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Remembering a hero

In the early ’90s, I was fortunate to work in the most amazing preschool Head Start. In 1994, I became a lead teacher, thus getting my own classroom. Volunteers in your classroom being parent or community are very important. I would like to tell you about a wonderful volunteer who stayed with me for over 20 years: Mr. Jim Noe. When I first met Mr. Jim (as he was fondly referred to) I remember thinking he was so tall I needed to find a chair for him, but when I looked again he was in the block area, sitting on the floor building with the children. He looked very comfortable and I knew I had no worries. For over 20 years, Mr. Jim sat on small chairs doing puzzles, coloring, printing letters, etc. The children would make him pictures to take home; he never threw them away, but put them in his folder to take home at the end of the day.

One day in housekeeping after eating a pretend lunch the children decided Mr. Jim needed a shave. Washing his face they pretended to apply shaving cream. With a toy razor they started to shave. After several strokes and jabs they wiped his face saying they were done. Mr. Jim rubbed his hand over his cheeks and told them they did a great job. He then told them he wanted to show them another way to shave. Sitting on a small chair in front of the mirror he asked the children to stand behind him. Washing his face he put on the shaving cream and preceded to shave all the while talking to the children about what he was doing. Afterwards he cleaned up his “mess” and the day went on. A couple of days later a few boys were pretending to shave, imitating Mr. Jim using his words and motions. Lesson taught, lesson learned. But that was Mr. Jim. When playing they were learning. A block was color, shape, four pointed edges, counting, building. Mr. Jim knew this and was good.

Mr. Jim was always bringing in things for the children to see and experiment. Magnets, butterflies, rocks, pictures of nature. One day he brought in some “owl poop; the children thought that was so neat. He scheduled fun and educational field trips. We went to Marietta Colelge visiting the biology department, dinosaur lab and the planetarium. He loved riding the bus with the children. He would repair things often doing it in the classroom leeting the children help. When Mr. Jim knew that a child was having a difficult day he would stay with the child, talking to them trying to get the child to interact.

Mr. Jim was very supportive to me, the other teachers and staff. Listening to us, letting us know we were doing a good job.

Several years ago the Marietta Times was doing a series called Hometown Hero. I nominated Mr. Jim. They came to the cetner to observe him in the classroom. They talked with the children and you could hear and see the lvoe they had for him.

On Aug. 24, Mr. Jim passed away. A gentle heart and kind face he will always be remembered by the hcildren whose lives he touched. As for me, I will always remember him as someone I could depend on, his dedication to the classroom and to Head Start; and the devotion and love he had for the childre. He will always be my hero.

Anna Dye lives in Marietta.

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