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Garrison |
Anne-Marie Garrison said she almost quit teaching her first year on the job.
She grew disenchanted with students at times because she didn't think they were trying hard enough.
"If my assistant principal hadn't helped me, I would not have stayed in teaching," she said.
That was in 1972. On Friday, Garrison cleaned out her classroom for the last time after 37 years as a middle school math teacher.
She's one of five Stafford Middle School teachers who retired at the end of this school year.
Garrison said she started at Stafford Junior High--now the Alvin York Bandy Administration Complex--when it served students in grades seven through nine. Prior to that, she was a mathematician at the Dahlgren naval base for three years.
She said she heard the teaching position opened up under unusual circumstances.
"I was told, and I do not know, that the person I replaced was fired for throwing erasers at the students," she said with a laugh.
The school system's assistant superintendent actually drove her to the school for an interview. That was back when the division had only a couple of junior highs and one high school, Garrison said.
"Everything was so different," she said.
For instance, she used an adding machine to average grades in 1972, she said. She had to divide the numbers by hand.
"Of course, now we put them all on the computer," she said.
Over the years, she said, students have pretty much stayed the same.
"Kids are kids," said Garrison, 62. "That to me hasn't changed as much as some people think it has."
Nowadays, however, kids seem to care more about their social lives, she said. Some will ask to go to the restroom so they can text-message friends, she said.
Still, it's the students who made the long hours worthwhile, Garrison said. She said she enjoys hearing about their accomplishments and occasionally hears from former pupils.
One former student, now a high-schooler, asked Garrison for her personal e-mail address so she could help him with math.
"It's seeing the children do well in life that makes a difference," Garrison said.
Stafford Middle Principal Steve Butters said Garrison served as the school's unofficial math coach for 30-some years. She always offered to help new teachers, he said.
"I've been here for nine years, and everyone has nothing but warm and endearing comments about her," Butters said.
Garrison said she'll spend more time with her three grandchildren in South Carolina now that she's retired.
And on the first day of school this fall, she plans to wake up as if she were still teaching. But she'll go to McDonald's instead of school.
She and other recent retirees will stand outside and wave to passing school buses.
"We're going to be there at 7:15 on the first day of school," Garrison said.
Jeff Branscome: 540/374-5402
Email: jbranscome@freelancestar.com
