Category Archives: Education

Wisconsin’s George Nelson Tremper: Educator extraordinaire

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George Nelson Tremper was an outstanding teacher and principal in the early 20th century Kenosha, Wisconsin. Photo credit: Kenosha Unified School District.

Throughout our country’s history, there are many stories of exemplary educators that have also become school leaders in the early 20th century. One of these is George Nelson Tremper, a high school teacher from Kenosha, Wisconsin, who also served his school as an outstanding principal.

George Nelson Tremper was born in Pontiac Michigan on May 30, 1877. He completed his Bachelor’s degree at the University of Michigan in 1901. George was a master of languages, especially Greek, Latin, and German.

George and his wife, Metta, taught for three years in the Philippines. When he returned to the United States, he taught in Franklin, Indiana. Later he became the principal in a high school in Cincinnati, Ohio. During these years, George He also taught at the University of Illinois School of Education. In addition, by 1911 he completed the courses that earned him his Master’s degree.

In 1911 he returned to Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he was a teacher and an administrator at Kenosha’s Bradford High School from 1911 until 1944. When George was appointed principal, the school boasted a staff of 13 teachers and 300 students.

In addition to his work as an educator, George served as the President of the Council of the Kenosha Chapter of DeMolay. He was also a commissioner of the Boy Schouts and a member of the Kenosha County Historical Society, President of the Wisconsin Society, and he was active in the Sons of the Revolution. He was County chairman of the Citizens Military Training Corps, he was active in both the Rotary Club and the Elks Club, and he was Chairman of the Kenosha County Civilian Aid Committee.

Alas, this Chalkboard Champion passed away on February 23, 1958. In 1964, a new public high school built in Kenosha was named in his honor. To read more about George, see this article about him published online by communityworldheritage.org.

 

Maria Fearing: Intrepid teacher and missionary of the Congo

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Maria Fearing: The intrepid teacher and missionary, born into slavery, who traveled to the Congo to teach at a home for girls. Photo credit: Alabama Department of Archives and History.

There are many stories of dedicated educators who can boast of extraordinary accomplishments. One of these is Maria Fearing, an African American teacher and missionary who was born into slavery but went on to become a beloved teacher in the Congo.

Maria was born on July 26, 1938, on a plantation near Gainesville, Sumter County, Alabama. As a youngster, she was employed as a house servant, spending much of her time with her mistress and the other children. Maria completed the ninth grade, but didn’t really learn to read and write until she was 33 years old.

When the Civil War was won, Maria worked her way through the Freedman’s Bureau School in Talladega, Alabama, to become a teacher. This school is now known as Talladega College. The neophyte educator taught for a number of years in rural schools in Calhoun County in Alabama. But in 1894, at age 56, Maria was inspired to travel to the Congo on the African continent, where for more than 20 years she worked tirelessly as a teacher and Presbyterian missionary. While there, Maria established the Pantops Home for Girls in 1915. Pantops took in girls who had been orphaned and those who had been kidnapped and sold into slavery. The intrepid teacher used trinkets, tools, and even salt to barter for the freedom of these girls. She taught reading, writing, arithmetic, homemaking skills, and gardening in the mission day school, and she worked with the women of the surrounding villages. Her appreciative students nicknamed her “mama wa mputu” (“Mother from Far Away”).

At the age of 78, because of failing health, Maria was encouraged to retire. In 1918, the Southern Presbyterian Church recognized her many years of dedication and hard work by honoring her with the Loving Cup. Maria wasn’t ready to quit working, though. After returning to her native Alabama, she continued to teach, working at a church school in Selma, Alabama. She later returned to Sumter County, where she passed away on May 23, 1937. She was 100 years old.

Maria Fearing, a true Chalkboard Champion, was inducted into the Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame in 2000. You can read more about this amazing teacher at Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame.

Teacher Lucy Tootell served in Rhode Island House of Reps

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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

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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

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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.