Tag Archives: Teacher Politicians

Iowa’s Agnes Samuelson: The teacher that worked for better education for all students

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Iowa educator Agnes Samuelson

Many purposeful educators work to improve society as a whole. This is true of Agnes Samuelson, a teacher from Iowa who dedicated herself to improving education for all students.

Agnes was born on April 14, 1888, in Shenandoah, Iowa. Her parents were immigrants from Sweden. Agnes was the eldest of their seven children. By the time she graduated from high school in 1904, she had already determined to become a teacher. She came to this decision as a result of the many hours she spent helping Swedish immigrants in her community learn American culture and the English language.

After graduation, Agnes enrolled in a one-year program at Western Normal College in Shenandoah. In 1906, she inaugurated her career as an educator at a one-room country school house in Page County, two miles from Shenandoah. Over the next two years, the neophyte teacher instructed in several school in southwest Iowa. Eventually she landed at a high school in Silver City, Iowa, where she was both a teacher and the principal.

By 1913, Agnes had completed numerous courses at the University of Nebraska. That year, the ambitious educator was named Superintendent of Public Schools in Yorktown, Iowa. Two years late she was selected  to the position of Page County Superintendent of Schools. During her tenure, she updated the curriculum in rural schools, ensured that all schools in the country were equipped with textbooks, and established a program of professional development for the teachers in her district.

In 1923, Agnes accepted a position as a professor of extension courses at Iowa State Teachers College. She also pursued graduate courses at the State University of Iowa. There she earned a Bachelor’s degree in 1925 and her Master’s degree in 1928.

Eager to be of even further service, Agnes ran for State Superintendent of Public Instruction in 1926. She won! She served 12 years in the position. During those years, she campaigned for the adoption of a school-aid formula that provided equal education for all Iowa children, regardless of the property wealth in their home district.

In 1935, Agnes decided to shift gears. She left public office to become the Executive Secretary of the Iowa State Teachers Association, in 1945, she became the president of the National Education Association. To fulfill her responsibilities in this role, she relocated to Washington, DC.

For her lifetime of work improving the educational experiences of students in her state, Agnes was inducted posthumously into the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame in 1976. In addition, an elementary school in Des Moines has been named in her honor. In addition, she was a charter member of Delta Kappa Gamma (DKG), an organization for educators that was formed in 1929 to address issues of equality for women professionals in education.

This amazing Chalkboard Champion retired in 1952. In retirement, she authored several books and a school manual. She passed away on May 12, 1963, following a one-year battle with cancer. She was 76 years old.

To read more about Agnes Samuelson, follow this link to the Biographical Dictionary of Iowa.

US Representative and Home Economics teacher Elizabeth Andrews

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Former high school Home Economics teacher Elizabeth Andrews was the first woman to represent Alabama in the US House of Representatives. Photo credit: Encyclopedia of Alabama

Many talented educators also distinguish themselves in the political arena. One such educator is Elizabeth Andrews, a high school Home Economics teacher who became the first woman to represent Alabama in the US House of Representatives.

Elizabeth was born on February 12, 1911, in Geneva, Alabama.  After she graduated from high school, she enrolled at Montevallo College, now known as the University of Montevallo in Montevallo, Alabama. There she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Home Economics in 1932.

The neophyte educator inaugurated her career at a high school in Livingston, Alabama. During the Great Depression, she relocated to a teaching position in Union Springs to earn more money.

When Elizabeth’s husband, George William Andrews, ran for office in the 78th US Congress, she worked tirelessly for his campaign. He won the election, and was re-elected 13 times. When her husband passed away in 1971, Elizabeth ran on the Democratic ticket unopposed for his position representing the 3rd Congressional District. When she won the election, she became the first woman to represent her state in the US Congress until 2010.

While in office, Elizabeth served on the Committee for Post Office and Civil Service. She introduced legislation to protect benefits for Social Security and health care. She also threw her energy into funding research centers working for cures for cancer and heart disease. She sponsored legislation to designate Tuskegee University a National Historic Site. In addition, she supported withdrawal from the VietNam conflict.

Elizabeth retired from politics in 1973. She moved to Union Springs, Alabama, and became engrossed in local community affairs.

This Chalkboard Champion passed away on December 2, 2002, in Birmingham, Alabama. She was nearly 92 years old. She was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Union Springs.

To read more about this Elizabeth Andrews, see this article about her in the Encyclopedia of Alabama.

Teacher Angela McLean served as Montana Lieutenant Governor

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Former high school History and Government teacher Angela McLean also served as the Lieutenant Governor of the state of Montana.

Many talented educators also achieve success in the political arena. One of these is Angela McLean, a high school history and government teacher who became the Lieutenant Governor of the state of Montana. Angela was the first classroom teacher and only the second woman to serve in this position in Montana history.

Angela was born on August 19, 1970, In Twin Bridges, Montana. After she graduated from Twin Bridges High School, she earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Montana Western. She completed the requirements for her Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Montana Missoula. Angela was the first person in her family to graduate from college.

As a beginning teacher, Angela taught at Montana’s Arlee High School from 1994 to 1997. She taught at Anaconda High School from 1997 until she was appointed Lieutenant Governor on February 17, 2014. She held the position until 2016. At the time of her appointment, Angela was the chairwoman of the Montana Board of Regents, a position she held from 2012 to 2014. She also served on the Montana Board of Public Education and as an adjunct professor at Montana Tech of the University of Montana. After she left office, Angela served in the position of director of American Indian and minority achievement in the office of the state commissioner of higher education.

This remarkable educator credits her former teachers for her adult successes. “As a high schooler waiting tables at the Blue Anchor Cafe, it would have been hard for me to imagine one day becoming Lieutenant Governor – but great teachers and the support of my friends, my community, and my family have made today possible for me,” she said on the day she was appointed. These teachers “made me believe the sky was the limit,” she continued. “I think, even at times when the challenges I felt were so overwhelming that I might not have believed it, they made me see it. So I hope that somewhere along the line I made a difference in the lives of my students the way the teachers in my life made a difference.”

To learn more about this Chalkboard Champion, see this link at Milken Educator Awards.com.

Junior high school teacher and former Arizona State Senator Ann Day

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Junior high school teacher and former Arizona State Senator Ann Day.

Many talented classroom teachers also earn success in the political realm. An excellent example of this is Ann Day, a public school teacher from Arizona who also served in her State Senate.

Ann was born Eleanor Ann Day in El Paso, Texas, on August 10, 1938. She was the daughter of a pioneering ranching family. Ann grew up on the ranch that was established by her grandfather in 1880. Ann was the sister of Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education from Arizona State University in 1970. She completed the requirements for her Master’s degree in Counseling and Guidance from the University of Arizona in 1972.

After earning her degrees, Ann taught in junior high schools in the Alhambra School District in Phoenix. She also accepted assignments as a substitute teacher in the Tucson Unified School District in Tucson. Ann also worked as a marriage and family therapist for the Pima County Conciliation Court (1972 to 1982).

From 1990 to 2000, Ann served in the Arizona State Senate. She was elected on the Republican ticket. While in office, the former teacher served as Majority Whip. While in office, Ann was a member of the Judiciary Committee; the Commerce, Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee; and the Rules Committee. Later she served on the Pima County Board of Supervisors (2000 to 2012). In addition, Ann served on the Arizona Industrial Commission.

As a politician, the former teacher had a reputation for being politically moderate. She was a staunch advocate for the rights of cancer patients to clinical trials and for reforms in the HMO industry. She is also credited with helping to bring semi-pro soccer to Tucson.

In her spare time, Ann was involved with the community with organizations such as Tucson Junior League, the Arizona Historical Society, and the State Liquor Board.

Sadly, this Chalkboard Champion was killed in an automobile accident near Tucson on May 7, 2016. The accident was triggered by a drunk driver. Anne was 77 years old.

To learn more about Ann Day, read her obituary at Find a Grave.

French teacher and state legislator Judy Paradis of Maine

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French teacher and state legislator Judy Paradis of Maine.

There are many fine educators who have also achieved success in the world of politics. One of these is Judy Paradis, a French teacher in Maine who also served in both her state’s House of Representatives and the Senate.

Judy was born on January 17, 1944, in St. Agatha, Aroostook County,  Maine. Her parents were French Canadians. As a young girl, Judy learned to speak both English and Acadian French fluently.

After completing her secondary education in the Catholic-sponsored Saint Agathe Schools with the Daughters of Wisdom, Judy earned her degree in French at the University of Maine, Fort Kent, in 1969. The school honored her with an Outstanding Alumni Award in 1995.

Judy inaugurated her 14-year career as a politician in 1986. It was then that she was elected on the Democratic ticked to represent Madawaska in the Maine House of Representatives. She served there from 1986 to 1992. She represented her home town in the Maine State Senate from 1992 to 1994. For her work in the legislature, Judy garnered a Toll Fellowship from the National Council of State Legislatures. In addition, she earned the Maine Education Association Medal of Honor for her successful battle to secure tenure rights for all teachers in the state.

Once she left the legislature, Judy accepted a position as a French teacher at Wisdom Middle and High School. Wisdom Middle and High School opened in the Fall, 1965. The school was named in honor of the Daughters of Wisdom, who opened the first public schools and were the first teachers to be hired by the town of St. Agathe in 1905. The sisters taught in the St. Agatha schools until 1973 when the last nun left. Judy also taught French courses at Madawaska High School. Madawaska is a public secondary school that serves students from the towns of Madawaska, Saint David, and Grand Isle. Adult education programs are also taught there.

For her tireless work as an educator and as a legislator, Judy was inducted into the Maine Women’s Hall of Fame in 2005. To read more about this Chalkboard Champion, click on this link to the article published about her on the website for the University of Maine, Augusta.