Educator of the Year Nomination
Mary Jane Quill


A teacher is often thought of as an educational mentor to children. Miss Quill was more than that. Miss Quill was a friend to her students. She had us learn, not forcefully, but because we were interested in her subjects. Every day I would look forward to her class. I will be honest, sometimes she made us write notecards on the subjects that we were learning; that was boring, but without realizing it some of us learned the material just because we had to write it.

During 8th grade we learned about US History, starting at the Revolutionary War and ending at the Cuban Missile Crisis. The subjects were interesting anyway, but I know that I learned tons of stuff that I would not have learned anywhere else. She showed how religion played a huge part in capital punishment during the first years of our nation. She would re-enact situations that would actually happen, but she would put her own twist to it so it was funny.

Miss Quill wanted us to learn so she would make her lessons fun. One day she pretended to be a colonist. She said how women had practically no say in anything. She said (as a colonist), “I happened to be walking home, and as I came across Molly’s house, my ear happened to press against her window, and I accuse her of singing” (apparently singing was some sort of devil worshiping). Molly would have been arrested for singing and probably killed. The lesson showed that men could practically get away with anything and women couldn’t.

Miss Quill’s tests were a piece of work; I can tell you that right now. You would have to study for hours if you planned on passing. But everything she did was totally fair, and she did really prepare us for our tests. She did not take late work; she did not accept excuses. She gave us a due date, and we had to get ready for whatever the assignment was. Everything she did had order and reason. Nothing she ever did was unfair.


I am glad that I had the opportunity to have Miss Quill as my teacher. At the end of the school year I will visit her and pay her my gratitude. Everything she taught me has benefited me in several classes, not only social studies. There is not a day that goes by that I do not want to thank her for educating me. Miss Quill was the best teacher I have ever had, and I am honored to say she was my teacher. This is why I would like to elect Miss Quill as Educator of the Year.