine Baker, Pearl Bailey, Natalie Cole, Billy Dee Williams, Danny Thomas, Jamie Farr, Alan King, Jimmy Walker, and Gregory Hines.

For her work as an educator, the beloved teacher garnered several honors, including a Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching, a prize given each year to Philadelphia’s best educators. In 2015, she earned the Mary McLeod Bethune Award for leadership, excellence, and achievement in education from the National Council of Negro Women.

Sadly, this Chalkboard Champion passed away on Sept. 8, 2022, after suffering a stroke. She was 78 years old.

Frances “Sister” Webb Strong: Alabama teacher and politician

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Former teacher Frances Webb Strong  served her community in the Alabama State Senate. She and her colleague, Ann Bedsole, were the first women to serve in that body. Photo Credit: Webb family

Many fine educators also serve their communities as politicians. One of these is Frances Webb Strong, who was one of the first women to be elected to the Alabama State Senate.

Francis, whose birthday was Jan. 11, 1931, was born and raised in Demopolis, Alabama. Her family owned a number of businesses, including a cotton merchandising company, a sawmill, timber lands, cattle farms, and cotton farms. As a youngster, Frances was often called by the nickname “Sister” because she was the younger of two sisters in her family.

Once she graduated from high school, Frances earned her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Alabama. She earned her Master’s degree in Education from Livingston University.

In a career that spanned a total of 19 years, Frances taught at all levels, from kindergarten through college. In addition to her classroom responsibilities, Frances coached many outstanding sports teams. In fact, she founded a girls’ athletic program for Demopolis City Schools. Participants in her sports programs captured many statewide honors, some of which resulted in college scholarships for several of her students.

In addition to her work as an educator, Frances served her community as an accomplished politician. She was elected on the Democratic ticket to the Alabama State Senate, where she represented District 22 from 1983 to 1986. In fact, she and her colleague, Ann Bedsole, were the first women to serve in the Alabama State Senate.

While in the Senate, Frances worked to strengthen the rights of Alabama’s Native Americans. She was instrumental in the passage of the Davis-Strong Act, which gave official status to six Native American tribes that previously had not been been recognized. As a result of this legislation, a ten-member commission was established to advance the interests of Alabama’s Native American communities. Frances was appointed by then-Alabama Gov. George Wallace to serve on that commission.

On a humorous note, in the 1980s Frances supported the creation of an Alabama Turkey Hunters Hall of Fame. The District she represented is located in southwestern Alabama, which is still considered one of the best turkey hunting spots in the nation. The Senator told the newspaper, “In my District, you don’t mess with folks’ hunting and fishing.”

Today, at age 91, Frances Webb Strong continues to live in her home town, Demopolis, Alabama.

The country’s educators design Sept. 11 remembrances

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Chad Denis, a social studies teacher at Old Orchard Beach High School in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, is one of many educators around the country who is designing Sept. 11 remembrance lessons. Photo Credit: Portland Press Herald

Today marks the 21st anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, and once again educators all over the country are contemplating what is the best approach to teaching about this enormous historic event in their classrooms.

For example, Chad Denis, who teaches government and history at Old Orchard Beach High School in Maine, was just hours into his first day of student teaching at Brewer High School when the nation came under attack on Sept. 11, 2001. He was already understandably nervous, but the events of the day set everyone on edge. Thinking back to that day, Chad said he didn’t fully understand the magnitude of what was happening until he went home that night. “I don’t think it hit the kids, either,” he said. “In 2001, kids didn’t have phones. They weren’t pulling up all that information on Twitter.”

Years later, Chad’s classroom is full of young before who hadn’t even been born yet when Sept. 11 events occurred. Every year, when the anniversary of the terror attacks comes around, he and professional educators around the country how best to instruct their students about what was an unforgettable personal experience, and also a catastrophic historic event for the nation.

Some schools continue to hold a moment of silence on the morning of Sept. 11. Chad often prepares a lesson that includes showing videos of Sept. 11 events. He also leads a discussion about how the terror attacks changed foreign policy.

Often, teachers approach the topic by sharing with students where they were when it happened and giving an overview of the events and the aftermath. They compare Sept. 11 to Pearl Harbor and talk about how both events changed the course of history in the United States. And, of course, many teachers include a message against harassment of the Muslim or Middle Eastern community, with the goal of preventing prejudice or misdirected anger.

Every teacher and every school community approaches a remembrance of Sept. 11  in their own way. And it is appropriate and necessary that we do this. Despite the personal cost at reliving the events of that tragic day, it’s important to continue to acknowledge what happened. We must remember the historic events that happened on Sept. 11, recognize the many acts of heroism that were displayed at the time, and, more importantly, honor the lives that were los that day.

Former teacher Evelyn Bowles served in the Illinois State Senate

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Former elementary school teacher Evelyn Bowles served in the Illinois State Senate, and is also a US veteran. Photo Credit: St. Louis Dispatch

Many times, competent educators dedicate themselves to public service. Evelyn Bowles, an elementary school teacher from Illinois, was an educator like this. She served her community as a State Senator for many years.

Evelyn was born on April 22, 1921 in Worden, Illinois, although she was raised in Livingston, Illinois. During World Water II, Evelyn served as a yeoman in the US Coast Guard Women’s Reserve (SPAR) Intelligence Division. Her military service spanned the years from 1943 to 1945.

To further her education, Evelyn attended Greenville College, Illinois State University, and Southern Illinois University. While working as an elementary school teacher she taught first at Edwardsville CU #7 and then at the Elementary School in Livingston.

From 1975 to 1994, Evelyn served as the County Clerk for Madison County, Illinois. In this position, she managed election processes, kept the county’s vital records, and supervised 25 employees. Although she was a Democrat, Evelyn developed a reputation for running a nonpartisan, no-nonsense office.

In 1994 Evelyn was appointed to fill the seat of Democrat Sam M. Vadalabene in the Illinois State Senate, who had unexpectedly passed away while in office. There she represented the 56th Senate District until 2002. During her years in the Illinois State Senate, Evelyn worked diligently on numerous projects of vital importance, including one to protect lands surrounding the site of the Cahokia Mounds. In 2000, the former teacher received the Illinois Archeology Public Service Award for this work.

Evelyn spent a lifetime supporting educational causes. When she retired from public office in 2002, she used her unspent campaign funds to establish a scholarship for future public servants at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. “I can’t think of anything that would mean more to me than encouraging others to take an active role in public service, the electoral process and government,” the former educator explained.

The many awards Evelyn earned are too numerous to list, but here are the some of the most prestigious: In 1979 she garnered the Alice Paul Award from the Alton-Edwardsville Chapter of NOW. In 1984 she received the Girl Scouts Service Award, and she was recognized among the Outstanding Working Women of Illinois by the Illinois Federation of Business and Professional Women in 1986. In 1987 she received the Social Security Administration Service Award.

Evelyn Bowles passed away in Edwardsville, Illinois, on April 8, 2016, just two weeks shy of her 95th birthday. To read more about her, see this obituary published by the St. Louis Dispatch.