When I left The Press-Sentinel 17 years ago to return to the classroom, I learned a very valuable lesson quickly. For 15 years at the paper, I had always worked hard, met deadlines, and tried to turn out quality work. However because of a new job, I made my contributions to one last issue and left. Believe it or not, the next issue full of news came out on time. There were no blank spaces left because I wasn’t there to fill them.
Thereafter, the newspaper continued to thrive as well without me as with me.
Of course, I still feel as if I made a contribution both to Wayne County and the newspaper when I worked there. And maybe at the time I was a vital part of the publication. As I reflect, I realize that I was the one who benefitted the most from my endeavors. Everyday was a learning experience for me; everyday I honed skills I still use; everyday I felt satisfaction in the work I did.
And so once again, as I retire from a second career of teaching, I am experiencing many of the same emotions. So many people have asked me how I feel about retiring. Am I sad? Am I glad? Am I counting the days? Well, first of all I was too busy to count the days. Added to the usual end of the year tasks, we packed to move to the new school. I felt that I could make the moving job easier for others if the countless boxes of books and papers were boxed and labeled for the appropriate classrooms. Since I was leaving, they didn’t all go to the room that might have been mine if I had stayed. Thankfully, the journalism students, troopers that they are, jumped to the task of boxing, counting, labeling, and stacking.
Am I sad? Of course. I have loved working with young people and watching them grow in their abilities and in their beliefs that they are capable people. They are. Working with the journalism students challenged me daily. They are bright, creative, talented, always full of new ideas to make our products better. Although they have respected the traditions of the program, like keeping the yearbook theme a secret until yearbook day, I’ve never heard this group of students say that they could not change their line of thought because we’ve always done it a certain way. While they may not embrace change for change’s sake, they are not afraid of change. They, too, see it as a challenge.
Although the alumni of the WCHS journalism program have made up a very viable part of my teaching career, I have taught many more students in English classes. Likewise, as these students began to realize how important language arts skills are to their lives, I found great satisfaction. At the beginning of each school year, I have always introduced myself as the crazy old lady who carries more keys than the janitor, who takes her glasses off to read, and who expects them to write everyday. I will miss the interaction with these students. They have kept me young in mind and spirit.
Am I glad? I am so glad I returned to the classroom. From using language arts skills daily at the newspaper, I had really learned the importance of English instruction and I returned with a passion to teach not only what I had learned through school, but also through usage. The powers that be know that mastering the language is important; they require every student in Georgia to study secondary English for four years. Although many of our students study four years in other academic and vocational disciplines of their choice, the state of Georgia mandates that everyone study English every year that they are in high school and I am glad.
I am glad that future WCHS students will have a beautiful new facility in which to learn. I’m just sorry that it took so long to finish and I didn’t have a chance to reside there for a while.
Personally, I am glad. While I have usually been satisfied with my place in life and rarely chased change, I have found each new experience in my life an opportunity to learn. I love learning. And so, I anticipate having more time to learn what I want to learn at my pace. Hopefully, I will continue to have opportunities to share those lessons with others.
I have been overwhelmed by the many cards, kind words and more than generous gifts. I appreciate everyone who has said that they will miss me at WCHS. From my previous experience, I know no one will miss me as much as I will miss them. I assure you school will continue with everyone making an effort to provide our fine young people of Wayne County a very good education.
If I ever doubted the validity of those words, a chance encounter recently reinforced my perspective. I met a woman who started the conversation, “You’re Jamie Denty.”
“Yes,” I replied.
“You’re the grandmother of...”
She paused so long that since we were in Jesup, I added the names of our two grandsons in town. I was ready to offer the names of our five other grandchildren if she needed them.
“No, you’re the grandmother to their new puppy! I’m its mother.”
Thank you. I needed that.
2002
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