Recently, the Memorial Parkway Junior High family lost a dedicated and passionate teacher. Margaret Chapman impacted children as a teacher for 49 years. She helped open Memorial Parkway Junior High, and taught there for 29 years. I learned today that she even wrote the words to the school song!
Both my children had her for 8th grade English, and I believe both of them love Edgar Allan Poe due to her passion for teaching it. She loved poetry, and on several occasions, she and the librarian, Diane Orlowski, hosted a Coffee House Night of poetry reading. The library was transformed into a 1960's style coffee house, with dim lights, pillows on floors, and a single spotlight and stool. Students were invited to read aloud poetry they had written in class, and applause was replaced with finger-snaps. To get the ball rolling, I was invited to read a poem, and in true Beatnik fashion (black turtleneck, beret, the works--) I "played" the bongo drums I'd borrowed from the Band Hall and, with as much drama as I could muster, recited "One Fish, Two Fish" by Dr. Seuss. Mrs. Chapman knew that 8th graders are a tough audience that needed to be allowed to be silly in front of their peers. Secretly, I had a ball, and was glad to help her with that lesson.
Katy ISD has many such dedicated teachers, and I'm so sorry for the loss of Margaret Chapman. It was a wonderful testimony to her life and vocation that the church was standing room only this afternoon for her memorial service. Over her long career, she touched literally thousands of students, instilling a love of literature and poetry and writing that has and will serve them well.
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