On International Women’s Day, I am grateful for the many strong women who have been role models in my life.
My maternal Grandmother, Alma, went to Berea College (KY) in 1926 and was accepted due to her history of growing up in Appalachia and having good grades in high school. She was the only member of her family (12 children,10 who survived to adulthood) to attend and complete college.
Think about that. A woman going to college in the 1920’s!
She met my Grandfather, Demmaree, when she got her very first teaching job in a one-room schoolhouse in Somerset, KY. They met at a pie contest – he figured out which pie she baked and then bought the pie so he could eat it with her. They were married when he was 18 and she was 19 and were together for 65+ years.
My Grandmother was a pioneer in the methods of using project-based learning with her students and individualizing instruction to teach reading. Many of her students came back to the elementary school in Ohio to celebrate her retirement. They told her that she was their favorite teacher and credited her for their success in adult life.
My Grandmother was a huge inspiration to my sisters and me and had an outlasting impact on our lives. She had so many traits that guide me today:
- Respectful of and to others.
- Kind-hearted and nurturing.
- Positive. She made me believe I could do anything if I set my mind to it.
- She never swore. In fact, I rarely saw her get angry at anyone. (I’m still working on this one 😉)
- A listener. She listened intently and asked questions.
She was my hero. We still tell stories about her!
I dedicate this post to all the brave women who have guided me in my life. Thank you.
