Bridgewater State University - Alpha Yearbook (Bridgewater, MA)

Page 12 text:

FLORA M. STUART

Page 11 text:

MISS L. ADELAIDE IVIOFFITT Miss L. Adelaide Moffitt came to Bridgewater in 1912 as a teacher of English, es- pecially in the fields of reading and drama. She had had varied experiences as teacher in elementary grades, in high school, and in supervisory work. As graduate of a Pennsylvania Normal School and of the Curry School of Expression, as classroom teach- er and specialist in dramatic expression, she was interested in every phase of reading, from the problems of the child starting school to those of the college senior trying to interpret Shakespeare. Everything that Miss Moffitt did, in classroom or in connection with dramatic interpretation, was thoroughly planned, and vividly executed. A person to whom in- spiration came often, she never depended upon it for her results. Rather, she de- pended upon hard work and clear thinking. When the inspiration did come, it was the additional touch. But in the minds of all of us Miss Moffitt is much more than a remembered good teacher. She is one of those persons around whom legends grow, because of the vitality and color of their personalities. Often in the College halls one might hear, Did you hear what Miss Moffitt said today? or Miss Moffitt's class was such fun! and the serious values of the work became all the more impressive because of the originality of presentation. Graduates of this College who had the privilege of making Drama- tic Club talk about Mother Moffitt with affection and reminiscent smiles, while they recall some incident of rehearsing The Taming of the Shrew, or The Littlest Shepherd. College parties lack something not replaceable because Miss Moffitt's fun and vivacity are not there. We miss her friendly smile and wise counsel. But we get letters and pictures sometimes from her new home in far-away Florida that make us envious. Miss Moffitt with her new hair-bob looks younger and livelier than ever. Miss Moffitt's new boy-friend Cwhom the pictures show to be an ador- able neighbor youngster of threeb, her quickly assumed church duties, her delightful excursions in the new car, her stories of droll or exciting experiences-all these show us that she is enjoying her new surroundings, and is making friends and being a friend as she did here. And so, to Miss Moffitt in the Southland, we send,fnot hail and farewell --but our best wishes and sure knowledge that life will be full of opportunities for continued service, and of interesting possibilities always, of friends, and health, and the true joy of living.

Page 13 text:

MISS FLORA M. STUART Miss Flora M. Stuart came to Bridgewater as a teacher in 1891. She was a grad- uate of the Bridgewater Normal School in the class of 1888, and had already taught in Ayer, Fairhaven, and Newton. Her coming was the beginning of a period which was marked not only for its length, but for the amount and quality of the service which she rendered to the School and to the people of Bridgewater. When M iss Stuart came to the School, there was no separate practice school direct- ly connected with the Normal School. Similar work, however, was carried on in a part of one of the town school buildings. Here Miss Stuart taught, and students were sent to practice. Soon afterwards, the new building was built, which included seven classrooms for a Model School of 175 pupils in eight grades. In 1894, a kindergarten was added, and later a ninth grade. At that time, Mr. Albert Gardner Boyden was principal of the Normal School, and Miss Lillian Hicks head of the Model School and Director of Training. On through the years, through the growth of the School to its present proportions and status, through the changes in the appearance of the campus and changes in the teaching staffs, the first grade in the practice school continued to be a place where little children were given the finest teaching and the most careful training by a teacher whose energy was unflagging, and who never allowed her methods to grow stale or narrow, for Miss Stuart studied constantly and offered to her children nothing but the very best of modern practice, and the very best procedures that her unremitting loving enthusiasm could devise. From that room also went young men and women who had gained in their practice period a vision of the possibilities of the real education of little children, --a vision that never left them, but influenced their whole lives, and through them, the lives of many hundreds of their pupils. lt is impossible to calculate the effect of the life and labor of such a teacher. Al- though M iss Stuart early established a wide reputation as a special ist in primary educa- tion whose room was visited by interested teachers from far and near, it is not as an expositor of method that she will be longest remembered. Men and women now in the thick of community affairs were started upon their school life by Miss Stuart, and have been the better and stronger all their lives for the lessons not in reading alone, but in self-control, industry, honesty, and unselfishness which they learned in Miss Stuart's room. Teachers and administrators are passing on daily in their own school contacts the educational ideals that were clarified and confirmed in Miss Stuart's room. And so,ito retirement, but not to a retirement of idlenessq for Miss Stuart has been for many years, and still continues to be, the tireless Secretary of the Alumni Association of the State Teachers College at Bridgewater. Here also, she serves the interests of graduates and of the College. We wish for her all the best that life can hold, and assure her of our appreciation.