Butch Recalls Teaching A Great Group of Kids

After I had returned to Purdue and earned my teacher’s license, I began teaching at Darlington in the fall of 1972. I had been a student there all 12 years, graduating in 1966, so it was just like coming home. I taught 5th, 6th, and 7th grade social studies and elementary PE. My little sister was in my 7th grade class, and my little brother was in my PE class…and Dad was a bus driver and the school custodian! My high school principal, Randy Quimby, was still in charge, and my favorite junior high teacher, Anna Faye Stevenson, still taught English and math in the room next to mine. Former beloved teacher Lucille Cox, along with two of my favorite elementary school teachers, Audrey Cox and her sister Tessie Stwalley, often substituted, and it was always great to see them again…and yes, all three ladies still gave me hugs!

   Because of the large number of students at that time, most of the grades had been divided up into two classes. However, the students in my sixth grade class were still together as one class…a total of 32 pupils. The great thing about teaching then was that I knew the parents of each student. Here is the class roster: Carol Mullen, Susie Alexander, Roger Smith, Billy Hollingsworth, Terri Dowell, Phil Hampton, Diana Bradshaw, Kim Paddack, Kevin Holt, Paula Riggins, Camilla Cox, Vonica Elmore, Eric Shahan, Carl Gleason, Debbie Smith, Janet Parker, Kevin Winger, Stu Weliever, Louie McRoberts, Patty Brown, Ronnie Edwards, Kathy Binford, Charlie Sears, Greg Lough, Randy Harshbarger, Kristen Woody, Debbie Tipton, Beth Kincaid, Denise Rash, Ellen Funk, Terri Morgan and Dave Stout.

    The school had been built in 1913, was heated with steam radiators, and of course had no air conditioning…but no one complained. One winter day, my room was getting a little stuffy, so I asked Stu Weliever to raise one of the windows to let in a little cold air. As he attempted to raise the lower portion, the entire window and wood frame fell outside, crashing on the ground next to the subway band room! Stu stared at me in disbelief. I looked down below to see the band teacher, Ernie Brown, poking his head out the window and looking up at me with a puzzled expression on his face. My room cooled off very nicely that afternoon!

   The sixth grade social studies class had to learn all of the states and capitals, oceans, rivers, mountains, etc. When it came to the states and capitals, most of the students had those memorized in a short time; however, there were three or four kids who had some trouble. I made the entire class take the states and capitals test every day until EVERYONE scored 100 per cent. This placed peer pressure on those who were not as studious or diligent, and it worked. I also made everyone learn the Preamble to the Constitution, the Equality Clause of the Declaration of Independence, the Star-Spangled banner, the Presidents (in chronological order), and the most difficult…the Gettysburg Address. Yes, it took some time, but you should have seen the smiles on their faces when each student accomplished all of these and received their A+.

   The school had a movie projector, and I ordered a few films from WVEC in Lafayette to show in class. I also showed a few filmstrips from the school library, and had the students take turns reading the script for each frame. These were educational and provided a break from normal class routine. We kept up on current events, and I also spent a week going over the history of Darlington and Montgomery county. One afternoon we walked uptown for a tour of the businesses, and at the National Guard armory, the officer gave the class a history of the local unit. On another spring afternoon, we walked to the Greenlawn cemetery, where the kids could see the names on the stones of relatives and local historical figures. One day the kids loaded up in Dad’s bus, and we proceeded to the covered bridge, where I told of its history. Suffice it to say, none of these topics or activities were in the class agenda, but I thought they were important.

    That sixth grade class was separated into sections the next year, and went on to graduate from high school in 1979. I enjoyed teaching all of my students through the years, but that group of kids reminded me of my own class when I was a student. The kids had a good attitude and got along well with each other. Most all of them went on to have successful lives in various occupations…as teachers, nurses, lawyers, business men and women, farmers, skilled workers, managers, etc. Although a few moved away from the community, many still live here in the county, and I enjoy seeing them now and then. And guess what, most of them still know their states and capitals…and a few can even recite those famous passages they had to learn 52 years ago! But it is very difficult for me to believe that those little kids who were in my sixth grade class are now 63 years old! How did that happen?

John “Butch” Dale is a retired teacher and County Sheriff. He has also been the librarian at Darlington the past 35 years, and is a well-known artist and author of local history.