63 Years: The Loyalty of a Teacher

Now anybody knows me on my blog post I rarely post about my hometown because unless it is Vicksburg, Jack-town, Natchez, or any other town that I travel to everyday, there is nothing to post. Well actually Sunday I had something to hit up about my hometown, but the only reason I post it today because of my busy schedule. The thing is it is not about no Negro-Nonsense because we have that almost everyday. I am going to talk about a woman that I know.

….Well I knew she was old, but wow the accomplishment she achieved is beyond “the average educator.”

When Emma Brandon began teaching she earned $36 a month, walked three miles one way to school - seven miles if overnight rain made the creek too swollen to cross - and toted her own lunch of biscuits and syrup.

A lot has changed in the 63 years since. There are computers and standardized tests. Schools have been consolidated and integrated. Principals have come and gone.

Last week, Brandon decided to step out of the classroom for good, becoming one of the hundreds of Mississippi school teachers to retire this summer.

Roughly 800 to 1,000 teachers have retired each year for the last decade, the state Public Employees Retirement System reports.

The average tenure for those teachers is 24 years, said Pete Smith, spokesman for the state Department of Education.

Brandon went into teaching fresh out of high school in 1946. It was her escape from the farming life destined for so many others in her rural community.

Now I have been knowing Mrs. Brandon since I was born, and I am not going to tell you how old I am but let say this, she has more years than how old I am. Mrs. Brandon was always so nice to our class. She was a class act from generation to generation. Come to think about it, let’s recap the things that was going on in 1947

I mean seriously, black people had No chance in h-e-double hockey sticks that an full-fledge African American would be in the White House.

There was no tennis stars in the WTA.

Brown vs The Board of Education was not even mentioned.

Civil Rights was a scary word.

World War II was 2 years done.

Truman was the Prez.

IBM was a younging.

And the Klan was running (see Dixiecrat).

The average teacher tenure is close to 30 years, but Mrs. Brandon has taught men and women, their sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, sons, grandsons, daughters, grand-daughters, great grandsons, great granddaughters, and even a great-great grandson for 63 years.

So to Mrs. Brandon, I tip my hat to you.

Do you think the old-school teachers are the most under-appreciated? How many people have know anyone who have taught for over half a century?

Mrs. Brandon retires after 63 years.