dona's 365

Short, plump and blonde, Georgianne taught 4th grade at the same Catholic school I taught for a few years in the late 1980's. She had a secret past from her teaching assistant days in the public schools. We spent countless hours after school talking, but she never revealed that one secret.

My very first teaching job began as a long-term substitute for Sr. Jane. When she returned, I stayed on as a co-teacher in her classroom. I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor. She was knowledgeable, funny, and caring. She gave advice in a way that didn’t seem like advice.

Until I’d met Sr. Margaret, I didn’t realize that nuns could be vain. Not that she primped or anything, but she refused to tell her age. When I mentioned that my mom remembered her from high school, she seemed distressed, and swore me to secrecy. Oops, the cat’s out now.

Howard taught 4th grade on the other side of the retractable wall from Carolyn and me. We got the special Ed kids, he got the ESOL kids. Howard and I used to talk for hours after school. He introduced me to Michael Franks, I played some Dan Bern for him.