By Omie Drawhorn
Carol Gordon’s influence on her students will be remembered long after her retirement.
When the second grade teacher at Scotts Mills Elementary announced her retirement after 33 years, the letters, emails and well wishes from parents and students – present and former – made their way to Scotts Mills School. The letters expressed love and appreciation, as well as sadness that no more children would be learn under her watchful, caring eye.
“I have no problem waking up in the morning because I look forward to going to school and seeing you,” Cecilia Isringhausen, a first grade student wrote.
“You are just like family and I don’t think I’m the only one who thinks of you like this,” Garrett Hagler, a seventh grade student wrote.
“The best memory that I have of you is when it was windy out you use to say the trees were hula dancing,” wrote Addie Schmitz, a fifth grade student.
Gordon spent 24 years as a kindergarten teacher at Scotts Mills, plus stints teaching second and seventh grades. She was honored by her fellow educators at the last day of school assembly June 15, and was presented with a gold bracelet that read “teacher” in Hawaiian, a tribute to the years Gordon spent growing up in Hawaii.
On June 6, staff and students planted a palm tree in the front lawn of the school, adjacent to her parking space, and many students read letters they had written to her. Gordon decided against a retirement party; instead she wanted to serve cake and brownies to her students after the assembly on the last day of school.
Gordon is remembered by former students for her caring heart, sense of humor and impeccable sense of style.
Kasshawna Knowl of Scotts Mills, and Kendra Cox of Corvallis, had Gordon as a teacher in seventh grade during the early 1980s. She remains one of their favorite teachers. Knowl always loved her class, and when she ended up following in Gordon’s footsteps, she modeled her own classroom after her beloved teacher.
“She helped support students’ dreams,” Knowl said. “Even if it wasn’t hers, it was unique and she supported you.”
Knowl said Gordon brought joy to the classroom; anyone could tell that she loved to teach.
“The passion transferred to her kids,” she said.
Cox’s three children had Gordon for kindergarten.
“It’s fun to have her teach my kids after I had her,” she said.
As seventh graders looking for a positive model, Cox and Knowl found that in Gordon. “She was so pretty, so tan,” Cox said. “We all wanted to be her.”
Teacher Lisa Garrett read letters from former students at the assembly. Shelby Heinz wrote about the many things she learned from Gordon, touching on her humorous and inspirational sides.
“If I was feeling bad, one pound of plain M & M’s would make it go away” and “she confirmed my childhood belief that to be unique me was OK and it was good.”
“I’m sad for the children who will never know her,” Heinz wrote.
Former student Jolene Plas Miller, now a teacher, said she also sees Gordon as a role model and “think of you in my daily (classroom) routine… She always dressed up and greeted us every day; we were excited to see what high heels she would wear. She showed how important it was to greet each child with a smile,” Miller wrote.
Having Gordon and fellow Scotts Mills teacher Helen Plov attend her wedding recently made a great day, “the best day”, Miller said.
Parent and former student Sarah Spinola, remembers the special care Gordon put into being part of her students lives. She was there for Spinola when she was going through a rough time. “She was so kind; she’d pick me up on weekends and take me out to lunch.”
Fellow teachers know they are losing a great teacher and friend.
For the past 25 years, Garrett and Gordon have either shared a classroom or been located next door, leading to a sense of collaboration and a relationship of fun and practical jokes.
Garrett and Plov recalled one April Fools joke in particular.
Gordon had an aquarium in her room. After a trip to Hawaii, Gordon called in Plov to tell her that her fish had jumped out of the aquarium died. There were several dried up, “dead” fish lying around the aquarium. Plov said she was in shock about this alone, and when took Gordon put one of the dried fish in her mouth and ate it, Plov’s mouth dropped open in horror.
“It ended up being dried edible fish (from Hawaii),” she said. “She saw the horror on my face and couldn’t keep it a secret for long.”
Fun-loving, Gordon brought a toboggan to sled down the hill by the school on days when snow prompted a two-hour delay. Plov said she, Garrett and Gordon so caught up sledding that when the buses carrying students finally arrived for school, they had to rush into their classrooms from the snow and barely have time to change out of their wet clothes.
Plov said the three veteran teachers were like a three-legged stool. With Gordon leaving they’ll lose a leg. “Now it’s unstable,” she said. “I get to work with one of my best, dearest friends and I’ll miss that.”
Parent Colleen Nunn wrote “only those who were blessed enough to have their children loved and taught by Ms. Gordon will know the measure that she will be missed.”
As Gordon said goodbye, she recognized those who had touched her life. “I adore the community,” she said. “You and your child will forever be in my heart; you are the wind beneath my wings.”
She is looking forward to spending time with her 95-year-old father in Hawaii, and sailing with her husband Jeff.
