“Third and fourth grade years were my happiest years at Eckstein School.

Ms. Gladys McClure was our teacher. She took us to different parts of the world and to different times. She did this by reading to us. Reading books that I came to know as classics. She read Heidi which took us to the Swiss Alps and we learned about the country and about goats and discovered that some cheese came from goats’ milk. She also read Robin Hood. That took us to Sherwood Forest and an opportunity to learn about England and feudal systems. She also taught us how to be a family. We learned how to care about each other inside the classroom and on the playground. Finally she taught us about famous African Americans and the great contributions that they had made.

We learned about Booker T. Washington, Fredrick Douglas, Phyllis Wheatley, Paul Laurence Dunbar and Harriett Tubman. We learned to be proud of who we were despite the negative impressions that were generated all around us. Third and fourth grade, in the same room with the same teacher for two years was fantastic.”