Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor

Proud of our local teachers

Glory be! What a great article about the wonderful educators – our women of Gatesville ISD, Texas. I hope our Moms and Dads and citizens here know how fortunate we are to have these dedicated women in our schools to help our kids succeed in life.

I am a retired teacher and I know these ladies, even though I did not get to teach with each one. I do keep up with our schools, as I have family who are teachers, and teacher cousins, also.

So now I will brag on one teacher I know quite well because I had the pleasure of being her teacher, plus I taught with her mom, and her uncle, Dennis Taylor, who was my principal at the time. She won’t brag on herself, but I sure can! Mrs. Keegan Webb won the UIL contest in poetry against all the schools we participated with at that time. She received a standing ovation at the conclusion of her poem “Ear Rings.” I will never forget how great she was. I knew she would go far in whatever she chose to do. She just had the personality of success. Keegan, I am so proud of you – and here you are – a principal! Great! Thank you for being here in our school.

So, girls, let this be a stepping stone for you. Get your education, and maybe you will choose to be a teacher also. We always need teachers and we have come a long way to have a rewarding career. Our salary isn’t what it needs to be, but that aspect has come a long way too. The first year I taught, in 1966, I made $255 a month, but I loved teaching and I stuck it out – and I really enjoyed it – seeing improvement daily with my students. Kids are fun and they want to learn, and I must admit I learned a lot also – each child is different, but each have something to give.

Now boys – how about you consider being men teachers? We need you badly – what a reward you can make in a boy’s life.

In closing, congratulations to you women principals and teachers. I am so proud of you. I still miss teaching, but after 32 years I had to leave for various reasons. Time to let the younger ladies take over! Thank you, Gatesville community.

Sandra Tatum

Flat, Texas