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  1. Bill
    Feb 10, 2011 @ 14:26:26

    Jane E. Gould Aikins Richard Ward you made my day when you said you could still hear her coming down the hl! Guess whos heals sound exactly the same–yup mine. Yes my mother was a strict teacher—always expecting what each of us was capable of acheiving. She t…aught me that fair was not always equal. That trying your best was what was best for us. She held us to high expectations but never beyond our ability. She was very caring and loving and we as her kids shared alot of what we had to help others. I remember one little girl coming to school in need and mother would wash and change her into my little dresses for the day. Then the other kids didn’t tease her for how she looked. One time she wore a new dress(few & far between) before I got to. I cried and Mother said you have had new dresses and will have new ones later–how would it feel to never get that chance? When I saw the smile on RW’s face I knew my mother was right. It made me proud to have a mother like that. It was a hard lesson at the time but isn’t it that kind of disipline that strenghtens us. Mother had passion for her students and learnig. She certainly was the very best teacher I ever had. I can tell you those years weren’t easy but I cherish every day I had in her class. As youngsters we spend more time with our teachers than with our families and I got that extra bonus of 4th grade, 7th grade, 8th grade and high school study halls. For those of you who never got to know her out from behind the desk I am sad. She was the most giving person you could have known. Why do you think she did so much chaparooning— kids were safe and were a good reflection on their school. Was she tough—yes an iron hand and a loving heart, was she available–yes all the time. Did she help kids?–ask Gregory Walker Mr Safty Patrol winner, or Gene Miner Miss Hills favorate NOT, or some of the tenant farmer kids. And yes Mrs. Mary Russell was her younger sister and a teacher because Mother worked two jobs in college to pay her sisters way after theis father Charles B. Ferry superentendant of schools in Delaware County died after catching the flu by delievering serum to sick families and catching it the winter of my mothers senior year of high school from Sidney Central. Giving yes, Loved the Lord yes, Spent many a night riding the buses to Cherry Valley yes. She was a true blessing and an exaple for me to follow. I said shortly before she passed that if I was just half the parent she was that I would consider myself a success and her reply “I won’t consider myself a success until I see haw my grandchildren turn out!” What a vission.
    I wish she could see them now. I have 6 wonderful children ages 4 to 38. Two homemade and 4 that we have been blessed to adopt. She would be proud of each one of them. Each so very special in their own way. I am so fortunate. THANKS MOM! Jane

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    • Donna Barney
      Feb 19, 2011 @ 13:59:30

      Mrs. Gould was one of my favorite teachers. I remember how much she loved nature and flowers and birds. Part our 4th grade English work included every member of our class having a pen pal in a 4th grade class in Wyoming. I still write to my pen pal, although now it is mainly emails. It has now been 54 years of letters. I will always appreciate Mrs. Gould for giving me a love of writing and receiving letters. Also, for Little House on the Prairie. Every morning she read us a chapter from that series and I couldn’t wait to get to school to hear the next installment!

      Donna (Christian) Barney

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