[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 56 (Monday, May 5, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E828-E829]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO HELEN BRADBURY WRIGHT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. SCOTT McINNIS

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 1, 1997

  Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, Helen Bradbury Wright dedicated much of her 
78 years to educating the Grand Valley's students.
  For 35 years Mrs. Wright schooled students in the three R's. 
Throughout her career she taught every grade, starting with eight 
students in a on-room shanty and finishing as the kindergarten teacher 
at Columbus Elementary School.
  Upon retiring, Mrs. Wright served on the District 51 School Board for 
10 years.
  But becoming an educator had not always been Mrs. Wright's 
aspiration. While in grade school, she wanted to become a secretary. 
However here instructor said, ''No, Helen, you don't spell well enough 
to be a secretary. You are better suited to become a teacher.``
  Mrs. Wright left her Kannah Creek home to live in Grand Junction and 
attend Grand Junction High School, Mrs. Wright graduated in 1934. That 
summer she earned tuition money as a housekeeper, errand girl, and 
yardkeeper for a family in town.
  In the fall of 1934, she enrolled in Grand Junction Junior College. 
While there, Mrs. Wright showed the tenacity necessary to achieve the 
title so many said suited her--teacher.
  She worked for her room and board, attended classes at GJJC and 
graded papers for her tuition money. The National Youth Administration 
paid her 35 cents an hour as a grader and for extra money, she babysat 
for 50 cents a night. Every penny Mrs. Wright

[[Page E829]]

earned went toward her education--nothing was more important to her.
  She enjoyed all aspects of school and was very active in the 
extracurricular activities. Each year the college produced a musical at 
the Avalon Theater. Mrs. Wright was a dancer in each production.
  Lessons and school work demanded the most of her time. She studied 
diligently and made `average grades''.
  ``I was not an `A' student or even a `B' student many times,'' Mrs. 
Wright recalls. ``We were graded on a curve and there were two students 
who were always so good that it pushed the average students into the 
`C' bracket.''
  Dean Houston, her psychology professor, told the class that being 
average was OK in some professions. ``He informed us that average 
people made good teachers because they could relate better to the 
majority of students,'' she said.
  The second year of college proved to be one of her greatest 
challenges. She lost her job because the family needed a housekeeper 
fulltime. Then she waited tables at a cafe for a dollar a day plus 
tips, which back then were a nickel--if you were lucky. That December, 
Mrs. Wright got the mumps and missed a week of classes. After 
recovering from the mumps and working to make up the missed classes, 
Mrs. Wright caught scarlet fever. She missed a month of classes during 
the spring quarter--right before graduation. But with extra work and 
determination, Mrs. Wright graduated with her class in 1936. She 
applied for a 1-year teaching certificate and was offered a job 
teaching at Salt Creek. Before starting that job in September of 1936, 
Mrs. Wright taught summer school for 3 months in Moffat County.
  In 1937, she entered Colorado State College of Education in Greeley 
to finish her education degree. She took classes in the summer and 
taught during the winter months, finally graduating from the teachers 
college in 1954.
  After her first job at Timberlake School in Moffat County, she then 
taught at Salt Creek School near Collbran, Summit School in Unaweep 
Canyon, Pride School in Kannah Creek, Whitewater School, Purdy Mesa 
School, Rhone and Hunter schools near Fruita and finally 22 years at 
Columbus Elementary on Orchard Mesa. The last 9 years at Columbus, she 
taught kindergarten.
  At the country schools, Mrs. Wright instructed students of all ages 
and grades. She; her husband, Leslie Wright, who worked for the Rio 
Grande Railroad; and two children, Don and Rena, often lived in the 
teacherage next to the schoolhouse.
  After 35 years of teaching, Mr. Wright was not quite ready to give up 
working for education. She was elected to District 51 School Board. 
Serving for 10 years, teachers and students often saw Mrs. Wright 
sitting in the back of the classroom watching and listening. As an 
administrator, she did not want to lose touch with the students and 
teachers she represented.
  Mrs. Wright attended 71 graduations during her school board tenure. 
Three of those graduations were very special. She handed diplomas to 
her grandchildren, Lisa Wright, Justin Carver, and Kristi Wright, when 
they graduated from Grand Junction High School in 1988, 1989 and 1991, 
respectively.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the hard work and dedication 
that Mrs. Wright put into her career in education and to thank her for 
the example she provided to so many of Colorado's youth.

                          ____________________