Believe it or not, a few of  those educators are still around who taught in a little one room schoolhouse where they may have been required to build a fire in the pot bellied stove, carry a bucket of water from the spring, and use the outhouse out behind the schoolhouse.

  One in particular that I know will be celebrating her 90th birthday this week, is Miss Dovie Bain Culpepper. Actually, I'm not sure Miss Dovie ever did any of the above as a teacher, but I'm almost sure she attended such a school as a child. She was my fourth grade teacher and at the time was Miss Bain, who married Cy Culpepper and had a son Bryan who was also a long time educator.

  Another special retired educator is Miss Margie Gilliland, a bit older than Miss Dovie who is a happy and productive resident of Morningside in Cleveland. Many of the News readers had Miss Margie as a Health and P. E. Teacher back in the '50s and '60s - maybe even a bit longer.  She is also fondly remembered by a host of her former students, as was her sister Eva Lee.

  This week, November 16 - 22 is National Education Week, with the 16th being designated as Retired Teachers' Day. Wouldn't it be a great time to make a phone call or send a thank you note to a special educator, active or retired, who made a difference in your life as a student in the Polk County School system.

  As President of the Polk County Retired Teachers' Association, I would like to send my special thanks to every single one of the retired teachers who spent so many year in the classroom because they truly loved children, and believed they were making a difference in the lives of those students - and they were!  Please take a minute to let them know.