By Karen Donato
Special to the Pioneer Times
Laurine Wilson completed her career in education with a social gathering at the Houlton Country Club on May 28, followed by another hosted by the staff at Houlton Elementary School held at the Shiretown Motor Inn on June 4.
The Country Club event was hosted by the Houlton Educators Association and RSU29 administrators. Friends and relatives enjoyed refreshments and a program highlighting Wilson’s 37-year career.
Photo by Karen Donato
EDUCATOR HONORED — Laurine Wilson, kindergarten teacher at Houlton Elementary School was honored for her 37 years of service in the district by the Houlton Educators Association, the RSU 29 school board and administration at the Houlton Country Club on May 28. Those attending were; seated in front: Candace Crane, Wilson and Superintendent Mike Hammer. Row two: Tara Austin, Debbie Melvin, Daphna Harris, Leanne Faulkingham, Hollie McPartland, Susie Crovo, Jane Stile, Terri Charest, Susan Clifford, Karen Donato and Bob Askren. Row three: Ellen Askren, Linda Cowperthwaite, Joellen Merry, Susan McMann, Marty Bouchard, Katie Wright, Karen Bouchard, Janet Barker and Dawn Matthews.
An alumnus of Houlton High School and the University of Maine at Presque Isle, Wilson worked in a variety of classrooms teaching kindergarten through third grade at Wellington School and Houlton Elementary School. She served under principals Brian Blanchette, Jay Brewer, Beverly Clark, Robert Cowperthwaite and current principal, Candace Crane.
Wilson has seen many changes in the educational program through the years, some of which have come full circle. She has been an active member of the Houlton Educators Association, serving in many capacities. She has three grown daughters, Annie Milley, Katie Wright and Libby Wilson and two granddaughters, Ellis Wright and Tatum Milley.
As she began to pack up her classroom one last time she came across a special note that former principal Brewer had sent to his staff members after his own retirement party in 1978. Brewer, now in his 80s was present at Wilson’s retirement and read the following to the guests in attendance.
Brewer used these thoughts as his guide throughout his educational career.
“What I believe about elementary education”
1. I believe that we are teaching children and not teaching subject matter. We are concerned with the dignity, uniqueness and integrity of each child.
2. That the room or learning area should be child-centered not teacher-centered.
3. That children need to have the freedom to discover and explore and even more freedom to make mistakes. Teachers, too, need the same freedom.
4. That we need to have confidence in children. We need to praise them for their efforts because they can do so much better when given a little praise.
5. That there should be an inductive approach to teaching. Children must have opportunities to have many and varied experiences where they can really become involved. Learning takes place because something has happened directly to the child and as a result there has been a change in his behavior.
6. That a child should be evaluated in terms of this own ability and not in terms of standardized norms.
7. That there is no right way to teach children. Each teacher must believe in what she is doing and be motivated to the point that she is willing to spend enough time and energy to make her program successful.
8. That, regardless of the types of groupings we employ or the approaches we use in organizing for instructional purposes, the most important single factor in determining the success of any program is that of a hard-working, well-prepared, understanding teacher.
9. That teachers need to spend a lot of time learning the methodology they are going to use to teach something, then develop variations on that methodology and then have the know-how to use the materials available to them to the best advantage of their students.
10. The Golden Rule of Teaching; “Have the method in your head, your eyes upon the students and your heart in what you are doing.”
Guests at the Shiretown gathering were also entertained by one last performance by “Mrs. Wishy-Washy” a character from an elementary reading program that Wilson has brought to life at many school celebrations. Added to the performance was an unexpected visit by her 3-year-old granddaughter, Ellis dressed as a little Miss Wishy-Washy. She stole the show when she said, “Grammie, you’re being so silly!”
Wilson was given several gifts by both the administration and her fellow educators.
