Harden Head - My Gratitude Page

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This page lists a collection of people to whom I feel I owe a debt of gratitude for the various ways in which they have touched my life. Admittedly, such a list is problematic, as there seems no way it could be exhaustive. For example, these are not the people that have had the greatest formative influence on my life--such as my husband, my parents, my high school youth leaders, or my pastor--nor are these my friends, i.e., my peers. I am, of course, extremely blessed by and thankful for these "excluded" groups, but I hope that I have shown that to them in other ways. Similarly, many of those listed here were teachers of mine, but they are not necessarily the only teachers I have had from whom I learned much or even whose teaching I most enjoyed. Rather, this list consists of people with whom my life has intersected at particular points--people who taught me something, or believed in me, or befriended me, and who are most likely unaware of the effect that they had on me. As such, this page is not only a disclosure to those specifically listed, to affirm and thank them, but also a monument to the many ways in which we touch others but may never know.

Note: the dates in parentheses indicate the main time during which I interacted with the person listed.

Mrs. Mannherz, my first grade teacher (1976-'77): Something of an icon in the town where I grew up, Mrs. Mannherz was an incredibly competent and caring teacher, who encouraged my love for learning, especially reading.
Mrs. Johnson, the teacher of S.I.P. (an enrichment program; c.1977-'79): I can still remember several of the activities we did in S.I.P., but the most meaningful thing I remember is Mrs. Johnson's interest in and sensitivity towards me.
Ruth McKinney, my piano teacher (c.1977-'80): Mrs. McKinney seemed to think that I was a stellar pianist, and though I am far from it, I deeply valued that belief in me. (She clearly did something right, as I love to play the piano.)
Freema Nichols, my seventh grade social studies teacher (1982-'83): Since a young age, I had wanted to be a writer; Mrs. Nichols believed that I could and encouraged me to pursue that dream.
Ed Walton, my junior high Sunday School teacher (c.1982-'84): An older gentleman in a thankless job with a horrible curriculum, what (later) impressed me about Mr. Walton was that, despite our obnoxiousness and disregard for him, he still treated us well--and even seemed to like us!
Barbara Lehman, my tenth grade English teacher (1985-'86): Like Mr. Walton, Mrs. Lehman was another person whom I took for granted at the time but who I then realized had treated me with a high regard despite myself.
Bertha Fitzsimmons, an employee at my high school (c.1986-'88): First the monitor of our school's computer lab, then on the office staff, "Ms. Fitz." provided a ready smile and playful wit when high school was otherwise unbearable.
Robert Templeton, my twelfth grade English teacher (1987-1988): Teaching a trial humanities course, "Bob T." gave me a forum to consider all the existential questions that seemed much more important than the other things they were teaching us at school.
Kathleen Johnson, a colleague at John Crane (my first full-time job; 1988-1989): I have fond memories of working at John Crane, not because of anything inherent to the job itself, but largely because of Kathleen, who, though probably three times my age, reached out to me and became my friend.
Jerry Jasper, my boss at MCI (1989-1990): Definitely an NF [see my Myers-Briggs page], Jerry was an extremely kind and supportive person, who encouraged me in my decision to return to school full-time.
Herman Hobbs, my astronomy professor at GW (1990-1991): I only took astronomy to fulfill a science requirement, but through it, I gained a fan and a friend in the inestimable "Doc" Hobbs.
Emmet Kennedy, a history professor at GW (1990-1991): Dr. Kennedy taught European Intellectual History, a hidden gem of a course (as it was offered at 8AM). Despite the hour, I appreciated both the content and method, as Dr. Kennedy introduced us to the world of ideas in what I concluded was the best way possible: by having us read and discuss the actual sources themselves.
Steven Tuch, a sociology professor at GW (1991, 1992): The teacher of the sociology methods courses at GW, Dr. Tuch made that subject matter clear and enjoyable. He plainly cared about his students' learning; I well recall his constant encouragement that we utilize his office hours to bring him questions and concerns--something that I often did, even after completing his courses.
Lois Schwoerer, a history professor at GW (1991): Although I only had her for a required proseminar (as she taught outside my field), Dr. Schwoerer remains one of the professors who garners my greatest respect; her erudition, eloquence, and style simply awed me, and set an example to which I can only aspire as I pursue a Ph.D. myself.
Mary Giunta, my project supervisor at the National Archives (NARA; 1992): Mary definitely served as a mentor to me, both by taking an interest in my life outside of NARA and by giving me as many opportunities to learn at NARA as possible.
Susan Trencher, an anthropology professor at George Mason (1994): I had Dr. Trencher for Comparative Anthropology, a summer session course that I was taking out of personal interest. She was a wonderful teacher: informed, provocative, and responsive; as such, I thought it only fitting when she received a teaching award at my graduation.
Jeff Taylor, the youth minister at The Falls Church Episcopal (c.1994-'96): Jeff's enthusiasm often inspired, but, even more, I admired his amazing gift of seeing the best in people.
Barb Adams, a colleague at The Gathering Place (1996): I found working in retail stressful, but I enjoyed myself when Barb was also working; she always seemed cheerful, attentive, and unruffled.
Carol Hovis, a colleague at Providence Presbyterian (c.1996-'97): Although we were quite different, I really respected Carol's interpersonal skills. Her way of responding to a person made one feel comfortable with oneself. Likewise, she modeled an ability to separate herself from frustrating circumstances and conflict by not taking them as the ultimate reflection on herself.

Note: I am fortunate in that, since I first created this page in January '99, God has continued to bring people into my life to whom I am grateful for aiding and guiding me. I decided, however, that I will try to recognize such people in other ways and leave this list as it stands, rather than continue adding to it. To read a tribute to some people who have since won my gratitude and affection, go to my news archive.

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This page was last updated on 9/30/99.

1999 by Elizabeth Drain Harden
[do not copy any material from this page without first obtaining my permission]

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