My cousin, Trisha, teaches at a school with somewhere in the range of 30-40 students in the (very) small town of Austin, Nevada. She writes an absolutely fascinating blog called RollCallTales about a school that is so small, the principal works at another school over two hours away and all the teachers teach multiple grades. I think Trisha’s oldest students are in third grade. Austin is a ranch community so her students live a long way from town, only go to school four long days per week because many of them travel a long way to get there. These are kids who know a lot about rural life in a cowboy culture. Trisha has unique challenges and chronicles them in an engaging manner. It is one of my first stops in the blogosphere every day.
Trisha is a teacher because she loves to teach. She is not one of those teachers who believes all teachers are underpaid although she, like the rest of us, would like to earn more money. She is one of those teachers who is not in it for the money. She recently turned down an offer for a job with significantly better pay in a town where she could actually buy groceries without making a three hour drive. She did not turn it down because she loves being so isolated although I do not think that bothers her so much. Nor did she turn it down because of the stellar staff at the school or in the district (they might actually be stellar, but that is not the point). She turned it down because of the kids. This post on her blog about the state tests her kids must take exemplifies her passion for her work.
Trisha loves to write, has an eye for all things quirky, and loves to record interesting anecdotes, events, and images that describe the human condition. She has a hilarious story of riding in the car with two little girls in the second or third grade from her class on the way to a field trip to a museum. One of the little barrel-rider cowgirls used her horsey plush toy as a prop to explain to the other little girl how to preg-test a mare. The picture that accompanies this post is one she put up of a message the janitor left in her classroom one evening when the whiteboard had no writing on it. Her writing is interesting day in and day out.
Trisha currently lives above the town saloon that is only open for a few weeks per year when people flood into the town for an annual festival. She lives in an amazingly picturesque place that most of us would love to visit but that requires people with robust spirits to inhabit all year long.
I was left sitting here open mouthed when I read about Trisha being in Austin, NV I have a cousin who lives in Austin as well. Her husband is a self-proclaimed minister of an Indian Church there. Kathy is very sweet but her husband is a piece of work. Is Trisha Merle and Caroline’s daughter? My cousin is drawn to the meetings but is not a strong person. Her sis lives in Lake City and is professing but doesn’t get to many meetings but I’m sure that Merle and Caroline know her. I
JoAnn, yes! It is that Trisha! It looks like a pretty amazing place and would be fun to go there for a visit. You ought to head down there and look them all up!
Trisha
Hey Joann, Yes I know your cousin. Since the town is less than 300 people it is hard not to know everyone including all the town drunks :)! I am learning a lot here and I hope people enjoy my blog.
Trisha
Thanks Ken for your generous commentary on my blog!