MARY I. WHITE

My mother, Mary I. White, was a teacher and then the principal at CCHS (Crippled Children's Hospital and School) from 1962 or so untl she retired in 1971 or '72. I am not sure of the dates; I know our family moved from Missouri to Sioux Falls in 1961 or 1962, and then to Nevada in 1972.

I remember driving to Sioux Falls from Missouri on Highway 77 and seeing my first McDonald's restaurant sign, and I think the banner read "...over ONE million sold daily...." That was the ultimate in my feelings of excitement and knowing that we all had a great future!

It did not take long for my mom to be hired as a teacher at CCHS, but that was a mixed blessing for my sister, brother and I. CCHS was, by necessity, a year-round school. We were accustomed to our mom teaching school and having summers off with us. We learned so much more about our selfishness when we realized that our mom's teaching job involved lots more than our being connected to her apron strings.

My mom became a Super Mom. Her students were Super Kids and she was one of their many Super Teachers. She was not their only teacher, but it was during her tenure at CCHS that I discovered that MY mom was Everyone's Mom.

Whatever academics Mrs.White taught the students at CCHS, she also taught them respect, tolerance, love, equailiy, honesty, and she taught them all to realize their standards, hopes, their true potential, and real honest love.

I miss my mom, bur her legacy goes far beyond the love she taught me and her many many students. My sister Debbie amd my brother Rockey and I loved and supported our mom, and my dad did, too. Because they loved each other so much, we got to grow up surronded by their love.

My mom was a teacher and then a principal at a school whose name seemed oddly unbalanced: Crippled Children's Hospital and School. But she made it shine and so her students made my mom shine, too.

Lynette "Bitsy" White Harrison

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