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.

George Washington’s Mt. Vernon: Enjoy a virtual excursion

Posted on by

Author and retired teacher Terry Lee Marzell visits George Washington’s Mt. Vernon estate on a recent trip to the Washington, DC, area. Here she examines the key to the Bastille and a rendering of the historic French building on display in Washington’s mansion. The key was a gift to our nation’s first president from his good friend and fellow Revolutionary War soldier, the Marquis de Lafayette.

As a teacher who loves all things academic, I was happy to be able to travel to George Washington’s Mt. Vernon estate on a recent trip to the Washington, DC, area. A visit to this iconic historical site has long been on my must-do list, and the excursion did not disappoint. I was fortunate to be able to visit the estate in person; however, a virtual excursion plus a wealth of information about our nation’s first president, George Washington, and his home can be found on the website at www.mtvernon.org.

While at the estate, I was able to wander through the downstairs rooms of Washington’s mansion, including the grand and beautifully decorated New Room, the stylish front parlor, the dining room, George Washington’s spacious study, and the downstairs bedchamber, which served as a guest bedroom. Many artifacts belonging to the former president are on display, including the key to the historic French Bastille, a gift from Washington’s good friend and fellow Revolutionary War soldier, the Marquis de Lafayette.

A stroll through the grounds yields an opportunity to view the working parts of the estate, including the detached kitchen, the smokehouse, the gardens, the stables and paddocks, and a slave cabin. Further wanderings take the visitor to the current tomb of George and Martha Washington, the location of their original burial site, and a slave memorial.

An exploration of the museums and education center allows the visitor to learn more about all aspects of Washington’s life, including his childhood and family, his military service to our country, his presidency and political activities, his employment as a surveyor, and his life as a gentleman farmer after he left office.

Your students can explore all of these aspects of George Washington’s estate, and more. To view the mansion, from a bird’s eye floor plan to a room-by-room virtual tour, instruct them to click on this link to the mansion. Students can learn more about the burial sites and memorials on the estate if they click on the link tombs and memorials. They can click on this link to examine the exhibits in the museums and the education center. Enjoy!

Teacher Lucy Tootell served in Rhode Island House of Reps

Posted on by

Elementary and junior high school teacher Lucy Tootell served in the Rhode Island House of Representatives. Photo credit: Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame.

There are many fine classroom educators who have also served their communities in a variety of capacities. Some have even gone on to make excellent politicians. One of these is Lucy Tootell, an elementary and junior high school teacher who also served in the Rhode Island House of Representatives.

Lucy was born November 27, 1911, in Jacksonville, Illinois. Her mother was a former dramatics arts director at Rhode Island State College, now known as the University of Rhode Island. Her father was Roy Willard Rawlings, the last Republican Speaker of the Rhode Island House of Representatives. She was two years old when her family moved to the state of Rhode Island. When she became a teenager, Lucy attended South Kingstown High School for three years, but she graduated with honors from Westerly High School in 1929.

After her high school graduation, Lucy earned her Bachelor’s degree, with honors, from Rhode Island College of Education in 1933. She inaugurated her career as an educator at Roger Williams Junior High School, and later taught at the Richmond Elementary School. Later Lucy attended law school at Boston University. She also attended the Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City during the summer of 1934, and Northwestern University, where she was offered the directorship of their renowned children’s theater.

The indefatigable educator served her community in many capacities. She served as the curator and archivist of the Kingston Little Rest Museum. She was instrumental in establishing and organizing the Pettaquamscutt Historical Society, the Richmond Historical Society, and the  the Charlestown Historical Society. In addition, she was a lecturer and an author of many local history publications, books, and slide shows. Lucy also served as Council Commissioner of the Rhode Island Girl Scout Organization. In 1970, she was elected to the Richmond School Committee and, in 1972, was elected on the Republican ticket to the Rhode Island House of Representatives from Chariho District #52, where she served from 1973 until 1977.

For her tireless work on behalf of Rhode Island, Lucy was named “Woman of the Year” by the Chariho Business and Professional Women’s Club in 1974.She also garnered the “John Nicholas Brown Award,” from The League of RI Historical Societies in 1982.
In 1997, in recognition of her distinguished achievements in the field of and preservation of history, Lucy earned an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Rhode Island. In 2013, she was inducted into the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame.

This Chalkboard Champion passed away on January 5, 2010. To read more about Lucy Tootell, see this post on the website for the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame.

Nellie Ramsey Leslie: Former slave, Freedman’s Bureau teacher

Posted on by

Freedmen’s Bureau teacher Nellie Ramsey Leslie, a former slave, became a notable pianist, composer, and music educator. Photo credit: Public Domain.

There are many stories of remarkable educators in American history. One of them is the story of Nellie Ramsey Leslie, an emancipated slave who taught school for the Freedmen’s Bureau.

Nellie was born into slavery the 1840’s in Virginia. Once she was emancipated, she traveled north to Ohio, where she gained her education. She also attended the Normal School of Straight University in 1870-1871 to fine tune her instructional skills. The Normal School was founded by the American Missionary Association, which helped to prepare many teachers in the South to educate newly emancipated slaves and their children.

In late 1865, Nellie relocated to New Orleans, Louisiana, where she became employed as an elementary school teacher for the Freedmen’s Bureau. She also taught in schools in Mississippi and Texas. In 1874, Nellie married Reverend R. A. Leslie, a Presbyterian minister and a Native American of the Creek Nation. In 1880, the couple moved to the Indian Territory, where Nellie taught in schools established to educate Creek Freedmen.

Over the course of her lifetime, Nellie established a reputation as a notable pianist, composer, and music educator. After her husband’s death in 1884, Nellie studied at the Boston Conservatory of Music. Later she relocated to Corpus Christi, Texas, where she  founded a music conservatory for girls.

By 1895, Nellie was employed as a teacher and the principal of the Tallahassee Mission in Muskogee, Oklahoma, where she served as the music director for a number of years. The school served children of the Creek Nation.

This remarkable educator passed away in Muskogee during the 1920’s. The exact date and year of her passing is unknown. To read more about her, consult Notable Negro Women, Their Triumphs and Activities, by Monroe A . Majors, published in 1971. This book can be accessed online at Notable Negro Women.

California’s Bob Scheibel: Award-winning journalism educator

Posted on by

Many exceptional educators earn accolades from their peers for their outstanding work. One of these was Bob Scheibel, an English and journalism educator from California. Photo credit: Pierce College Roundup.

Many exceptional classroom teachers earn accolades from their peers for their outstanding work. One of these was Bob Scheibel, an English and journalism teacher from  California.

Robert “Bob” Scheibel was born in Youngstown, Ohio. His family moved to Southern California when Bob was only three. When he was a teenager, he attended Hollywodd High School, where he graduated in 1944. By then, World War II was in full swing, and Bob enlisted in the US Navy. Once he completed basic training, he was deployed to the USS St. George, a seaplane tender assigned to the US operation in the Pacific Theater. While serving on that tender, Bob became involved in the Battle of Okinawa

Once he completed his tour of duty in the military, Bob returned to Southern California. He enrolled first in Los Angeles City College, then the University of Southern California, and then San Francisco Valley State College, later known as Cal State University, Northridge.

Bob inaugurated his career as an educator in 1952 when he accepted a position teaching English and journalism at Canoga Park High School. During his 17-year tenure there he advised the school newspaper, the school yearbook, the student government.

In 1969, Bob accepted a position as the journalism teacher at Los Angeles Pierce College in Woodland Hills. Over the 20 years he taught there, he garnered many accolades. In 1981, he earned the Outstanding Journalism Educator Award, given to an educator at the junior college level. In 1983, Bob was named the National Two-Year College Distinguished Magazine Advisor by his fellow college media advisors, and in 1984, he was named California Community College Journalism Teacher of the Year by the California  News Publishers Association.

Additionally, Bob served as the President of the San Fernando Valley Press Club from 1971 to 1972). He was a member of Sigma Delta Chi (Society of Professional Journalists), and was elected President of the Journalism Association of of Community Colleges, Southern Section, a position he held from 1974 to 1975.

Bob Scheibel passed away from natural causes on October 27, 2020, in Woodland Hills, California. He was 94 years old. To read more about him, see this article published by the Pierce College Roundup.