Miss Swamp makes impression on kindergartners
Sallie Daniel Sherman
“I walked into a store and an employee asked, ‘Are you Miss Swamp?’ I froze like a deer in headlights and said, ‘Yes, but no one has called me that in almost 40 years.’ She said, ‘You taught my daughter in kindergarten. She is now a 44-year-old nurse in Houston with two kids of her own in school.’
“I was shocked thinking how fast she recognized me and excited that I must not have changed much after all those years.
“She told me, ‘You really made an impression on those kids. And their parents really appreciated it.’ She took my picture with her phone and texted her daughter asking, ‘Do you know who this is?’ She showed me her daughter’s reply: ‘Miss Swamp!’”
Fresh out of Texas A&M 39 years ago, the kindergarten teacher had some challenging students who caused her to go home in tears.
Miss Viola Swamp
“I had to do something about the kids getting to me, so I checked out the book, ‘Miss Nelson is Missing!’ from the library. It’s an adorable book about a teacher with an unruly class who stayed home sick one day, sending Miss Viola Swamp (Miss Nelson in costume) as the sub. Miss Nelson was nice. Miss Swamp was not. With the sub, the kids couldn’t talk, play or even laugh all day.
“I read that story to my students and I ‘stayed home sick’ the next day, sending Miss Swamp instead. It was really me in costume with my mom’s wig, black dress, dark makeup, and even the green and yellow socks. The day after that, I came back and got hugs from all my students. They said, ‘Please don’t send us Miss Swamp anymore. We’ll be good!’ They had good behavior the rest of the year.
“Now, you can see why I miss teaching kindergarten. It was such fun!”
— Sallie Daniel Sherman
At age 62, Sallie is retired from full-time teaching. But she is in her 40th year working with youth, as she instructs a children’s choir at her church.
