My Student, Rosemary

One of the happiest surprises of my life happened last week. Let me catch you up to speed so you can enjoy my moment!

My Senior Year at BYU I taught 3rd grade at Timpanogos Elementary School in Provo, UT. I was an Intern, which meant I was a heavily supervised student teacher with half-teacher salary. I had my own classroom and full responsibility for the students. It was my FIRST AND LAST year teaching. Damian and I were married 2 weeks after the school year ended. We got pregnant on our honeymoon, moved to California for Law School and I "retired" to be a full time wife/mom.

I loved being a teacher, but it was the hardest job I've ever had. Even harder than being a mom, I think! I taught in a poor area and some of my students had very sad little lives. I hated that part and cried many nights knowing the things I did about them. Some were abused, some neglected, some were desperately in need of a bath and ADD/HD Medication. I've often thought of them and wondered what their lives turned out like.

One of my students, Rosemary Larkin, came from a loving, wonderful family. They had recently immigrated from Ireland. Rosemary was a bright little thing with an adorable accent and I loved her very much. I knew she'd turn out OK in life because of her excellent family and her desire to learn. She was a perky, fun, cute little girl and I've often wished I knew where she was.

In comes facebook. . . One evening I was "surfing" my younger cousin's page. My cousin grew up in Provo and was about the same age as my 3rd grade students. As I looked through her "friends" to see if I'd made "friends" with all my cousins, I found ROSEMARY LARKIN!! I hoped it was the same one from those many years ago and it WAS!! This was her response to me:

"Miss Goold, Of course I remember you! I loved your class and missed you terribly for years after you moved up north. (True story; just ask my mother.) I remember that mailbox you set up in class (we all used to hope against hope that we could deliver the mail), the class store (I'm remembering cherry flavored licorice), our Robin Hood production (I used stories from that to embarrass classmates all though high school!) and our in-class college experiment. I think that last one really was my favorite. It was the first time I really thought about college, and it really is a genius idea. You should create some sort of program to implement in elementary schools everywhere. I was so excited that I could study what I wanted (within reason)."

What a fun reunion I've had with little Miss Rosemary (even though she's 20 now, she'll always be little to me!) She has had a great life and will be enjoying her profession as an editing genius, very soon.