Mary Anne Thornton:  

Life I graduated from Columbus High School in 1965. I have many wonderful memories of my times there. I am so excited to be able to keep in touch with friends I met there. I remember the air raid drills as a result of the Cuban Missile Crisis. I remember thinking that any minute they might attack. I was so scared. I do remember those years as sad times also, as many young men went straight from high school to Vietnam. Do you remember Bill Ross? The most poignant memory was the day that President John Kennedy was assassinated. I remember being in the auditorium in study hall last period. A teacher opened the back door and called out "they've killed the President." I attended Columbus Junior College. It is now known as Columbus State University. I had a great time there. I went to college full time and worked part time for the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. I met my first true love there. After graduating I went to Auburn University for my last two years. I majored in Elementary Education. I enjoyed classes (except for chemistry and physics). I dated my husband there and we got married after graduating in 1969. I began teaching in Georgia, but my husband was drafted into the army and we were sent to Texas. I taught school there until we returned to Columbus. I again got a job in Georgia, but we decided to buy a weekly newspaper in South Alabama. We owned and operated the newspaper until we sold it and two other newspapers in 1986. After we sold the newspapers to a newspaper chain, I went back to school to again be certified as a teacher. I attended Auburn University, and earned a Masters of Education at Livingston University which is now called the University of West Alabama. In the meantime I taught in south Alabama, and Georgia. I then moved to Knoxville, Tennessee where my husband earned his PhD. I attended UT and earned a EDS. in Administration and Supervision at Lincoln Memorial University. I then taught at a Magnet School in Knoxville for 19 years. I have just accepted a promotion to Literacy Coach for Knox County Schools and will be a resource person and instruction coach for teachers. We have three daughters who are grown. Two are married. One is a special education teacher teaching deaf kindergarten children.. She and her husband have two sons. They live on a farm and raise cattle. One daughter lives in Maryland with her husband. They are both bankers. One daughter lives in Illinois. She has her degree in computer engineering and is also an aspiring comedienne occasionally working at several comedy clubs including Second City, Improv Olympics and Annoyance Theater in Chicago. In fact, right now she is participating in two comedy plays in Chicago. I am looking forward to Fall and Winter this 2008. My newest grandson has just learned to walk and I really have to have my walking shoes on to keep up with him when he comes to visit. My oldest grandson is now in first grade and loving school. He goes to a little country school that reminds me of Rosemont Elementary in Columbus. Fall leaves are beginning to change in Tennessee. Ya'll come! Well, the 2008-2009 school year is over. I had a good year figuring out what my new job as Literacy coach would be. Everyone at my new school was very kind. Another birthday came and went and I am still old. This year was a sad year as we lost my mother-in-law, two uncles, two cousins and several friends. I certainly am beginning to feel like an adult now, as I become the older generation. I am enjoying my new friends and old friends. Our ongoing conflict in Afghanastan and Iraq certainly do remind me of Vietnam as many of my former students ar...Expand for more