
Today was the first day of school in this neighborhood.

From my Grandmother Charlotte Rowley Van Sickle’s Rockford High School Annual 1906. I started reading the faculty pages of my grandmothers high school yearbook. I noticed none of the women were married.
And then I went to Find- a -Grave Memorial Search.
Miss Flora Eddy was the head of the local Woman’s Suffrage movement I don’t know what subject she taught, though.










There are too many Louis Cooper listings even with Harvard and All American Track Team as a clue

A special birthday wish for a good friend, blog follower, dog lover (actually all animals) and former colleague. Bonnie! We taught together at Greenfield School.
And we worked the After School Program together for about 5 years. I can’t tell you how many students she taught to swim.
Another of our friends hosted a fun surprise party and we gathered together to honor Bonnie as she celebrates 75!

May your birthday wish come true.
Here’s Bonnie surrounded by former colleagues and friends. Surprise!
Arleen took the one on the left so I could be in it, too. Thanks Arleen.
Happy Birthday Bonnie. Love, Rutie
Greenfield Elementary School, Pittsburgh PA Veteran’s Day Dinner.
Breaking bread together. It’s an annual event. One that former prinicpal BJ (Brent Johnson) looks forward to all year.
Lots of conversation,good food, catching up.
Here’s the group. Photographed by our server Daniel McCormick at Mitchell’s Fish Market, Waterfront, Homestead PA. November 5, 2014
The youngest member has taught at Greenfield for 25 years already and is still teaching third grade.
I was the art teacher for 9 years.
There are just four of us in the trenches still, two at Greenfield now. See below.
All of others have retired although a couple go in to substitute. And there are a couple of spouses in the shot.
Thanks Daniel for photographing us after the dinner. I’ll get an exact total of years taught.
Lara and Josie still at Greenfield K-8.
It’s hard to keep this friend anonymous since her name is on the cake. In chocolate letters!
Ellen is a blog follower and I hope she doesn’t mind….
Colleagues, family and friends gathered together to honor Ellen today. Effusive praise and accolades aren’t what Ellen would wish for but let me just say – there are thousands of students who have benefitted from having been taught by her in her classroom.
I didn’t see the smiley face on the cake until I looked at the photos.
Jean-Marc Chatellier baked this and decorated it so beautifully. It tasted delicious, too.
(You remember the colorful macarons?)
Enjoy your retirement Ellen. You deserve every happiness! A job well done.