Tag Archives: Veterans

Alexander Kerr Craig: Teacher, politician, Civil War vet, and

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Teacher, Civil War veteran, and member of the United States House of Representatives Alexander Kerr Craig. Photo credit: Public Domain.

Many times talented educators serve their country valiantly, and also distinguish themselves in the political arena. Such is the case with Alexander Kerr Craig, a teacher from Claysville, Pennsylvania, who also served his country as a Civil War veteran. He was also elected to the US House of Representatives.

Alexander Craig was born near Claysville, Buffalo Township in Washington County, Pennsylvania, on February 1, 1828. As a young boy, he attended local common schools and was educated by a private tutor. He was only 16 years old when he became a teacher in his community, conducting classes during the winter months. Later he worked as a principal in Claysville public schools. During these years, he also studied law and engaged in agricultural pursuits.

In February, 1865, after the Civil War broke out, Alexander enlisted on the Union side in the Eighty-Seventh Regiment, Company H, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He was mustered in on March 13, 1865, and mustered out on June 29, 1865. After the completion of his military service, Alexander returned to his home town of Claysville, where he resumed his career as an educator by serving as a school director and the justice of the peace.

Many years later, Alexander was elected on the Democratic ticket to represent Pennsylvania in the 52nd United States Congress, where he served from February 26, 1892, until he passed away on July 29, 1892, at the age of 64. He is buried in Claysville Cemetery.

To read more about Alexander Kerr Craig, follow this link to the US House of Representatives.

Immigrant Jorge Pulleiro named 2021 Idaho Teacher of the Year

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Jorge Pulleiro, who immigrated to the United States from Argentina, has been named the 2021 Idaho State Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Idaho State Department of Education.

I enjoy sharing stories about talented educators who have earned recognition for their dedication to their students. One of these is Jorge Pulleiro, a middle school teacher who has been named the 2021 Idaho State Teacher of the Year.

The honored educator, who was born in Argentina, overcame many obstacles to achieve his goal of becoming a teacher. His father died when he was a youngster, and his mother didn’t go to school beyond the third grade. But even as a teenager, Jorge knew the value of education. He began to rehearse his teacher strategies at the age of 16, and by 18 he was tutoring Argentinian high school students in English. Two years later, he immigrated to the United States when he won a scholarship to Brigham Young University in Utah.

After his college graduation, Jorge spent six years in the US Army, from 1999 to 2005. He worked his way up the ranks to become an officer. During these years, he lived in Germany, and later he worked as a rear detachment commander during the war in Iraq. He left the service in 2005 and, through a program called Troops to Teachers, started teaching Spanish at Grant Union High School in John Day, Oregon. He relocated to the Blaine County School District in Idaho in 2012.

Today, Jorge teaches dual immersion (Spanish and Language Arts) to students in grades 6, 7, and 8 at Wood River Middle School in Hailey, Idaho. In addition to his work in the classroom, Jorge serves as the Department Head for the World Language Department, and he has served on various school-improvement teams. His career as an educator spans 27 years.

For his work in the classroom, Jorge has earned many accolades, in addition to his recognition as Idaho State Teacher of the Year, he was named a Spotlight Teacher by the Department of Defense, he has earned the attention of the White House, he garnered a Fulbright teacher exchange to Mexico, and he received the Loretta Wollet Award for Outstanding Teaching at the K-12 level.

Jorge earned his Bachelor’s degree in Spanish Translation and Interpretation from Brigham Young University. He earned a Master’s degree in Teacher Education from Eastern Oregon University, and a second Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Boise State University in Idaho.

To read more about this Chalkboard Champion, read this article published by the Idaho State Department of Education.

Chet Blalock: Teacher, veteran, and Montana State Senator

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Many talented educators have also made a name for themselves in the political arena. Such is the case for Chester Merle Blalock, better known as Chet Blaylock, a history teacher, veteran, and state senator from Montana.

Chet was born on Novembr 13, 1924, in Joliet, Montana. He served his country well as a member of the United States Navy during World War II. He earned four medals for his service in the South Pacific.

After the war, this heroic veteran earned his Bachelor’s degree in History in 1951 and his Master’s degree in Education in 1957, both from the University of Montana. He then worked as a teacher and school administrator for over 30 years in both Laurel and Chinook, Montana. He retired from the teaching profession in 1991.

During his long career as an educator, Chet served as a delegate to the Montana State Constitutional Convention in 1972, and as a member of the Montana State Senate from Laurel, Montana. He believed that every Montana child was entitled to a free, quality education, a livable environment, a good job, and affordable health care. He a spent a lifetime pursuing that objective.

In 1996, Chet became the nominee for governor of Montana. He ran on the Democratic ticket against incumbent Marc Racicot.  Sadly, on October 23, 1996, on his way to a debate with his opponent less than two weeks before the election, the former educator passed away of a heart attack at Deer Lodge, Montana. He was 71 years old. Chet Blalock was cremated and his ashes interred at Rockvale Cemetery in Rockvale, Montana. In his memory, a scholarship in the amount of $600 has been established to be awarded to a full-time student at Montana State University at Billings.

Francis Wayland Parker: Pioneer of the Progressive Movement in Education

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New Hampshire’s Francis Wayland Parker, educator and Civil War veteran, was a pioneer in the Progressive Movement in education.  Photo credit: Public Domain.

At the turn of the of the 20th century, one of the most celebrated pioneers of the Progressive Movement in education was Colonel Francis Wayland Parker of New Hampshire.

In a time when modern ideas were not popular, this innovative educator promoted a philosophy that education should not emphasize standardization, rote memorization, and isolated drill. Rather, he advocated a curriculum that addressed the development of the whole student, including the child’s intellectual, physical, and moral growth. He created a model program that was strong on language development and geared towards teaching students to think and make decisions independently. Today we would recognize his strategies as teaching critical thinking skills and creative problem-solving.

Francis Parker was born on October 9, 1837, in Bedford, New Hampshire. At the tender age of 16 he became the village teacher, and when the Civil War broke out seven years later, this young educator enlisted as a private in the 4th New Hampshire Volunteer Army. It wasn’t long before he was promoted to lieutenant, then to lieutenant colonel, and then to commander. In May, 1865, Colonel Parker was captured by Confederate forces and held as a prisoner of war in North Carolina.

When the war was over, this Civil War veteran resumed his teaching career, first as a classroom teacher, and then as a principal. In 1872, the continuously evolving educator traveled to Germany to study pedagogy at the Humboldt University of Berlin. When he returned, he became the coordinator of a highly-acclaimed teacher-training institution In Chicago, Illinois.

Colonel Parker is an American hero in so many ways, and is undoubtedly a Chalkboard Champion in the truest sense of the word. You can read more about this remarkable historical figure in my second book, Chalkboard Heroes: Twelve Courageous Teachers and Their Deeds of Valor, available from amazon.

PA’s Christine Houlahan: Educator, veteran, and politician

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Christine Houlahan of Pennsylvania: Educator, veteran, politician. Photo credit US Congress.

The Teach For America program has produced some very fine educators. One of these is Christine Houlahan, a high school science teacher from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She also serves as a representative in the US Congress.

Christine was born on June 5, 1967, at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. Her father was born to a Jewish family in Poland, and at age four, he emigrated to avoid the Holocaust. After serving as a naval aviator, he became a historian and author.

As a young woman, Christine completed the requirements for her Bachelor’s degree in Engineering at Stanford University in California in 1989. She earned her Master’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Christine also served three years in the United States Air Force and 13 years in the Air Force Reserve. She retired from the military in 2004 after earning the rank of captain.

After completing her military career, Christine accepted a job in the private sector. While there, she completed 40 hours of paid community service working with young girls in a local Science, Engineering, and Technology (STEM) program. Later she enrolled in the Teach for American program. Through this program, she taught eleventh grade chemistry and other science courses at Simon Gratz High School in Philadelphia.

After she left the Teach for America program, Christine joined Springboard Collaborative, a Philadelphia-based non-profit focusing on early childhood literacy in underserved populations nationwide. She served as both President and CFO/COO of that organization before leaving to focus on her political campaign.

In 2018, Christine was elected to the Democratic ticket to serve as a representative in the US Congress from Pennsylvania’s 6th District. During the one term that she served, her platform  included an emphasis on health care, campaign finance reform, and the creation of more jobs. She also stressed the importance of education, veterans’ affairs, and family issues. While in Congress, she was part of the House Armed Services Committee, the House Small Business Committee, and the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Christine Houlahan: Veteran, politician, and Chalkboard Champion