MUSCATINE COUNTY, IOWA SCHOOL NEWS

Transcribed, as written, by Beverly Gerdts on June 24, 2019

Page 81

MRS ANITA STANGE DAVIS 1ST GRADE TEACHER

    Mrs. Anita Stange Davis sent the following information after I talked to her one Sunday afternoon. It was such a pleasure talking to her. "It was fun yesterday to think about the old days, and old friends. Then to hunt up the picture--makes you wonder where they are now. I'm sending you what I have. I should have put more dates and names. Finding the pictures, I learned that you were in the first class I had at Garfield 1943-44. Your mom and I were in the same confirmation class at Zion Lutheran Church.

    My teaching experience was very pleasurable my whole life. Three years at a Muscatine County rural school then to Old Garfield in September 1943. I was there for 9 years. Next I taught 3rd and 4th Grades at Cotter School for 1 year, then had Robert and Randy and did not teach for 13 years. Then taught Special Education for 14 years at Cotter School. I went back to the University of Iowa summers till I got my degree in Special Education. My son Bob is married and has a son 7 and a daughter 4. He lives about 5 miles from us and does a lot of farming, raising hogs. Our son Randy is also married. He is a Hematologist Oncologist in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, working for the Texas Oncology. After retiring I spend lots of time- all of it I guess doing just the things I like. I do lots of gardening, raising lots of herbs, make crafts using the herbs and like to paint water colors, oils and acrylics. So I keep busy. It’s been and is a good life. I hope the pictures are a help. I'll try and label them.

Love,
Anita Stange

    I looked at the pictures and seen some kids that I do remember from the 1st grade class. She mentioned that she used to take her class to the farm to see the animals. There are some pictures of farm life and little tykes running around.