Memories of Miss Gilmer

My sister Anne is telling me about a memory of Miss G....

Some background:

The year after we graduated, with the gap widening between 'war-mongers' and 'peace-niks'...the School Board and administration drew their lines in favor of sports, sports, sports!

It was a safe bet for all the Bubbas out there in '09 land! So, curriculum and library services (my Mom's domain) were suffering for lack of funding that was being put into more sports. I can remember late night 'confabs' she would have with Zuschlag, Ranson, Loving, etc (all liberal arts, literally and figuratively) at their 'quandary', that education/technology was being made secondary!

So, in a mild protest, my Mom painted the library doors a vibrant ORANGE and put a bench in the hall, painted the same color. It was Peter Maxx era, you remember...so it was a big hit with the students, and she drew them into the library in record numbers!! But Administration did not like it - looking down from the front main hall, you couldn't miss it!! So, they gave her some flack...

Well, along comes Miss Gilmer and she has a group (including my sister) paint her door too!! Only, in her sweet, mild manner she chose LAVENDER!! A 'soft' protest, but one nonetheless!

~ Pat Thompson Hrdlicka