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A Final
Tribute
To the Editor:
Like doubtless so many others whose lives were shaped by her, I too have been reflecting much on what Mrs. Mary Quaintance-Snead meant to us. I was a student at Sperryville Elementary School 1953-60. She was my principal, and also my seventhgrade math, English, and gym teacher. She was more than a teacher in the classroom; she was a role model, a mentor, perhaps a surrogate parent for some, and most of all, a friend, someone who was always there when we needed her. Yes, everyone respected her, and most of us loved her.
1 feel that 1 owe her this final tribute, for without her unwavering support and encouragement, I might well not have gone on to graduate from high school, much less attend the University of Virginia. She was always one who realized that those from less fortunate or less promising circumstances needed that extra push, that extra encouragement to reach for higher goals, to dream of better things. She always expected the best of us, and with that outlook, how could one , not want to excel? Becoming a dropout, like so many of the same socio-economic background as mine ended up doing, never entered my mind. I always knew she supported me in my love of books, of learning, and I could continued on my course, despite lack of support sometimes from those around me.
She taught us not just what was in the textbooks, but how important it was to be a good citizen, and a contributor to our community. Indeed, it is accurate to say that the many things that have made Rappahannock County such a fine community are in large part due to the way she nurtured and shaped so many of its youth. Every school system in the nation should have a Mrs. Quaintance.
PATRICK ALTHER
Charlottesville
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