Interview with Mildred Lang

Mildred Williams Lang graduated from the Maryland Normal School in 1934 with a three-year teaching certificate. She completed her bachelor's degree in 1964. Mrs. Lang taught in elementary schools for 39 years.

These are her reflections. Mrs. Lang, we are so happy that you're going to share some of your memories of the Maryland State Normal School and your teaching experience with us.

We are in the process of doing an oral history of Teacher Education at Towson interview at Towson University, and your story will add greatly to that. I think a very good place to begin would be in the beginning.

So if you would, would you tell us a little bit about your early life, where you were born and where you grew up? Well, I was born in Warsaw, Indiana. I'm a Hoosier, but I didn't stay there very long because my

father, work, his work was on the East Coast. So when I was about 6 years old, I moved to Baltimore and, oh, I moved to Delaware before that, though, when I was about two. I've moved a couple of times, and it

never bothered me, but I started school, first grade, in Baltimore City and then I went up to Pennsylvania and Allentown. I lived in Allentown right next to Bethlehem for about four or five years.

I went up there until, stayed there until I was in the eighth grade, finished eighth, and then I entered Clifton Park in Baltimore when I was in the ninth grade and stayed in Baltimore from then on.

There you go. All the way through the rest of my life. Now, when you were in high school, were you thinking about what you were going to do after you finished?

Oh, I started thinking about that years before. Somebody asked me when I started to think about teaching. I don't think there was ever a time when I didn't think about it.

When I was old enough, I probably was in the first grade when I had a teacher that I loved and I thought I'd like to be a teacher. And I always knew I was going to teach.

Nothing else ever entered my mind. So you knew from the very beginning. This was your calling. Yes, I did. Never had another thought.

And when did you decide that you would go to the Maryland Normal School? Well, I think.. That was close to me. I lived in the northern part of Baltimore.

And then it was inexpensive. At the time I went, it was only $100 a year. And that was a big drawing power for me. Absolutely.

Sure. And yeah, so I decided to stay close to home. And it was easy to get to on the trolley car. I went...

Sometimes my brother drove me if he had the car, but generally I went on the trolley car except in bad weather. And that was funny because in those days the trolley line didn't go all the way out to Towson unless you paid extra.

We stopped about, I guess it was Ainsley or somewhere close to Towson, and if you wanted to ride any farther you paid an extra nickel. Oh dear.

And sometimes if you didn't have it, a lot of us would get off and walk the extra three or four blocks. It wasn't far. But then you'd do the same thing in the evening.

If you got on at Towson when you got to the county line, then you paid another fare. Isn't that interesting? So I remember walking back and forth on nice days and it was

kind of pleasant. There were others who were doing the same thing. Sure. I would think so.

Did you get a chance to see the campus before you actually started there as a student? No, I don't think so. Really.

No. So that... Wow. Oh, well, I lived near there and I drove by it so many times.

I knew, but I wasn't inside of it. Yeah. So you arrived as a student and that was probably in 1931 or so, I think? Yes, '31.

And what did you think when you saw that campus? Well, the first few days were kind of bewildering. I guess so. But I liked it. I always did like it because I liked school and I never had any

problems. I never had any difficulties with professors, or... What...

Now, you did not live on campus. You were a commuting student. I didn't hear that. You didn't live on campus. No, I lived at home and traveled every day.

What did you like best? You said there were many things that you liked. About Towson? Oh, I don't know. I guess it's always the people.

And at different times it would be different teachers, different things that happened that I would like. I don't remember any one specific thing that was better than any other.

Yeah. It was all, it was pleasant. And what teachers, do you remember any of your teachers?

Pauline Rutledge and Hazel Woodward, and I've been trying to think of the doctor who taught geography. His name begins with a G. Would you know who is? No.

I remember him and things in the classroom but I don't remember his name. And we used to go to tea at Doctor Tall's, at Lida Lee Tall's home. I think once a year she had a tea for students and I remember

going there. And that home was called Glen Esk, was that... It was a big rambling house on campus with a porch that went around. Right.

It's a beautiful house. It's still on the campus. Oh, it is. It is.

Absolutely. I remember being there and that was lovely. And the campus was always pretty. It's true.

I remember doing things and working in... I worked for Doctor Birdsong, rearranging her texts and papers and things. And I worked in Richmond Hall because I think her office was there.

Anyway, that's where I worked. Yes. And so... And you said that you worked with her files or her papers?

Yes, she had saved every test she'd ever given, every note she'd ever taken, and she had boxes of papers and I sorted out and threw away... I saved one copy when I found a lot of them all alike and I did

that one year. Well, I'm sure she was very appreciative. She needed somebody like you to do that for her. Well, I think she asked,

I had taken her class, of course, but I think there was some kind of psychology club that I got into. I don't remember much about that, but I know that that's what I did for her.

So in addition to going to tea at Doctor Tall's house, what other kinds of activities do you remember that you were part of? I know everybody talks about this May Day celebration. It's so long ago.

I remember, one thing I remember particularly was the room where we went for individual gym. It had mirrors all the way around it, and that fascinated me.

And I remember going there for individual gym lessons with Doctor Roach. Was there one? Probably. Yeah, I think so.

I think so. And the pictures they took of us. And I remember Doctor Abercrombie, in her examination, I used to drink a lot of cream and she told me to cut it out.

She did? And that's just what she said, cut it out. So I did. I did.

I see. And she thought that would serve you well if you did. Well, she thought I was drinking too much, and I probably was. So that was easy to... A direction easy to follow.

I guess so. Well, I remember... Oh, I don't remember very many little incidents about things that happened.

But there were pleasant things that happened along the way, I'm sure. I remember the prom. I do remember that.

Do you remember who you went to the prom with? Oh, yes. Kirk. Oh, I can't figure

his last name. He's long gone, but it was a lot of fun. There you go. Yeah.

And there were three or four, well, four of us. Doris Elliott, Ed McDonald and Virginia... She had a name in between, and I were always together.

I see. It happened that we were in the same homeroom class and we got to be good friends outside as well as in. And I remember the four of us all went to the prom together

and had a table together. And did you stay in touch with them after you graduated? I was in touch. Well, not too long with that one, named Doris,

not very long. I think Doris went to Chicago and became a model. She was a pretty girl, very pretty girl. And Virginia and I stayed friends our lifelongs.

She's gone, and all my friends are gone. I really mean it, I don't have a single solitary friend who is my generation and I had a bunch of friends. I used to travel with seven bridge players, two tables.

We went away on weekend trips to play bridge. Every one of them is gone. So it's kind of lonesome where you get to be 100 all by yourself. I guess so.

I don't have family either, except younger ones. My whole family, my brothers and parents, they're all gone. Let me ask you this. When you were at the normal school, certainly one of the

things that you had to do in preparation to become a teacher was to do some student teaching, some practice teaching. Do you remember anything about that experience? Yes.

Florence Nelson was my practice teacher at 236, number 236, and later on after I graduated, I went back to 236 as a teacher. Really? Yes. Very nice.

She, and I had one other, Mary Hanlon at 51 school, number 51. Oh yes, I remember both of them. Great. Do you do you remember what grades you taught?

I was in the first, second grade with Mary Hanlon, but I was in the sixth grade with Florence Nelson, and in the classroom with me, there were two of us, Ruth Knox and I were practice teaching together and Ruth, I don't know whether Ruth is living, she was

last year. Do you know that name? I don't. We could look her up and see. Well, anyway, she did her

practice teaching with me. Well, that was nice to have some, a partner to do it with. I didn't hear that. I said it was nice to have someone to do it with so that

you weren't all by yourself. Well, yes, but we didn't get together. We didn't live close. Right. But Ruth and I went to the same church.

We made a nice group. I could always see her and talk to her. Which grade level did you like better? Did you like sixth grade or second?

I started teaching in the sixth grade, history and math, and then one year I taught math and music. I was out in Westport, all the way across town. I started into the sixth grade, but then I had fifth and then my

principal, Mr. Bachmiller, was leaving to go to the Red Cross in Washington. And I said if you're leaving, I want to leave too, because that was at the far end of the world.

So he put it in for a transfer for me and I got right close to home. I could walk to G36 from where I lived, and I was there quite a long while.

In fact, that's the only school I ever taught in. And I taught in 236 for 39 years. Did you really? Yes, I did.

That's wonderful. And I think I might have stayed... I was 69. I might have stayed one more year. But the changes in the system were so bad, so different, let's

put it that way. They were so different that I thought, I'm good. This is the end. I've done it long enough.

You certainly did. Absolutely. Now, did you teach the same grade all those 39 years?

No, I like... When I got out to Hamilton, I had a third grade and I was either third or fourth. One year, I had the second and third, two grades in one room. I taught the second and third one year.

Then I had... Or second graders and a whole third grade class. But I like to sort of, I like fourth grade because fourth graders, the end of the third grade, they're just beginning to grow up, and they'll catch on to

a joke. 'Cause the little ones won't. You can't joke with a second grader. They just don't get it.

But when you can see their eyes just gleam and they laugh, you know they've caught on to that joke. That tickles me. So I like fourth grade. They're just not grown up.

They're still children, little, but they're not babies anymore. Right. So I like fourth grade, I think. And I had students, about the last ten years,

I had students from Goucher College and Towson in my room. You did? So you had student teachers. I had Ford Foundation girls from Goucher. Yes, and that was OK.

I can't say I ever really loved that. I'd rather be in the classroom by myself, because some of them, those Ford Foundation girls, it's hard to tell somebody that they're in the wrong professions.

And when you're a supervisor, you really have to lay it out straight to everybody. But with the children, I could get along. Well, that's a hard responsibility to add.

It's a huge responsibility just to be a teacher of children. And then you add people, other student teachers in there, that can be very difficult.

But I think of the 39 years that I taught, it was not a nine to five job. I taught all day, went home and had supper and worked half the night, every night until Friday night.

I could always relax on Friday night. But I just think that teaching is a hard job, if you take time to do it right it is. But I liked what I did when I did it, and I wouldn't do it

again for a million dollars. Well, what did you like best about it? What was the best part of teaching? Oh, I think I just like the whole thing.

I liked the way the children responded, but I liked the little incidental things, like when a child caught on to something, you know, he'd be, you'd think he's stubborn or can't learn or something.

He just didn't get it. And all of a sudden one day he'd say, oh, Mrs. Lang, I catch on now, and that tickles me. Absolutely.

And they're very aware. Little Natalie Williams, I still remember the names, would come in and notice my fingernail polish. She's going to say, oh, that's too dark.

I like what you had yesterday better. They'll comment. Little children will comment on your clothes. Oh, they're very honest.

Yes, they really are. That's wonderful about the nail polish. Oh, yes, she did. That's great.

And I just like the rapport between the kids and myself one-on-one. And the thing I hated most was all the paperwork. I did hate that.

There's just so much of it. But I guess it goes with the territory. It does, and I think there's probably even more now than there was when you left teaching.

It just seems like that's the way, the direction that we're going. Everything has to be documented. And sometimes I wonder, with all the things that I did, I would

write, you know, lesson plans. The substitute never used my lesson plan and I didn't use my own because if I wanted to change it, I did. I did whatever came naturally at the moment.

And if I got in the middle of something and it didn't work, I had to figure out what else to do. So I sometimes... I had, I think you have to have plans yourself. You couldn't teach if you didn't have...

A well planned day made the day easy, that I know, but sometimes writing it all out for somebody who didn't want it... But I got through it. I'm here to tell the tale.

There you are. Absolutely. What... Well, you said paperwork.

I was going to ask you what did you thought the most difficult part of teaching was? Oh, I don't know if it was difficult,

any of it was really difficult. It was time consuming and boring, some of it, some of the paperwork or that kind of thing. Yeah, but even the making out lesson plans, things that I

had to run off on the Xerox machine, I didn't mind doing that, you know, it was extra. I just wish I had kept some of my papers, like the ones I kept for Mrs. Birdsong.

I wish I had a copy of some of my copies. Some of my papers that I'd given the children to work on, because they were doing, I love math. That was my favorite subject.

Superintendent of schools wanted me to teach math and I guess I couldn't refuse, but I told him I didn't want to. I didn't want junior high age and I did want children, little ones.

So he sent me to Hamilton. But they did a lot of math in mine. They didn't know they were doing it, but they were doing algebra.

Oh, like X times something is, you know, and I had blocks or circles and stuff. I did things to perk up their interests. And I wish I had kept a copy of all those things.

There's just not enough space for all the things you want to keep. And I left my classroom and I was in the hospital in June. I had an operation the last week of school and I didn't return,

I was going to stop anyway, but I was in the hospital. So I never got back to my classroom to bring things that I wanted because one of the teachers coming in, I guess, had

cleaned out my desk, had changed everything. So I never went back to get... There are a couple of books that I would like to have had. The old Hollis Dan music book.

I don't know why I want it, but I just like that thing. But I never did go back. But you might think that what you left behind was useful for the next teacher.

Could have been. I'm sure. Well, it could have been. I think so.

Because, you know, when you start... And I've gotten along without it. Yes. You have. But when you start, you don't have any lesson plans at all. So I'm sure you can remember that first year when you were

just having to do everything from... I can remember being kind of scared, you know, wondering if I could do what I was supposed to be doing. But you get into the routine of it very quickly.

And the things about my teaching, they were kind of fun. I don't know whether I ought to say it or not, but another teacher and I sometimes I would take two classes down to the gym, and I was doing something with him that should have been done,

I mean, it wasn't all... They were... Maybe I was teaching something for summer time performance, and then sometimes she would take mine and do the same thing. Things like that I enjoy.

And the principal knew we were doing it, so that was OK. Yes. And I did television. What? I taught, yes, I...

In the winter when it was so snowy that schools were closed. And then another time I taught, when I started that new math, I taught two math lessons and I taught two art lessons.

Doctor Ledenberry was the Superintendent. Yes, I did. And I remember one of those, I was trying, the art class, they were doing hand work and I was trying to thread a needle and I

knew I couldn't get that thread in that hole, so I just handed it to a child. I said, Danny, thread that needle for me, please. He looked up and threaded and handed back to me.

I said thanks and I went right on. But it could have been a disaster if I hadn't let him do it. But that's what a good teacher does. Well, it went by and I don't think anybody else knew I

couldn't do it. But I could not have gotten that thread through that needle. Little things like that I remember.

I remember. You don't remember him. There was an announcer in Baltimore, Hugh Wanke, ever heard that name?

And he was sitting in the back of the classroom, and I had to move my whole class across the hall because they couldn't bring the amplifiers and things. The truck was parked next to another classroom.

So that made it difficult. Trying to teach when you weren't in your own room. Yes, very difficult. I moved my class across the hall, but he was sitting in the

back of the room, and all of a sudden, I saw him put up two fingers, you know, like a V, waving it. So I thought, well, things must be going okay. So how did the television part get into this?

Didn't you say that you were on television? Yes. And this was all happening in front of the... They did it for the schools.

They did it for the schools. I see. It was just for, you know, other schools were listening to it, other rooms.

I got a letter from my minister after one of my lessons and he wrote me the nicest letter. He said he likes to listen to those in service television sets. And he said I happened to catch you this morning.

He said I'm nominating you for teacher of the week. That's a joke. Yeah, but I did a couple of televisions. And so those would then, as you said, those were available to teachers in

probably all the schools. Oh yes, they went out to other teachers. Very nice. And I taught, I taught a number of demonstrations in my own

classroom where I would have 10 or 15 teachers from other schools. And I went to some things like that. Sometimes I went to another room, another school, and sat in

on a classroom, but not too often, I can remember one or two, but I had some in my classroom. I taught a couple of music classes. You did?

Yeah, I taught demonstrations of music and I don't remember what I was doing with them that time, but I did one where they all had instruments, autoharps, 'cause we had bought enough. Now they played some tune or something and we may have

made up a tune. You know, probably somebody... We sang a little something and I wrote it on the board and we played it too.

But I did a couple of... I did... in my own classroom, music, and of course you're scared to death the night before. Yeah, you worry things are not going as they should go. But I got through it and I kind of enjoy being out of the

classroom too now. Have a little break. I have good memories, but I wouldn't want to do it now. Well, what would you say to young people who are thinking

about going into teaching today? I would tell them that if they love to teach, if they ever had any experience, and I used to teach Sunday school.

If you don't really want to do it, if you don't know that that's exactly what you want, if you just are trying to pick out some kind of, I mean, some kind of occupation, don't teach.

I would be thinking about the children in that case because there are a lot of people in the classroom who are not born teachers. I think I was a born teacher.

I never thought of anything else. I would just tell them that if they loved it, go for it. And if you're just trying to make up your mind what you want to do, stay out of teaching, go somewhere else.

There you go. What haven't we talked about that you want to share with us? What about your teaching career and your life would you like to share with everybody?

Is there anything we've missed? Nothing else I haven't said. That I enjoyed the associations I made while I was teaching, made a lot of the friends that I kept through

years, like Dorothy, Dorothy Farmer. We went to college together and were friends until she died. We were always good friends. I just enjoyed doing what I did when I did it and I thought

I did a good job. Yes. I do have... You want to see that certificate from Mayor Schaefer? Sure.

Yes, yeah, we would love to see that. That would be great. We'll do that. I don't think there's any special thing that's outstanding,

it was just all pleasant. Unpleasant things happened, I'm sure, but I probably don't remember those things. But I'm sure nothing goes right

all the time. But it's a good profession if you like teaching, if you like children, because I'm only talking about elementary teaching. I think for high school it's a different story, that you

probably like your subjects, but elementary, you have to know a little about every subject. Yeah, you do it all, including threading a needle. (laughing) Yes, you do that too.

Yep. And you're on television, no less. Oh, I didn't tell you. I did a lot of cooking.

You did? I had a taffy pull in my classroom with little third graders. We didn't have a spot of taffy on the floor.

That took preparation. They all had their desks covered with wax paper. Everybody had to wash hands and hold them until I gave them the... We made the taffy.

We cooked the taffy, poured it out into plates, and lined it up on the window sill 'til it got cool. And then I divided and gave everybody a little taffy, and they could pull it.

And what they had to pull, they could eat. So they pulled it and they pulled it and they strung it out and they twisted it. And pretty soon they'd be taking a bite.

But I told them it was theirs to eat anytime they wanted to. Yeah. I was younger then,

and I did things that I didn't do maybe later. But one of the supervisors walked in the classroom with the principal. She was amazed that I could have 30-some, 39 children

pulling taffy and there wasn't any mess on anywhere. I'm amazed. And they weren't throwing it. They were all interested in pulling their taffy. And then I

had water basins and things to wash their hands afterwards. And it worked out fine. So there were little things like that that I don't even... I remember them occasionally,

I remember right at the moment, but I'll think of something else tomorrow or the next day that I liked doing. That's a good way to remember all those good experiences. Right.

Well, did you participate in any kind of Christmas shows? Or, I mean, were you... Oh, surely. Oh, of course. We always had Christmas things,

and we had, I can remember... Oh, I was embarrassed. I don't know why

I should have been. I had a little girl in my class, Agatha Muir. Now, you don't know that name. Mrs. Muir used to teach the Glee club at the Peabody.

She had the Glee club at the Peabody. I didn't know that. Agatha was in my class. And she was also in the... I had a little junior choir thing for

that performance. You did? And I think her mother might have been sitting right behind her. And I didn't know who she was until the performance was

all over. And then my principal said to me, did you know that Mrs. Muir was there? I didn't know who she was.

I'm glad that's over. I'm glad I didn't go ahead of time because she really knew how to direct a choir and I didn't. I was, you know, I could...

I don't think I directed it, I think I just played for them while they sang, yeah. Things like that pop up every now and then. I think of somebody, but you can't remember them all.

No. And something triggers one thing after another. But that's good that, as you said, you remember the good things and the funny things.

That's what you should remember. I remember a lot of good things and... I remember one time... Is... It's not on, is it?

He's not still doing this. Anyway, I was supposed to teach a demonstration for three supervisors, supervisor of phys ed, supervisor of reading, and the supervisor of math in Baltimore.

I was to teach a reading lesson and use all three of those things in my lesson. Oh my heavens. And I had three groups of reading according to their

abilities. And I had planned it, but I was, I don't know how much I slept the night before because I think that was a job. And I had to work with the kids ahead of time so they

would know nothing was planned because the lesson would have been the one that followed the day before, whatever they've been doing. But I had one group plan...

One group was going to read directions for a simple little dance and performance according to the way they read the directions. And I had something, some kind of puzzle thing for the

math group, but I thought that was a pretty tough thing to have to do. It sure was. And in the night, during the night, it began to snow.

We had one of the worst blizzards they've ever had in Baltimore and the schools were closed. But you didn't have to do that. Oh, my, no, no.

Lenore Goldman was one of the supervisors, and it got the nicest note from Lenore saying she was sure it would have been great. Sorry we had a blizzard. And so that... But I was often saying

about that blizzard. Thank goodness for the blizzard. Oh, yeah, that really was kind of a tricky kind of thing to deal with.

And I was, there were going to be people in the classroom besides, visitors. And that's not always a normal situation. Heavens, no.

For the children, no, it isn't. Because they're kind of curious and wonder what the guests are there for. Well, I didn't have to do that, but I remember that I was

supposed to. Oh my, my. That's right. My, my, it's all finished. Is the booklet that you're trying to assemble just for the

normal school? Or for the whole... It's for... It's across time. So we're trying to get people's memories.

It is just for Towson University. It's for graduates, alumni from Towson. College of Education? Exactly. Anybody who's in teacher education. But we're especially interested in folks that were there when it

was only a teacher's college. And we're just delighted. We really are so appreciative that you were willing to be part of it because the Maryland Normal School piece really

changes in just a couple years after you graduated. As you said, it becomes the State Teachers College. So for us... One more year. So it's very, very special that we have someone who can talk

from the perspective of the normal school. So we are really, really appreciative and we thank you greatly for inviting us into your home, letting us set up our cameras,

and have enjoyed thoroughly your sharing your memories of what went on when you were here. Well, it was interesting.