I graduated from Baldwin High School in 1977 with a full ride scholarship in music education from Emporia State University. However, instead I decided to get married. I worked as a loan teller, a gas station clerk, and for Dillons in middle management. All was well for several years.
One specific day was brutal. I had a customer who wanted to send $5000 dollars overseas. He didn’t believe women should be in the workforce nor touch a male. He threw all $5000 over the counter at me, in order to avoid touching me. I went home and decided I really did want to become a teacher.
I called my mom a couple days later to tell her. I decided to quit my job at Dillons and go to school full time. I could not work part time using my 401k. My mother told me “No, I could not.” No, she did not mean I wasn’t capable, just that it would be hard.
So, I decided to go parachuting. I figured if I didn’t die I could quit my job. I started college at 34.5 years old. Years later I graduated from Ottawa University, Cume Laude. For 23 years I have taught at the school I graduated from. I also earned my Master Degree from Baker. Including all my college classes I have ten years of school. My dad used to tell me “You finally found something you are really good at, but you have to pay to do it.”