Bucks
Tat Moyer Part Two
Dear Friends,
Good morning. Mighty Betsy and I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas and wish you the best for 2008. Let us hope that peace in the world becomes more than a remote possibility.
A few weeks ago, I wrote about Tat Moyer who spent her entire career in the Palisades school district. Her service began in 1962, first as a beloved and respected kindergarten teacher. Today, she’s the President of the school board. As you’d expect, Tat’s experienced every conceivable situation during these 45 years.
I asked her about the early days in the five townships which make up Palisades. During my commissioner days in the mid 1960’s, I often heard of township supervisors carrying firearms to the meetings. The Palisades area had a scary reputation.
It doesn’t anymore.
Today, Bridgeton, Durham, Nockamixon, Springfield, and Tinicum are very sophisticated and upscale. Note, while Riegelsville Borough is in the Palisades area, its students attend the Easton school system, not Palisades. So its property owners pay school taxes to Easton in Northampton County, not Palisades.
Palisades has become a real estate hot spot. New Yorkers and Philadelphians have discovered the beauty and proximity of Palisades. Fortunately, the present crop of supervisors is ahead of the development game. For example, Tinicum dedicated half of its 2008 budget to the preservation of open space.
Anyway, Tat told me how the Palisades school district was formed in the 1950’s. “Only Durham and Springfield had high schools,” she began. “Bridgeton, Nockamixon, and Tinicum had elementary schools.”
Where would the six municipalities affiliate? Township rivalries were heated, sometimes dangerous.
“They didn’t want anything to do with each other,” Tat continued. “In fact, Bridgton and Nockamixon wanted to join the St. John’s Roman Catholic school [near Revere].” The state nixed that idea because St. John’s was a private school. “On the other hand, Tinicum wanted to combine with either the Central Bucks or Pennridge [school districts].”
Riegelsville jumped ship and partnered with Easton. So you can see that when the state forged the Palisades school district, no one was happy.
“Francis Barnes [Palisades’ current Superintendent and former Secretary of Education for Pennsylvania] is the first superintendent who’s brought all the residents together,” Tat added. She has a weekly breakfast meeting with Dr. Barnes.
I particularly enjoyed how Tat became a school director. Ten years ago, she thought that Palisades could stand an upgrade among school directors and ran a write in campaign against an incumbent. She won, 2 to 1. Friends, that’s unheard of!
The Palisades school board prohibits directors from serving more than one consecutive year as president. “I believe in the combined wisdom of the board,” Tat observed. “One year terms for president keep everyone equal.”
I particularly appreciate that Tat’s bachelor’s degree is not in education. Her degree was anthropology…although she has a master’s degree in education.
Thirty of her 34 teaching years was in the kindergarten. “My first class and my last class were the most challenging,” Tat told me. “In my first year among five year olds… actually it was the very first day…one little boy came into my class room, threw off his coat, and masturbated!”
What in the world would you do if you were in Tat’s shoes? I forgot to ask her. But she’s a very cool, calm person. Obviously, the earth kept spinning.
In her final teaching year, Tat had a little girl who’d been abused by her family. Patiently…amazingly, Tat was able to bring her close to normalcy. Alas, the state stepped in and removed her from her home, and Tat’s kindergarten. She told me that the authorities eventually…and unwisely…returned her to the abusive family.
“I went on my instincts,” Tat concluded as she summed up her life as a teacher. “We should teach to the whole child. We destroy a bunch of kids because we’re expected to force kids to read before they’re ready.”
Tat’s 40 years older now…but her bright, youthful mind remains in high gear. Palisades is lucky to have her.
Sincerely,
Charles Meredith