The Teacher is the Key-Introduction

My Aunt Clara was the consummate teacher. Her parents were Italian immigrants (rumors are my Grandfather was fleeing from a little incident in Sicily with the "Black Hand" aka the mob!). Born in 1910, she broke all the stereotypes of her era by attending Miami of Ohio, graduating top of her class in 1932. After graduation, she returned to the Cleveland area and taught Junior High School. She LOVED her kids, she LOVED her profession. She LOVED learning.

In the late 1930's and 40's, my Aunt attended THE Ohio State University and earned her doctorate after which she took a position at Western Michigan University in the Teacher Education Department. She taught Philosophy and for 27 years became an inspiration to a generation of dedicated educators.

Aunt Clara died in 1994, but before she passed she wrote a final essay on the state of the institution she loved so much and dedicated her life to; public schools. The essay was titled The Teacher is the Key. I will be proud to share her insights with you in subsequent postings.

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