Webster begins 60th year in education
HUGHESVILLE Throughout the entire Hughesville High School complex, Secretary Deb Sullivan’s voice carried a unique announcement over the public address system. It was as follows: “Today we have the privilege of receiving a very special guest into our building. The fact that Mr. Robert Webster is teaching the students in Local History is not uncommon. However, what makes today extraordinary is that it marks the beginning of his 60th consecutive year of teaching the students in the East Lycoming School District. Mr. Webster started his career in a one room schoolhouse (three years at Mezeppa) and has been with us ever since. Please join me in saying “thank you” to Mr. Webster as he begins his 60th decade in education.”
In the classroom, Webster was greeted by Amy Shaner Rogers who remained for the entire period. The school’s former local history teacher said in a written statement, “It was great to see Mr. Webster back where he is at his best, in front of a class full of students. For 60 years, children and adults have had the pleasure to learn from him, an icon in our local community. His excitement and passion for the study of history is just as contagious today as it was during his early years in the classroom.”
Also present from the school’s yearbook staff were senior’s Megan Miller and Ian Rupert who interviewed Webster asking, “What does it mean to you to be an educator?” The reply was, “For me personally, it’s been most satisfying to touch students’ lives year after year. I hope they’ve found it beneficial. Due to vision problems, I retired before I was ready, but I’ve never quit. I find I’m now teaching great-grandchildren of some of my original students.”
September 21 was the kick off for guest speakers who periodically present programs to Mr. Brian Machmar’s local history class.
From Webster on Wednesday, the three sections heard of occurrences and identities of local people during the late 1770’s when colonists were attacked by the British Red Coats, Tories and Indians. And so the teaching continues, sixty years plus.