My Favorite Teacher

MY FAVORITE TEACHER

By Larry Delano Coleman

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Her name was Mrs. Bernadine Smith Davis. She was my fourth grade teacher at James Milton Turner Elementary School in Meachem Park, Missouri. Rumor had it that she had been specially brought in to tame our precocious class of third graders. This rumor has never been substantiated. One thing that I can personally substantiate, however, is that on the first day of school in the 1960-1961 academic year, in the Kirkwood School District, she called me, by name, to the front of the class and proceeded to whip my ass with a highly polished mahogany paddle, which she held in her white-gloved right hand.

As whippings went, at that time, it was fairly standard. I had had enough of them to know, by then, to how to grade them. What was not standard, by any means, was Mrs. Davis. She was quite the lady. White gloves? The timing of this whipping, its manner of execution, and the selection of its object were all strategic, it now seems ,in retrospect. But, at the time, being only 9 years old, I was decidedly flummoxed by its suddenness.

Truth is, I was not a bad child. I was, however, mischievous, probing, and inquisitive: a fairly typical boy. And, it was, after all, the first day of school, when one reunited with old friends, caught up on summer gossip, and measured arms with your colleagues to secure your niche in the pecking order. I was considered to be “smart”. In fact, I may have been the smartest student—boy or girl—in class. Now, I may not have been the “brightest”. The difference between smart and bright is quite substantial . Not all smart people are bright, and not all bright people are smart. “Bright” people are like Martha, while “smart” people are like her sister, Mary, both sisters of Lazarus, in the Bible. (Luke 10:38-42) Bright people follow directions, and do what , they believe, is required or expected of them. Smart people do pretty much what they want, when they want, beholden only to themselves. I was and continue to be smart.

Evidently, Mrs. Davis thought I was being a smart-aleck, when I continued talking discreetly, despite her repeated admonitions to the class to be quiet. “Larry,” she said, “Come to the front of the room.” This can’t be good, I thought to myself. “Ugh oh,” somebody warned anonymously. An expectant hush fell over the class. As I arrived at her desk, she reached into her desk drawer and retrieved the aforementioned paddle, which glistened in the morning light. “Did you not hear me tell the class to be quiet while I was talking?” she asked. I was trapped. If I said “yes,” my talking despite her, constituted insubordination. If I said “no” I did not hear, I would be lying, which was even worse. “Ma’am?” I innocently intoned, stalling for time while begging for mercy. What she said next concluded the matter.

“Bend over!” The class got the message, lick after lick. And so did I. This lady didn’t play! After this dramatic introduction, our class abided Mrs. Davis’ every command, without question. In so doing, we all materially benefitted from this great master teacher.

One day we were learning about Japan. None of us seemed to know much about it. So, Mrs. Davis sent me to the encyclopedia to learn something about it, and report to the class. Now, I knew our set of encyclopedia were on a bookcase in back of the room. I knew where they were. But, I did not know what they were, nor did I know how to use them. But, I didn’t tell Mrs. Davis this out of shame.

So, dutifully, I went to the set of encyclopedia and pulled down the first book of the set, which, of course, began with “A”. I then turned the first page, second, third, etc. But, still no “Japan.” I was back there so long without reporting about Japan, Mrs. Davis, inquired as to my progress, several times.

Finally, she came back to me and the encyclopedia to see what was going on. Quickly assessing the situation, she looked into my frightened, pleading eyes, and said: “You poor baby. You don’t know how to use the encyclopedia!”

To my surprise and relief, she gave me a hug, and said “Thank you at least for trying to find Japan, Larry.” Then, she called the whole class around us and proceeded to teach all of us how to use the encyclopedia, alphabetically. In so doing, we found “Japan” and learned that it was an island nation near China, against whom we had fought World War II. That day we all learned about the encyclopedia, Japan, and the value of “at least trying.”

Mrs. Davis’ greatest triumph, however, is one she could neither witness nor measure. As the 1960-1961 academic year drew to a close, she told us that it would be important for us to continue learning over the summer. But, she could not be with us. She would, instead, draw up lesson plans from such core subjects as mathematics, science, reading, etc. which we could carry out over the summer, going from house-to-house, on a volunteer basis. Then, when the new school year opened, we would be ready to resume work.

So disciplined were we by then, Mrs. Davis’ influence served as a guiding spirit for us over the summer, while we carried out her summer curriculum in absentia , moving according to schedule from house-to-house. Learning for us was as much fun as “kick ball.” All participants benefitted greatly, and yet do. Mrs. Bernadine Smith Davis was definitely my favorite teacher.

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