[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 67 (Friday, May 22, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E945]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         THANK YOU, MRS. WRIGHT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES A. BARCIA

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 21, 1998

  Mr. BARCIA. Mr. Speaker, no one doubts the importance of teachers in 
our lives. Ubly Community Schools has been blessed with an outstanding 
teacher, Bonnetta Wright, for the past thirty seven years. She is being 
honored with a retirement event, and the best honor I can think of for 
her is the memory of one of her students. Lori Shemka, a remarkable 
young lady who is today an attorney near Detroit, and has served here 
as the Congressional Page assigned to former Speaker of the House Tom 
Foley, provided me with the following description of her kindergarten 
teacher, Bonnetta Wright:

       ``Before preschool, young five's, and Barney, there was 
     Mrs. Wright. The lady with the perpetual smile and heartfelt 
     chuckle had her kindergartners practicing their letters and 
     numbers with fat red pencils. It was not long before her 
     lessons plans and soothing voice had captivated the students 
     and effectively dried their tears from the traumas of the 
     dreaded First Day. They colored with wide, chunky Crayolas 
     that came in the eight-pack box. The entire school knew when 
     Mrs. Wright's class was walking down the hall because the 
     youngsters would have their rips puckered in silence and 
     would march in single file with their hands on their hips. 
     Some later concluded that this was not a military exercise 
     but an example of walking with purpose. Not many children 
     know where they were going, but Mrs. Wright's always did.
       ``Mrs. Wright taught her students to ``use inside voices'' 
     since the classroom was not a barnyard. Hand washing came 
     before snack time. She subtly chastised the few who dared to 
     cut in line with the reminder. ``Only billy goats butt into a 
     line . . . are you a billy goat?'' The student would mumble a 
     remorseful ``no'' and Mrs. Wright would chuckle and say, 
     ``Well, I would hope not!'' Her lessons instilled the 
     importance of detail: one finger space between words, two 
     finger spaces between sentences. Practicality was her 
     hallmark.
       ``As Mrs. Wright was dedicated to her profession, her 
     students knew that they were expected to participate in the 
     day's lessons, regardless of how they tried to hide their 
     eyes. Parents also knew that Mrs. Wright expected them to be 
     involved. To this day, few are in short supply of safety pins 
     because Mrs. Wright was always pinning notes into the 
     students' shirts.
       ``Each day, Mrs. Wright would select a class leader who 
     would start the class with the pledge of allegiance, savor in 
     the thrill of leaving class to take the attendance slip to 
     the office, and would lead the class march to recess, gym and 
     music. Being the leader certainly fed hungry egos but the 
     duty also reminded the student that with responsibility came 
     accountability. For that one day, the eyes of the class were 
     on that student. The consequences of abusing Mrs. Wright's 
     trust was unthinkable! The inherent guilt of disappointing 
     Mrs. Wright was far greater than any possible discipline.
       ``During her career, Mrs. Wright has commanded a classroom 
     of order and mutual respect. In return, she has been endeared 
     by parents and a community who were assured that their 
     children were instilled with the best fundamentals any 
     program could offer and she is genuinely loved and admired by 
     the students to whom she has dedicated her career. Mrs. 
     Wright never led them wrong.''

  Mr. Speaker, what a wonderful tribute to a wonderful lady. I urge you 
and all of our colleagues to join me in saying--Thank you, Mrs. Wright.

                          ____________________