Tag Archives: Teacher Authors

Pat Conroy’s award-winning memoir about his teaching experiences on remote SC island

Posted on by

Periodically I come across a book about teachers that I’d like to share with you, and I have one to share today. The book is The Water is Wide by former teacher Pat Conroy (1945—2016). The award-winning memoir was published in 1972, the first of several acclaimed works he authored.

In 1969, Pat taught African American students in grades five through eight in a two-room school house on a remote island off the coast of South Carolina. He was a young, idealistic teacher, but not entirely inexperienced, since he had previously taught English and psychology courses at his high school alma mater, Beaufort High School, in Beaufort, South Carolina. And remember, he was teaching at the height of the Civil Rights Movement.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this memoir. I found it to be an interesting study in what were, in 1969, highly innovative instructional methods. Many of these methods have become accepted and commonplace in today’s classrooms, but in those days they were quite controversial. I was especially interested in Pat’s experiments with experiential learning (a topic which just happens to be the subject of my own Master’s thesis), student-driven curriculum, the introduction of speakers, and an informal classroom environment.

Most importantly, Pat treated his students with unconditional positive regard, and refused to utilize a paddle to maintain classroom discipline. By contrast, his principal, who taught the younger students in the two-room school house, espoused a more traditional teaching style, including textbook-driven instruction, drill tasks, and strict and rigid discipline—which included corporal punishment. And, quite frankly, she didn’t appear to even like her students. She certainly didn’t treat them with any respect. Naturally, Pat’s instructional style caused friction between himself and the school district bureaucrats. I’ll leave it to you to discover how this friction was addressed.

The Water is Wide garnered a humanitarian award from the National Education Association in 1974 and an Anisfield-Wolf Book Award in 1973. Two movies based on the book, Conrack starring John Voight in 1974 and a Hallmark production in 2006.

Learn more about Pat Conroy’s life at his website, patconroy.com. You can purchase The Water is Wide on amazon.com.

 

Teacher Gertrude Chandler Warner authored The Boxcar Children Mysteries

Posted on by

Gertrude Chandler Warner of Connecticut was an elementary school teacher who became famous for writing The Boxcar Children Mysteries. Photo credit: Gertrude Warner Museum

There are many talented classroom teachers who have also made a name for themselves as popular authors. One of these is Gertrude Chandler Warner of Connecticut, an elementary school teacher who became famous for writing the children’s stories known as The Boxcar Children Mysteries.

Gertrude was born on April 16, 1890, in Putnam, Connecticut. She decided at a very young age that she wanted to be an author. From the age of five, she wrote stories for her grandfather, and each Christmas she gifted one of these stories to him. As a youngster, Gertrude suffered from frequent illnesses, and for this reason she never finished high school. In her sophomore year, she completed her secondary education with the assistance of a tutor.

In 1918, when World War I was in full swing, Gertrude was hired to teach first grade, primarily because many men teachers were being called to serve in the military. The position served to be a good fit for Gertrude, who continued to teach until 1950. During these years, she spent her summers completing education courses at Yale University.

All her life, Gertrude was a nature-lover. As a child, she developed butterfly and moth collections, pressed wild flowers, learned about the birds in her area, and tended a garden. She incorporated these interests in her classroom lessons, and she also developed nature themes in her books.

In 1924, while convalescing at home from a lengthy illness, Gertrude developed the idea for a children’s book. This is how she came to write the first installment of The Boxcar Children. The story was published by Rand McNally and Company in 1924. Not only did Gertrude write the original story, but she also wrote the next 18 books in the series.

After her retirement from the classroom, Gertrude became a volunteer for the American Red Cross, the Connecticut Cancer Society, and other community service organizations. This talented educator and author passed away on August, 20, 1979, at the age of 89. She is interred at Grove Street Cemetery in her home town of Putnam, Connecticut.

To learn more about Gertrude Chandler Warner, click on this link to The Boxcar Children Museum.

The intrepid Susie King Taylor: Civil War teacher, nurse, and author

Posted on by

Susie King Taylor was an intrepid teacher, nurse, and author who practiced during the Civil War period. Photo Credit: National Park Service

Every once in a while I come across the story of an intrepid teacher who has made a signifiant contribution to our nation’s history. One of these is Susie King Taylor, a teacher, nurse, and author who practiced during the Civil War Period.

Susie King Taylor, whose birth name was Susan Ann Baker, was born into slavery on August 6, 1848. Her place of birth was a plantation owned by Valentine Grest located in Liberty County, Georgia. Susie was the oldest of nine children born to her parents.

When she was a child, her grandmother, Dolly Reed, made sure that Susie received an education, despite the fact that in that day, it was illegal to teach enslaved persons to read and write. Susie attended secret “underground” schools and her teachers were free women of color. Even at a young age, Susie demonstrated an unquenchable thirst for knowledge.

When the Civil War erupted, Susie and her family were led to freedom by her uncle. The family escaped to the South Carolina Sea Islands, an area under the control of Union forces. She was only 14 years old at the time. The Army officers Susie met there were impressed by her education and kindness, and so they asked her to teach newly-freed African American children in an emancipation school sponsored by the government, even though the war was still raging. She became the first African American teacher in the area. In 1862, Susie married Sergeant Edward King, and she joined her husband’s regiment. During this time, she taught illiterate soldiers to read and write, and at the same time, she nursed injured soldiers back to health. In fact, she became the first African American Army nurse to serve during the Civil War. She was well-known for the dedication she demonstrated while caring for sick and injured.

Once the war was won, Susie and her husband relocated to Savannah, Georgia, where she hoped to continue her career as an educator in a private school of her own. Unfortunately, the death of her husband left her without the financial means to realize this dream. In 1872, she moved to Boston where she met her second husband, Russell Taylor. She married him in 1879. In her later years, she devoted her time and attention to working with the Woman’s Relief Corps, a national organization that provided services for female Civil War veterans.

In 1902, Susie penned and self-published her memoir, Reminiscences of My Life in Camp with the 33rd United States Colored Troops, Late 1st S.C. Volunteers. The volume became a valuable historical account of her Civil War experiences.

This amazing woman passed away on October 6, 1912, in Boston, Massachusetts. She is interred in Mount Hope Cemetery. Today, Susie King Taylor is celebrated for her significant accomplishments as a teacher, nurse, and author.

Teacher, cookbook author, and television personality Shirley McClay

Posted on by

Long-time elementary school teacher Shirley McClay was also a highly-acclaimed cookbook author, television personality, and public speaker. Photo Credit: The Daily Bulletin

There are many outstanding educators who have accomplished a host of impressive achievements even after they have left the classroom. One of these is Shirley McClay, an elementary school teacher from Southern California who became an acclaimed author, television personality, and public speaker.

Shirley was born on Sept. 1, 1932, in Los Angeles, California. In 1948, she moved with her family to nearby Lake Elsinore, where she enrolled at Lake Elsinore High School. After her high school graduation, Shirley earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education with a Minor in Art from Southern California’s Pepperdine University. Once she earned her degree, Shirley went on to launch her career as a kindergarten teacher. She spent 25 years in the classroom.

Once she retired from teaching, Shirley and her friend Marilyn Meich co-authored several cookbooks. The pair published The Fast and Fabulous Four Ingredient Cookbook in 1984, the highly-acclaimed Original 4-Ingredient Cookbook in 1987, and The Trim & Thin 4 Ingredient Cookbook in 1988. By herself, Shirley published Caught Bear Handed? Recipes By Shirley Atwater-McClay in 1988 and Slick Chick Recipes By Shirley Atwater-McClay in 1989. To promote the cookbooks, Shirley appeared on local talk shows. In addition, she appeared at many engagements as a public speaker. And as if that weren’t enough, she owned and operated her own dance studio for a number of years.

During her lifetime, Shirley belonged to a number of organizations, including the American Association of University Women, PEO, the Lion’s Club, Newcomers, and several local book clubs. An avid world traveller, the retired teacher travelled extensively with her husband, Marvin McClay. She often declared her favorite destination was the continent of Africa.

Sadly, Shirley MclCay passed away on June 24, 2024, in Murrieta, California. She was 91 years old.

Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame

Posted on by

Highly-esteemed educator and author Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame. Photo Credit: SD Hall of Fame

Here is an amazing Chalkboard Champion of Native American descent: Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve. Her accomplishments as an educator and author are so impressive that she has been inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame.

Virginia was born on Feb. 21, 1933, on the Rosebud Indian Reservation. As a young woman, she enrolled in South Dakota State University, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in 1954 and her Master’s degree in 1969. She then went on to teach in the public school system, first on the Flandreau Indian Reservation, and then at Oglala Lakota College.

To further contribute to her students’ education, Virginia authored several children’s history books and highly-regarded adult non-fiction works. Some of her works include Jimmy Yellow Hawk (1977); High Elk’s Treasure (1995); Completing the Circle (1995); When Thunder Spoke (1974); and The Chichi Hoohoo Bogeyman (1975). In these works, Virginia blends personal narratives with broader historical contexts, offering her readers insights into the Native American experiences and traditions.

During the course of her lengthy career, Virginia has garnered widespread recognition and numerous prestigious accolades. Her honors include the Distinguished Alumnus from South Dakota State University (1974); the National Woman of Achievement Award (1975); and an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Dakota Wesleyan University (1979). Furthermore, her literary skills earned her the Distinguished Contribution to South Dakota History by the Dakota History Conference (1982) and two Native American Prose Awards from the University of Nebraska Press in 1992 and 1996. Virginia was also the recipient of the South Dakota Education Association Human Services Award (1994) and the Spirit of Crazy Horse Award (1996). In addition, Pres. Bill Clinton recognized Virginia with the prestigious National Humanities Medal in Washington, DC, on Dec. 20, 2000. She was the first person from South Dakota to earn this honor.

For all these reasons, Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame in 1985.