A Most Unforgettable Teacher
And My Gratitude to Her
She was not imposing physically. She was rather short and unassuming in her appearance, but everyone at school knew Mrs. Kelly meant business!
She was a fierce advocate of the English language and demanded much of her students. If one used incorrect English, that had to be corrected before the discussion could continue.
In schools today, it seems students demand that things go their way. In Mrs. Kelly’s class, it was her show.
I got a C- in her 7th grade English class and learned more than in any class I took in 12 years of public school. When I went to college, freshman English was a recap of what I learned in her class. In fact, it did not delve as deeply into the subject as her class.
I will forever be grateful to her for the knowledge and discipline I learned there. You may not be able to name many of your teachers years after you graduate, but there are teachers you never forget. She is possibly my most memorable.
My family moved to another town when I was in 9th grade. I wish I had visited and thanked her while she was alive. This article will have to do, although I suspect other former students told her how much they appreciated her.
