For me, Clear Spring School was all about the joy of learning. Learning about myself, others, the world, and how I could contribute my unique gifts! Being a lifelong learner has enhanced my joy. CSS supported my love of learning in all ways. It allowed me to use every aspect of myself – creativity, resourcefulness, teaching skills, people skills, working collaboratively, working alone, and being patient and steady. It gave me the opportunity to grow in all the ways vital to me, even in confronting my fears and weaknesses. Through Clear Spring School, I was offered an idyllic microcosm of the world in which to explore, learn, develop, test, and find more of my true self and my gifts.
Teaching has been a delight in my life. I discovered that to be a good teacher, one must be a learner, an observer, a listener, a questioner, and someone who reflects on one’s own life. A good teacher seeks to understand where a student is in terms of their knowledge and skill level and their personal life situation. A good teacher can break down the components of a skill into what is familiar to a student and then move that student towards that which is unfamiliar. That’s how learning occurs. At CSS, I had the freedom and support to work on all these aspects to become a better teacher.
My association with Clear Spring School began in August 1983 when I arrived in Eureka Springs as the 2nd teacher. I discovered I was IT– Head Teacher, Director, Custodian, Grounds Keeper, and Playground Supervisor. I heard about CSS from my teacher friend, Margo Pirkle, who worked in my classroom in New Orleans. My husband and I wanted to move the family out of the big city. So, Roy and youngest son, Carl Hebert, and I headed to Eureka Springs to begin a new adventure together.
CSS had undergone some changes and began a new chapter in the fall of 1983 located on the Kansas St. site. The school year started with a small group of 6-12 year olds that tripled in size by the end of the first month. What a perfect opportunity to test out the multi-level, one-room classroom, non-graded, individualized instruction approach. Just like the world we live in! Students could read, write, do mathematics, do art, think, explore, and express themselves on all different levels. It was the perfect situation to be in a community of all ages and levels, learning to live and problem-solve together.
The Kansas St. location gave us access to walking field trips into town. One of the first things we did was get personal library cards from our Carnegie Public Library. This was a big learning adventure in how to contain and comport ourselves as a group.
Having been a public school teacher responsible for walking trips in the French Quarter and downtown New Orleans with 36 children, usually alone, I depended on students walking together two by two. My Clear Spring students felt such comfort, freedom, and safety in our town that they took off at a full run.
I was in shock and felt responsible and fearful for their safety. It took some focused re-training to move as a group, and on our October trip to the post office, we were highly complimented by the postmaster. “This is the best-behaved group we’ve had, and these students asked the most intelligent questions.”
In this microcosm of the Clear Spring world, with all the varying ages and levels, the needs of students varied, and I felt the responsibility and honor of contemplating what was most important for each one. Some needed skill development, encouragement, and better skills in getting along with others. Some needed more freedom, others more structure and development of greater self-control, and some needed to be prodded to work harder.
The variety of their talents contributed to unforgettable moments – the ones who were so gifted artistically, the ones who always had compassion and care, the ones who could soothe and problem solve, the actors, the voices, the builders, the writers, the leaders, the followers. All of us learning together was rather harmonious.
The Board of Directors and many generous citizens volunteered and contributed to purchasing and developing a permanent place for the Clear Spring School in Dairy Hollow. So, in 1985, while we were waiting for the completion of the new building, we settled into the sweet intimacy of the cabin. The two oldest students frequently did their work on the cabin’s front porch, which at that time faced the warming morning sun. The school began to grow with the new space, and it was time for a second teacher.
Luckily, my son Carl and I had participated in the performance of The Wizard of Oz directed by Barbara Harmony, and that is where I observed Nancy Wood in action. Carl was a Munchkin, and Nancy was responsible for a hoard of young children, corralling them backstage. I observed her in charge” and kind but firm treatment of the children and was impressed. I recognized the teacher in her.
I wanted Nancy Wood as my co-teacher. By grace, Nancy agreed, and a new phase began for CSS. What a wonderful experience to share teaching with Nancy Wood. Our skills complimented one another, and when I left in 1988 after my son’s birth, I was confident that CSS was in good hands.
I carried my teaching skills from CSS into my next work, learning to be a mother and a parent. I identified with Piaget as I observed Baby Andy’s development and took ideas from Montessori, Rudolf Steiner, Sylvia Ashton-Warner, John Dewey, and other educational greats.
What fun watching and participating in the development of this growing child! One of the most significant things I experienced as a new mother was understanding the joy of “being in the present moment.” I had read Be Here Now by Ram Dass in my 20s. Still, I never got it until I gave myself over to being totally present in the moment with my baby, not planning what to make for dinner or laundry that needed doing, not worrying about the bills, not, not, not. Just right now, present in the moment.
Recognizing this new phase of my life, I gave up the classroom to focus on being a mother and developing my massage therapy practice around young Andy’s schedule. It turns out that being a good massage therapist means always learning! I learn about myself, the body, my clients, and how I can better help and contribute!
Clients are similar to students; they are unique and have different needs. All the qualities that helped make me a good teacher helped me manage a successful massage therapy business for the past 35 years.
Now that my sons are on their own, I am free to work more on myself through exercise, nutrition, gardening, spiritual contemplation, and continuing to learn and serve others. Currently, I am studying Medical Massage with Dr. Ross Turchaninov, who teaches the Science of Massage from a European perspective.
I also continue studying how to grow better food in my vegetable garden. I am still working on a goal I set for myself at about age 11: having something blooming year-‘round in the flower gardens.
I am grateful to have been a part of Clear Spring School and hope that I contributed something helpful. If I could do it all over, I think I could do it better. I’d have a clearer vision. I’d be a better teacher for my students. I’d do better at helping them hone their strengths, work on conquering their weaknesses, encourage them to get more in touch with their inner guidance and guide them towards more compassion and service for others.
Thank you for the chance to reflect on the past 40 years of my life as a resident of Eureka Springs. Clear Spring School drew me here, welcomed me, embraced me, and made me very much at home. I have learned and loved, developed more as a person, become stronger, faced some failings, and found the joy, peace, and love I was seeking.
Miracle in the Woods, a captivating anthology of stories and essays penned by current and former students, parents, and staff, celebrates the spirit and memories of Clear Spring School, which is turning 50 in October. Available in September 2024, your purchase will contribute directly to the school’s fundraising efforts. For more information, call (479) 253-7888.