Christian Living

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Tough Love
© 2005 Mark Gilroy Communications
6528 E. 101st Street, Suite 416
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74133-6754
by

Stephen A. Peterson


Her name was Sister Rita Clare. She taught Senior level English Composition and Literature in my high school years. Her reputation was one of toughness. She gave spot quizzes, lots of homework, term papers and high grades were difficult to come by. Assigned to one of her classes, I began the school year 1965-1966 filled with apprehension and fear.

But within a month after the fall period began, I grew to respect, admire and regard Sister Rita Clare as an outstanding educator and teacher. Sure she was tough and the class difficult, but I quickly learned she loved her subject and she could bring her students around to loving it as well.

In the spring of 1966, I was assigned to Sister Rita Clare’s English Composition and Literature class once again. But Sister Rita Clare’s class was overloaded with students and some of us would have to be transferred to another teacher’s class. The counselor came into the classroom to announce that there were vacancies in the other English Composition and Literature classes. The other teachers were said to give few tests and the work was minimal. We knew that we would not have to do term papers. Repetitive and non challenging in class work was on the minds of those of us preparing to be in college within a matter of months.

When the counselor asked who among us wanted to be assigned to one of the other teachers, several students hands went up. I noticed the fallen expression on Sister Rita Clare’s face but I knew she was a tough, resilient German who would not change her strategy for preparing students for articulating English speaking and writing skills. I also knew of students who had graduated from Scecina Memorial High School who left the high school and excelled in the areas of Literature and Composition. On this basis of the excellence of graduated students, I remained. It was very hard work and at some points, I thought I would not survive. I had to remain after school to become a more proficient writer. I thanked my lucky stars for the opportunity to be in her class and for the quality of education received.

They call it “tough love,” don’t they? And for that privilege, I’ll be tough skinned any day, month or year when it comes to writing and dealing with life.

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