Leesburg Teacher Cook Retiring After 45 Years
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Leesburg Teacher Cook Retiring After 45 Years
By David [email protected]
She learned to read by the time she was 4 years old. She graduated high school at 16, and finished college at 19.
“I feel that God’s been an influence in my life since I was a little girl, and a lot stronger since I’ve become an adult. It’s because of Him I’m a lot stronger.”
But only now, after teaching at Leesburg Elementary School for the last 45 years, is she ready to slow down a little and retire.
She said, “I feel it’s all about the children. When they were successful, I felt successful because I could see the gleam in their eyes.”
A retirement open house is scheduled for fifth-grade teacher Cook and Mental Health Therapist Jan Hammaker for June 5 from 2 to 5 p.m. in Leesburg Elementary’s cafeteria. The public is welcome.
Born in Greensboro, N.C., Cook’s father was from Illinois and in the service. Her mother grew up in Tennessee. The family lived in Chicago awhile, but after her dad was out of the service and her mom was called to Tennessee to teach, the family moved there.
In Tennessee, Cook went to Clark Elementary and graduated from Clark High School in Mt. Pleasant, Tenn. The school didn’t have kindergarten, but both of Cook’s parents were teachers, so Cook learned to read early.
Her high school graduating class had 54 students, and Cook was named valedictorian. She continued her education at Tennessee State University in Nashville. She finished school in three years by going year-round, including summers.
“Because my parents and grandparents were encouraging, I set high goals for myself,” Cook said.
She received her master’s degree from Indiana University. Over the years, though, she didn’t stop learning. She kept educating herself through classes, reading books and whatever helped her advance her teaching.
During her senior year in college, her advisor told her to do job interviews in Fort Wayne for the experience. She had planned to just go on straight through school and get her master’s degree. But during the interviews, she decided that, with four other kids in her family, she could pay her own way through the rest of school by getting a teacher’s job.
She landed a job teaching second grade.
In Fort Wayne, she met Jack. They dated and eventually married. Jack lived in Warsaw, so Marsha applied for jobs with Warsaw Schools.
The school superintendent at the time was hesitant to hire her because he didn’t know how she would be received. She was black and the Civil Rights Movement was going on in America.
He offered her a traveling reading teacher job. Over the summer, however, the superintendent died and a new superintendent was brought on board. He offered her a job to teach third grade at Leesburg.
“It was a great relationship and I stayed. I became a part of Leesburg,” she said. “I know so many people who live here and it’s been terrific. I had to build my own reputation, even though my husband grew up here. And I did that.”
She said she’s always enjoyed teaching at Leesburg from the start. When she came here, she said, it was a small town and family oriented. Just like where she had grown up. When the school had events, extended family members came, not just parents or siblings.
Cook has taught every elementary grade level but kindergarten and fourth grade over the years.
“I actually wanted to try the different grades,” she said.
She taught third grade for 17 years before switching to sixth grade. The principal had asked Cook to teach sixth grade at the time to help provide counseling for the girls. Since she was staying in the classroom, she wanted to experience what the different grade levels were like, so she said yes.
“I really enjoyed it. It kept things exciting,” she said.
Also keeping things exciting was the constant change in technology. But Cook didn’t waiver. She took advantage of any workshops and help she could get to learn new technology so she could meet her students’ needs. She was also able to find at least one of her students who wasn’t intimidated by technology and was willing to help her out if necessary.
Despite what technology may come and go, Cook stands steadfast in her values.
“When you talk about core values, I grew up with core values. My parents and grandparents taught me all I knew. Growing up in a Christian family, I didn’t stray from that,” she said.
She wants her students to know to be caring. That no matter who they are, where they are going or what they are expected to be, it is important to know how to treat others right.
The children she’s taught in the past eventually brought their own children to Leesburg for Cook to teach. She said it’s quite an honor to have them in her class.
Besides teaching, Cook is involved in American Association of University Women, and a board member for Court Appointed Special Advocate and the Kosciusko County Community Foundation.
With retirement looming, she’s looking forward to spending more time with her family. Jack and Marsha have two children and four grandchildren.
“I’m excited about it. That’s because I have four grandkids ready for me to be able to spend a night or two with,” she said, beaming with pride. “My mom and my husband’s parents are still living. We’ll spend more time with them. I have some scrapbooking to do. I want to do all that while I’m physically still able.”[[In-content Ad]]
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She learned to read by the time she was 4 years old. She graduated high school at 16, and finished college at 19.
“I feel that God’s been an influence in my life since I was a little girl, and a lot stronger since I’ve become an adult. It’s because of Him I’m a lot stronger.”
But only now, after teaching at Leesburg Elementary School for the last 45 years, is she ready to slow down a little and retire.
She said, “I feel it’s all about the children. When they were successful, I felt successful because I could see the gleam in their eyes.”
A retirement open house is scheduled for fifth-grade teacher Cook and Mental Health Therapist Jan Hammaker for June 5 from 2 to 5 p.m. in Leesburg Elementary’s cafeteria. The public is welcome.
Born in Greensboro, N.C., Cook’s father was from Illinois and in the service. Her mother grew up in Tennessee. The family lived in Chicago awhile, but after her dad was out of the service and her mom was called to Tennessee to teach, the family moved there.
In Tennessee, Cook went to Clark Elementary and graduated from Clark High School in Mt. Pleasant, Tenn. The school didn’t have kindergarten, but both of Cook’s parents were teachers, so Cook learned to read early.
Her high school graduating class had 54 students, and Cook was named valedictorian. She continued her education at Tennessee State University in Nashville. She finished school in three years by going year-round, including summers.
“Because my parents and grandparents were encouraging, I set high goals for myself,” Cook said.
She received her master’s degree from Indiana University. Over the years, though, she didn’t stop learning. She kept educating herself through classes, reading books and whatever helped her advance her teaching.
During her senior year in college, her advisor told her to do job interviews in Fort Wayne for the experience. She had planned to just go on straight through school and get her master’s degree. But during the interviews, she decided that, with four other kids in her family, she could pay her own way through the rest of school by getting a teacher’s job.
She landed a job teaching second grade.
In Fort Wayne, she met Jack. They dated and eventually married. Jack lived in Warsaw, so Marsha applied for jobs with Warsaw Schools.
The school superintendent at the time was hesitant to hire her because he didn’t know how she would be received. She was black and the Civil Rights Movement was going on in America.
He offered her a traveling reading teacher job. Over the summer, however, the superintendent died and a new superintendent was brought on board. He offered her a job to teach third grade at Leesburg.
“It was a great relationship and I stayed. I became a part of Leesburg,” she said. “I know so many people who live here and it’s been terrific. I had to build my own reputation, even though my husband grew up here. And I did that.”
She said she’s always enjoyed teaching at Leesburg from the start. When she came here, she said, it was a small town and family oriented. Just like where she had grown up. When the school had events, extended family members came, not just parents or siblings.
Cook has taught every elementary grade level but kindergarten and fourth grade over the years.
“I actually wanted to try the different grades,” she said.
She taught third grade for 17 years before switching to sixth grade. The principal had asked Cook to teach sixth grade at the time to help provide counseling for the girls. Since she was staying in the classroom, she wanted to experience what the different grade levels were like, so she said yes.
“I really enjoyed it. It kept things exciting,” she said.
Also keeping things exciting was the constant change in technology. But Cook didn’t waiver. She took advantage of any workshops and help she could get to learn new technology so she could meet her students’ needs. She was also able to find at least one of her students who wasn’t intimidated by technology and was willing to help her out if necessary.
Despite what technology may come and go, Cook stands steadfast in her values.
“When you talk about core values, I grew up with core values. My parents and grandparents taught me all I knew. Growing up in a Christian family, I didn’t stray from that,” she said.
She wants her students to know to be caring. That no matter who they are, where they are going or what they are expected to be, it is important to know how to treat others right.
The children she’s taught in the past eventually brought their own children to Leesburg for Cook to teach. She said it’s quite an honor to have them in her class.
Besides teaching, Cook is involved in American Association of University Women, and a board member for Court Appointed Special Advocate and the Kosciusko County Community Foundation.
With retirement looming, she’s looking forward to spending more time with her family. Jack and Marsha have two children and four grandchildren.
“I’m excited about it. That’s because I have four grandkids ready for me to be able to spend a night or two with,” she said, beaming with pride. “My mom and my husband’s parents are still living. We’ll spend more time with them. I have some scrapbooking to do. I want to do all that while I’m physically still able.”[[In-content Ad]]
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