Tag Archives: Teacher Politicians

Educator Mary Bethune McLeod honored in US Capitol’s Statuary Hall

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The newest addition to the US Capitol’s Statuary Hall is the image of educator Mary McLeod Bethune, a teacher, women’s rights activist, and Civil Rights leader in Florida. Photo Credit: US House of Representatives

Many exceptional educators have earned honors for their work in the profession, and now, one of them was singled out for recognition in the US Capitol’s Statuary Hall this month. She is Mary McLeod Bethune, an African American teacher who was was also a women’s rights activist and Civil Rights leader in Florida.

The statue of the honored educator towers at 11 feet tall and was created from marble originating from the same Tuscan quarry in the Italian Alps used by Michelangelo. The block, which originally weighed 11,500 tons, was fashioned into the image of the teacher by artist Nilda Comas of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who was selected in a national competition run by Florida’s Council on Arts and Culture in 2016. Inscribed at the foot of her statue is Mary’s famous quote: “Invest in the human soul. Who knows, it may be a diamond in the rough.”

Mary was born on July 10, 1875, to former slaves in a log cabin on a plantation in Maysville, South Carolina. She was the only one of her parents’ 17 children to be born into freedom. When the Civil War was won, Mary’s mother worked for her former owner until she could buy the land on which the McLeod family grew cotton. By nine years of age, young Mary could pick 250 pounds of cotton a day.

Even as a youngster, Mary showed an unusual interest in books and reading. However, in those days it was rare for African Americans to receive an education. Nevertheless, a charitable organization interested in providing educational opportunities for Black children established a school near Mary’s home. Her parents could scrape together only enough money to pay the tuition for one of their children, and Mary was chosen. Later, the future educator earned a scholarship to attend the Scotia Seminary, a boarding school in North Carolina. She graduated from there in 1894. She also attended Dwight Moody’s Institute for Home and Foreign Missions in Chicago, Illinois. Her studies there spanned two years.

When she grew up, Mary retained her strong desire to extend educational opportunities to other African Americans. She became a teacher in South Carolina. While there, she married fellow teacher Albertus Bethune. In 1904 Mary founded the Daytona Normal and Industrial Institute for Negro Girls in Daytona Beach, Florida. Beginning with five students, she helped expand the school to more than 250 students over the next few years. Today, this school is known Bethune-Cookman University.

In her later years, Mary became a close friend of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, and also a trusted adviser to President Franklin Roosevelt. In recognition of her outstanding abilities, the President made her a member of his unofficial “Black Cabinet.” He also appointed her the head of the National Youth Administration in 1936. In 1937 the indefatigable educator organized a conference on the Problems of the Negro and Negro Youth, and she fought tirelessly to end discrimination and lynching. In 1940, Mary became the Vice President of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Persons (NAACP), a position she held for the rest of her life. In 1945, she was appointed by President Harry Truman to be the only woman of color present at the founding meeting of the United Nations.

This celebrated educator passed away peacefully on May 18, 1955. For all her accomplishments, Mary McLeod Bethune is truly a Chalkboard Champion. It is fitting and proper that she should be honored in our nation’s Capitol. To read more about her, see this link at the website for the National Women’s History Museum.

Wyoming’s Diana Ohman: Successful politician and former elem teacher

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Former elementary teacher and politician Diana Ohman of Wyoming. Photo Credit: Casper Foundation and Alumni Association

There are many examples of talented classroom teachers who go on to successful careers in politics. One of them is Diana Ohman, a former elementary school teacher from Wyoming.

Diana was born Oct. 3, 1950, in Sheridan, Wyoming. Her family later moved to Gurley, Nebraska, where she attended Gurley High School. Once she earned her high school diploma, Diana returned to Wyoming to attend first Casper Community College, and then the University of Wyoming, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Primary Education and her Master’s degree in Education Administration. After completing her education, Diana worked as an elementary school teacher at a rural school in Casper. There she developed her organization skills by meeting the needs of all the students who were at different grade levels. Later she became a principal in Torrington.

In 1990, Diana was elected on the Republican ticket to the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, where she served until 1995. She was then elected Wyoming’s Secretary of State, a position she held from 1995 to 1999. Once her term was over, she worked as a school superintendent in Laramie County. She also became a Deputy Director of the Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA). In this role, she led the organization’s European Division and then, in 2009, she took charge of the Pacific Division. In 2011, she accepted a position with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Later, Diana worked in the National Cemetery Administration Department, where she was in charge of cemeteries throughout the Midwestern United States. The accomplished politician retired in 2018.

For her work in the classroom, Diana was named Best Teacher for Campbell County, Wyoming, in 1980. She also earned a State Principal Award from the US Office of Education in 1990.  She was also honored with a Distinguished Alumni Award by the Casper College Foundation and Alumni Association in 2009.

American Samoa’s former First Lady, teacher Susana Lutali

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Former Governor A.P. Lutali with his wife, former teacher and First Lady of American Samoa Susana Lutali. Photo Credit: Marion Malena

Many a fine classroom teacher has also earn fame as a celebrity. This is true of Susana Lutali, an elementary school teacher in American Samoa who became the territory’s First Lady.

Susana Legato was born May 23, 1932, in Fagaitua, American Samoa. Fagaitua is a village located on the south coast of American Samoa’s Tutuila Island. She attended St. Francis Sister School and then studied at Teachers Institute. As a young woman in the early 1950’s, she became a teacher at Fagaitua Elementary School.

In 1954, Susana married A.P. Lutali, a former teacher and public school administrator. When A.P. was elected Governor of the territory in 1985, and then re-elected in 1989, the she became American Samoa’s First Lady. She was also during her husband’s re-election, from 1993 to 1997. In her role as First Lady, the former teacher led the way for numerous landscape beautification programs throughout the island. She established committees of women who planted new trees and ornamental shrubs along the roadsides, and many of those originally planted can found found throughout the territory today. She also initiated many renovations to the Governor’s Mansion, called Maugaoali’i, and operating the governor’s residence in high style. Susana became known for her elegant manner of dress, from her beautifully coifed hair to her tailored puletasis,  a traditional outfit worn by Samoan women, which she wore in nearly every public appearance while she served as First Lady.

Sadly, Susana Lutani was diagnosed with terminal cancer of the uterus in 2011. She succumbed to the disease on June 15, 2012. She was 80 years old. Her funeral was held at St. Paul’s Catholic Church and was buried next to her husband at their family compound in Illiili, American Samoa, on June 29, 2012.

English teacher Linda Baker also served in Maine State Senate

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Talented English teacher Linda Baker, now retired, also served in the Maine State Senate. Photo Credit: Linda Baker

Very often, talented educators make equally talented politicians. This is the case with Linda Baker, a high school English teacher who also served in the Maine State Senate.

Linda was born in 1948.  She graduated from the University of Southern Maine. In 2001, she qualified for the prestigious National Board Teacher Certification. Her career as an educator has spanned 31 years. Linda taught in public schools in Bath, Maine, from 1980 to 1985, and at Mt. Ararat High School in Topsham, Maine, from 1985 to 2011. She taught English, creative writing, and history. For five years she served as the Academic Coordinator at Mt. Ararat. In addition, she spent ten years working for Merrymeeting Adult Education. Today, she teaches an adult education course through the University College at Bath and Brunswick.

Linda inaugurated her career in local politics when she was elected to serve as a Selectwoman on the Topsham Town Council, where she served three years. In addition, she served eight years on the Topsham Finance Committee. In 2014, she was elected on the Republican ticket to represent District 23 in the Maine State Senate, a position she held for two years. While there, Linda served as the Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Marine Resources and as a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Insurance and Financial Services. During her tenure in the Maine State Senate, Linda sponsored a bill that would dock the pay of legislators that had a history of absenteeism. She also initiated legislation that would require school administrators to complete fifty hours of direct student instruction to renew their credential. And she was honored by Maine’s League of Conservation Voters for co-sponsoring the Kids Safe Products Act, a bipartisan bill which dealt with toxic chemicals.

In 2002, this Chalkboard Champion was honored with the World of Children Award given by the Girl Scouts of America. She still lives in Topsham, Maine.

Retired teacher and politician Chandler Woodcock of Maine

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Chandler Woodcock Photo Credit: National Fish Coalition

Many excellent educators are also successful politicians. A superb example of this is Chandler E. Woodcock, a high school English teacher and basketball coach who has also served his community as a state senator in Maine from 2000 to 2006.

Chandler was born in Mechanic Falls, Maine, and was raised in nearby Farmington. His father was a manager at the Forster Manufacturing Company. Both of Chandler’s parents served in the military during World War II; his father in the Army Air Corps and his mother in the US Marines.

During his boyhood, Chandler was elected president of his class several times.After he graduated from high school, he enlisted in the US Army and served a tour of duty during the Viet Nam War. When he returned from Viet Nam, Chandler enrolled in the University of Maine at Farmington, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Secondary bio2[1]Education. He then taught English for over 25 years in the public school system, serving at Livermore Falls High School, Mt. Blue High School, and the Skowhegan Area High School. At each school, this talented teacher served as the basketball coach, and he even led the Mt. Blue High School girls’ varsity team to two state championships.

“His teams were always excellent as far as sportsmanship, but they were very, very competitive,” commented former Bangor coach Tom Tennet. “Chandler wants to beat you, and I think you could see that in how hard Chandler’s teams played. I think it was a reflection on him,” Tennet continued.

In adition to his teaching career, Chandler served five years on the Board of Selectment in Farmington, one of those years as the Chairman of the Board, before being elected to the Maine State Senate in 2000. During his first term, the former educator served on the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee and the Legal and Veterans’ Affairs Committee. During his second term, he served as Assistant Senate Republican Leader and on the Judiciary Committee.

In January, 2009, Chandler became the executive director of the Maine Harness Horsemen’s Association. With State Representative Tom Saviello of Wilton, Chandler is also the co-host of a public-access television talk show on Mt. Blue Community Access TV entitled “Talkin’ Maine with the Bow Tie Boys.” Both Chandler and his co-host are known locally for wearing bow ties.

Job well done, Chandler.