Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 8 · column 5 of 6 · from the scan, no model involved
expected to provide some entertainment. The Board of Supervisors and School Board sat on a platform during the entertainment and “some fell asleep,” she said.
In the afternoon there was field day competition across the street. “It’s a wonder somebody was not killed with all those children turned loose,” she said.
The teachers had to turn their registers in at the commencement. “Sometimes you had to sit up half the night finishing them,” she said.
She said several of the teachers tried, without success, to convince the county government to end the commencements. When World War II started, the commencements ended. “I always said if the war didn’t do any other good but that, it was worth it,” she said.
Mrs. Snead has advice for those starting out in teaching. “The best thing a teacher can do for herself is to go to the home of each child in her class as soon as she can,” she said.
“Once you have been in the home and made contact with the parents, you’ve got them on your side. They know if you’ve taken enough interest to come see them, you’re going to be interested in their child. It’s hard to do, but it’s important. Too often no one from the school contacts the parents unless the children are in trouble.”
She also advises teachers to get to their rooms each day before the children start arriving. “Be there to welcome the children to the room.”
“You’ve got to be fair,” she added. “Be sure you mean what you say. A good sense of humor is very necessary. Don’t raise your voice and don’t talk too much.”
In 1950 Mrs. Snead became principal of Sperryville Elementary. It was considered a part-time job and she continued to teach seventh grade English, math and physical education. The other seventh-grade teacher taught the rest of the subjects and was the school librarian.
During this time the PTA raised money to convert the former shop building into a kitchen and cafeteria. “We ate in shifts and had good food,” she said.
She remembers someone from the health department came to inspect the new cafeteria. She said the
94.9%