It was an ordinary day. Looking at a photograph that appeared on the obituary page of my local newspaper. The photograph was of a woman that as soon as I saw her photograph, I knew I had known her in the past. Directly above her color photo was the name Ruth Ann Shaffer. Ruth Ann was one of my student teachers I had when I taught Industrial Arts at Manheim Township High School in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Ruth recently died at the age of 89. Her life's story is very interesting, to say the least. Ruth worked at the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) after dropping out of high school. After 19 years of working at RCA, she returned to school to obtain her GED. Shortly after earning her degree she entered Millersville State Teachers College in nearby Millersville where I had graduated with a degree in IA in 1967. In order for Ruth to graduate she needed to do her student teaching in her college Major. And...that is where I came into the picture. Ruth was 36 years old when she entered my classroom as my student teacher. And...I was a 24 year old teacher at the time. For a few weeks it was real challenge, but we both survived. She enjoyed working with me as her supervisor and I enjoyed trying to help her through her semester of student teaching. After graduation from Millersville she taught Graphic Arts at Harrisburg High School until she retired at 55 years of age. At that point in her life she found it necessary to take care of her husband until his death in 2000. She then became a substitute teacher for the Intermediate Unit 13. Ruth enjoyed teaching and I hope my time as her cooperating teacher was worthwhile for her. But, as I continued to read Ruth's obituary I found a few more members of her family that I knew well. I had both of her sons, Russ and Joe, in my Graphic Arts class at Manheim Township before I had her as my student teacher. Russ and Joe were both very nice fellows who I got to know better because they were members of the APBA Baseball League that I formed when they were in high school. APBA is a board game that is based on the statistics of major league baseball players. It was invented in Lancaster and I enjoyed it so much that a friend of mine helped me begin a league of baseball fanatics. Most members were adults closer to my age, but we did have a few high school students of which Russ and Joe were two of the members. I did get to meet their mom through the APBA league. I had lost track of Ruth until I saw her photograph on the newspaper obituary page yesterday. My deepest sympathy goes out to Russ and Joe and their families. Their mom was a great woman who wanted nothing but the best for her family. She was a hard worker who treated me with great respect when I had her as my student teacher years ago. She lived a long fruitful life and raised a great family. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
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