Virginia Smith. She was my music teacher in high school. My heart beat faster in her class. Good thing it was choir, because otherwise I know she would have heard it.
One day Ms.Smith encouraged me to audition for a folk singing group. (Yes, folk singing. You do the math.) I sat next to her on the piano bench, meekly singing the notes she played, certain that I was shaking too hard to be on pitch. Then she turned to me and said, "You have remarkable voice control." I had no idea what that meant, but I floated out of the room. I folk-sang my little heart out that year, and singing has been an important part of my life ever since. A teacher can do that.
I know those of you in education get a little melancholy this time of year. Teaching is the Rodney Dangerfield of professions. (Except Rodney got rich off getting no respect.) Still, some of our favorite television characters have been teachers. Who among us didn't admire Miss Beadle for reining in Nellie Oleson? And who didn't know a Dorothy Zbornak (played by Bea Arthur on Golden Girls) who scared the hell out of us but was the best teacher we ever had?
Here are a few more:
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