In the early 1970s, a terrified six-year-old girl stepped into a classroom on her first day of first grade. In those days, kindergarten was optional. Because her dad worked long hours building a business, she was mostly raised by a stay-at-home mom with the help of a grandmother who lived next door. The child had never been left with anyone she didn’t know. But there she was, standing alone in a room full of strangers. Having two older siblings, she knew about school but did not know what it was like. On the brink of tears, she took a seat at her assigned desk.
The teacher, a beautiful, sweet lady with blonde hair and a kind voice, stepped up to a big green chalkboard and began to write. The markings were strange to the little girl, and she didn’t understand the instructions. Panic set in. She didn’t know what she was supposed to do. The teacher instructed her students to match the numerals one through five with the corresponding word for each number. The little girl couldn’t read. Not a single word. I’m unsure if she even knew the alphabet, much less recognized a letter in print. The third of four children, she had not yet learned to read or write, which was not uncommon for the time. It was then that the dam broke. She cried because she couldn’t complete the task. As a middle child and a people pleaser, she felt unprepared. She felt “less than.”
Another adult might have responded differently to a crying child, or ignored it completely, but in her wisdom, this teacher approached the little girl, bent down to eye level, and shared a few soft words that slowed her tears and quieted her fears. Her words have been lost over the years, but the kindness, reassurance and encouragement she offered that day, and the entire year, were powerful enough to leave a lasting impression. That first grade teacher was Susan Hoggard. I was that little girl.
I often wonder if my first grade experience at Sallie Cone Elementary School in Conway had gone poorly, would I have hated school? Would I have worked as hard to make the honor roll, or would I have given up? I am so thankful I’ll never know. Susan Hoggard, who had a stellar career in education, was the first of many extraordinary teachers in my life. But it seems appropriate to name her since she’s the one who taught me to read and write. She empowered me with a foundation on which to build a life…