Dr. Alma Freeland: REMEMBERED TEACHERS AND SUBJECTS IN TYLER HIGH SCHOOL - Smith Co, TX Contributed by Dr. Alma Moore Freeland Submitted by East Texas Genealogical Society P. O. Box 6967, Tyler, TX 75711 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ***************************************************************** Memories of School Days in Tyler and Some Smith County Schools 1898-1951 By Alma Moore Freeland (1904-1991) A copy of this book is in the Tyler Public Library. Permission has been given by Jerry Moore, nephew, to publish articles from this book in the Smith County TXGenWeb Archives. REMEMBERED TEACHERS AND SUBJECTS IN TYLER HIGH SCHOOL From the pages of MY MEMORY BOOK I find many stories and records I wrote over fifty years ago about my school days in-Tyler High. The feelings I had then seem to have survived intact, and I find it most satisfying to review now my descriptions of my favorite teachers and subjects--the latter not always a great source of pleasure. This is what I found in the Memory Book about-- History credit for four years. My old stand-by it seems. History has always been my fairyland! I simply revel in it. Give me a history book and I shall need no one to entertain me. I took Ancient History first-- in my freshman year. Miss Alice Douglas was the teacher . . . such a dear, sweet teacher. May I ever remember that year! (How I "used" that background when I went to Greece, Rome, and other lands I had discovered during those days with Miss Alice and when I developed the Workbooks for George's history series--New Frontier Social Science Books in the 1937-44 years.) Modern History I took next (in my sophomore year). I do not believe I enjoyed that year as much, but not because I didn't have a good teacher, Mr. R. J. Ratliff, principal of the high school when I graduated. Then English History!!! The very name sends a rush of thoughts and memories through my mind. Talk about happy days! I shall be content if I enjoy my future life as much as I enjoyed that year with Miss Adele Henderson, one of the kindest, most intelligent, capable teachers I ever had. Then in my senior year--American History. No wonder I enjoyed it; no wonder it was entertaining with such a clever, witty, intelligent and knowledgeable history teacher. There was only one Georgia Cooper (Jones). English credit for four years; Public Speaking for one semester. I loved English equally as much as I did history and Latin. Miss Frances Eaton and Mrs. Gertrude Lipstate were my eighth grade teachers; I loved both of them dearly. Miss Mary Felsing made the work so interesting in my sophomore year; a dear, lovely teacher-- beautiful red hair! Then came my third year! I know I shall forget some things and some people, but I shall never forget English with Miss Mattie L. Jones. I regard it as one of the most precious Privileges of my life to have had her as a teacher. I am unable to say adequately what she has been to me or what influence her teaching has had upon my life. May I ever feel the influence of her sweet and modest life throughout MY own life. May I never forget her! May I always be true to her expectations. Yes, sixty years have gone by and I still remember her. Too, I am not the only one whose life felt the influence of Miss Mattie. She became a legend in her own time and I suspect if a poll were taken, she would be named the "most unforgettable" teacher ever to have taught in Tyler High School. Lucille Mardock wrote a most interesting story about Miss Mattie in the Smith County Historical Chronicles, Vol. 13, No. 2, Winter 1974. Mathematics - Algebra two years; plane geometry one year. I certainly did not "sparkle" in this area of learning. Mr. Stillwell was my first algebra teacher; I made my one and only "C" in the course; I had the "flu" and the long absence at the beginning of the term made it hard for me to "catch on." Mr. Bingham and Mrs. Storey tried to help me, but it was mostly a "no-win" deal. I never really liked it; however, plane geometry, though very difficult at first, turned out to be rather enjoyable under my very competent teacher, Mrs. R. G. Storey. Latin three years. I have spent many happy days in my Latin classes. Words cannot enumerate the many different ways Latin has helped me; I shall never regret the hours I spent in studying about Caesar, Cicero, Catiline, Pompey, Horace, Marius and Sulla. Mr. Ratliff was my first teacher; Miss Mettie Rogers my second and last. Can I ever forget them?--not if I tried. Miss Rogers was so helpful; her brother lived next door to us, and we kept up with her after I graduated. In fact, it seems she is in a nursing home in Tyler. I recalled my Latin when I visited Rome! Domestic Art one year. Oh, dear what perfectly lovely, jolly times we had, in our sewing class. All of my best $opals" were in there; Miss Alice Douglas was our teacher. Domestic Science one half year. I enjoyed those four and one half months immensely. Miss Mary Walker became our teacher after Mrs. Helm left. I wish Miss Walker could have been with us longer. She was one of the most thoughtful and gracious teachers I ever had. She seemed to understand her studentsl We all wanted to imitate her manners and her clothes. She was so beautiful; but never married. I feel that I was most fortunate in that I lived MY high school days during a time period when there were excellent teachers, teachers who knew their subject matter and cared for their students. Too, it was a period when much was expected of teachers and much respect was given them. It was a profession that young people, especiallY young women, aspired to attain as their life's work. Much was also expected of the students; they and their families recognized the value of a "good education." Families sacrificed greatly so that their children might attain at least a high school education; a college degree was a goal often sought by the more gifted ones. No government aid was expected or even desired. Young people and their families wanted the opportunity only; they knew success meant sacrifice, hard work.