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.

Educator and philanthropist Margaret Brewer Fowler

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Educator and philanthropist Margaret Brewer Fowler of Chino, California.

There are many amazing educators who have made a major impact on their communities. One of these was teacher and philanthropist Margaret Brewer Fowler, who was a significant figure in the history of Chino, California.

Margaret was born in 1863 in San Francisco, California. Her mother’s family were among the earliest settlers of the Oregon Territory, and her father, a graduate of Yale University, was a prominent attorney in San Francisco. In 1882, Margaret and her parents immigrated to Hawaii, which was an independent kingdom in those days. In Hawaii, Margaret became a teacher in various Hawaiian schools, including the Kawaihao Seminary, the Punahou Preparatory School, and Honolulu High School. In fact, Margaret served as the principal at the Punahou School. In all, Margaret spent 14 years as an educator in Hawaiian schools.

When she left Hawaii, the experienced educator traveled east and enrolled in New York University, where she earned her Master’s degree in 1899, a rare accomplishment for a woman in those days. In 1902, Margaret married Eldridge Fowler of Detroit, Michigan. The couple moved with Eldridge’s daughter from a former marriage to a luxurious home in Pasadena, California. Two years later, Margaret’s husband passed away, leaving his young wife and daughter a considerable fortune.

After her husband’s passing, Margaret became a substantial donor to the Young Women’s Christian Association and its World Committee. Always interested in furthering education for women, she became a founding trustee of Scripps College, the women’s school at what is now known as the Claremont Colleges in Claremont, California. She also became a trustee of the California Institute of Technology. In Chino, Margaret was instrumental in establishing Boys Republic, a residential treatment center for troubled boys. She purchased the land, paid to have the buildings constructed. and financed the operating costs of the center. Boys Republic still exists today, helping adolescent boys to stay out of jail and to redirect their lives in more positive directions.

In 2001, Margaret Brewer Fowler was named to the Chino City Hall of Fame. To read more about this amazing educator, click on this link to the Boys Republic.

Arizona teacher Eulalia Bourne: A women’s libber ahead of her time

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I love to share stories about plucky teachers, and in the short video below I share some information about a really plucky teacher from the American Southwest: Eulalia Bourne.

This daring educator, whose career spanned more than four decades, taught elementary school in rural areas, mining camps, and Indian reservations throughout Arizona during some of our country’s most challenging periods: World War I, the Depression, and World War II. This women’s libber was ahead of her time, becoming one of the very few women in her day to own and run her own cattle ranch.

NYC teacher Jeffrey Alston succumbs to coronavirus

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Coronavirus claims the life of beloved math and technology teacher Jeffrey Alston of New York City. (Photo credit: New York State United Teachers)

With great sadness, I must report that coronavirus has claimed the life of yet another beloved educator. He is Jeffrey Alston, a teacher at Juan Morel Campos School of the Arts in New York City. Jeffrey passed away on April 12, 2020. He was only 56 years old.

For the past 15 years, Jeffrey taught math and technology at Juan Morel Campos School of the Arts in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

The dedicated educator truly enriched his school community. He wrote grant proposals that led to the creation of the school’s computer lab 13 years ago. More recently, he was able to successfully advocate for an upgrade to the lab.

Jeffrey was also known for his wonderful sense of humor and his willingness to lend an ear. “He often chose not to give advice but to guide you to your decisions,” remembers colleague Keith Miller. “I am a better man and teacher for having known Jeff. His best quality was his ability to let you know he was there and he was listening; you knew he cared. That sense remains.” Colleage Camille Stephens agrees. “Alston was not just a teacher. He was a mentor, father figure, and motivator that brought calm and peace to students who were going through turbulent times,” she recalls.

To read more about this beloved educator, see his obituary at the New York State United Teachers.

Oklahoma’s Becky Oglesby: Known as the “Batman Teacher”

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Becky Oglesby, Oklahoma’s “Batman Teacher,” named her states 2019 Teacher of the Year. (Photo Credit: Oklahoma State Department of Education)

Here’s a boast not many states can make: Oklahoma has their very own Caped Crusader teacher. She is Becky Oglesby of  Yukon, Oklahoma. Becky is known in her school as the “Batman Teacher” because of the abundance of comic-book memorabilia she keeps in her classroom.

Becky, who has been named her state’s 2019 Teacher of the Year, currently teaches art for kindergarten and grades 1, 2, and 3 at Ranchwood Elementary School  in Yukon Public Schools.

“Batman believed that one man could make a difference and took it upon himself to do so and in turn became a legend. I want to be Batman,” Becky confesses. And early in her career she actually achieved her goal. The teacher became a hero to her students in 2013 when a deadly tornado ripped through her classroom at Plaza Towers Elementary in More, Oklahoma. At the height of the storm, the young hero used her body to shield her first-graders as the twister destroyed the school. Sadly, seven students from the school were lost in the melee.

The events of that day, the honored educator said, illustrate the dedication and compassion of Oklahoma’s teachers. “Any educator who truly has the heart of a teacher would have done the exact same thing given the opportunity,” Becky says. “My greatest contribution to education has been showing the world that teachers are more than babysitters worried about test scores. Your kids become our kids, and our priority is to create a safe learning environment where they can flourish.”

Through her art lessons, Becky incorporates core subject areas, provides the opportunity for students to express their uniqueness, emphasizes state academic standards, and provides significant life lessons.

To read more about Becky Oglesby, click on this link to the article provided by the Oklahoma State Department of Education.