November 18-24
I think teachers are a special sort, don’t you? They live their lives doing good deeds, one after the other, with very little recognition. I think in the past year, in the midst of this pandemic, with its school closures and online learning, we have all realized the great work that teachers do.
There have been several teachers in my family. In my last post, I wrote about my great-grandmother, Theoline Soland, and three of her siblings who were teachers.
My grandmother, Vida Gard Wells, and her sister, Dola Gard Strong, were also teachers. Looking through my digital files, I found an interesting newspaper article about my Aunt Dola and her years as teacher in the Los Angeles School district.
The text reads:
“Born too late” lament of kids at Dalia Hts.
“Gee, I wish I could have had her! Why couldn’t she wait another year?” said many a Dahlia Heights School youngster. With the close of the school year, June 15, comes the end of the teaching career of Mrs. Dola G. Strong, one of the best-remembered and most-loved teachers in the Los Angeles school system.
Mrs. Strong, Sixth grade teacher and music director at Dahlia Heights Elementary School for the past 14 years, will have completed 40 years in the East District schools.
A graduate of Second Street Elementary School, near which she has lived for the past 50 years, Mrs. Strong proceeded through Polytechnic High School and UCLA. She was at one time president of the Los Angeles Music Teachers’ Association, and member of the Cecilian singers, when that group was under the direction of Louis W. Curtis.
Dahlai Heights Principle, Mrs. Lily Griffin, says of her, “She has made enduring friendships; pupils remember her long after they leave.”
Special Help
“The slow-working ones, the ones with problems, the ones who need extra work to keep their interest–she has the knack of winning their confidence.” Also, said Mrs. Griffin, “Mrs. Strong has never been too busy to help new teachers.”
A tea will be held in Mrs. Strong’s honor on Sunday, June 3, from 3 to 5 at Dahlia Heights, by the members of the PTA. All her friends and well-wishers are invited.
Upon retiring, Mrs. Strong and her husband, who retired two years ago from Lockheed Aircraft Co., will move to their ranch near Palmdale.
Aunt Dola certainly was known for her good deeds in the classroom and in her school environment.
In the same folder with the article about Aunt Dola, there was also a wonderful article about her sister, my grandmother, Vida Gard Wells.
The text reads:
TEACHER OF THE WEEK VIDA WELLS
Children need kindness and understanding, in a classroom, as well as at home. These two important factors are as necessary to a child’s mental health (or more so) as is the acquisition of knowledge and the learning of skills.
Often a teacher’s personality is the meduim through which warm wholesome relationships between teacher and pupils can be developed and maintained.
At Miramonte, Mrs. Vida Wells, of room 23, a veteran teacher, not only instructs the children in the 3 R’s but adds the “extra something” which to the children is love, or kindness, or just plain understanding; “something” which makes them happy and inspires them!
There’s a “homey” atmosphere in room 23, a sort of a “big family idea” with Mrs. Wells playing the dual role of tacher and mother. It’s even more interesting to hear Mrs. Wells say, “I have always thought of my class as a big family and I their ‘other mother’ while at school. I have tried to live by the Golden Rule and encourage the children to do the same. Kindness had always been one of my objectives… it goes a long way with children.”
During her teaching service, Mrs. Wells has taught in several grades as well as in a variety of subject matter. However her interest in youth has not been confined to the classroom or to her own family envirens. She has devoted much time and energy to Children’s Camps. “I feel that camp life does wonders for children,” says Mrs. Wells.
A cheerful friendly person, Mrs. Wells is a native Angeleno. All her schooling also was received in Los Angeles including her college studies at UCLA. She recieved her A.B. degree, however, at Santa Barbara State and has done graduate work at USC. Incidentally she attended the Second Street school and Polytechnic high school in Los Angeles.
A charter member of the Native Daughters of the Golden West, Mrs. Wells also belongs to the Rebekah lodge.
During the coming summer, the Wells family plans a trip “back east” with a possible tour of parts of the United States and Canada in mind. And it’s practically a certainty that Mrs. Wells’ fifth-grade will get an “extra something” to enrich their social studies unit on the United States, next fall.
Nanna certainly was loved and known for her good deeds, wasn’t she?
I find it interesting that both Vida and Dola were teachers, and very good ones, in the same school district. Occasionally, in a letter or a note, I hear hints of competitiveness. Which wouldn’t be unusual for siblings, would it?
My brother, Richard, has been scanning hundreds of photos from our mother’s belongings, and recently he found a set which is probably from Vida’s trip across the country in the summer of 1954.
Maybe a possibility for another blog post?
‘Til next time.
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