By GORDON D. FIEDLER JR.

Salina Journal

Maxine Strawn comes from a family of do-gooders.

So there should be no surprise that after teaching for 35 years, the 79-year-old Strawn would not wile away her retirement in the comfy-looking chaise longue on her shady backyard deck.

"My grandparents, and my parents, we've all been volunteers in some way or another, caring of others," Strawn said.

Her grandmother on her father's side, in particular, was one of those git-er-done types who thought the folks in southern Mitchell County, where she and her husband farmed, needed a church.

"She had been a teacher and she wanted a church," Strawn said.

She thought one would fit just dandy in an alfalfa field farmed by her husband.

" 'If you donate that land, I can raise enough money to build a church,' " Strawn said, recounting family lore.

He did, and she did. The church later was moved to nearby Hunter, where it stands to this day.

Her parents also farmed, and often opened their home to overnight guests and relatives.

"That's the type I come from," Strawn said. "A family that cared and were willing to do anything for anybody."

Now approaching four score years, Strawn hasn't forgotten those family lessons and is busy most days helping others.

She is a longtime volunteer at Salina Regional Health Center and a member of the hospital's auxiliary, she is a host at the hospital's Morrison House for families of out-of-town patients, she is an office volunteer for the Salina Arts and Humanities Commission, she is active in First Presbyterian Church, has served on elementary school site councils, and tutors second- and third-graders at Heusner Elementary School three afternoons a week.

It was this age group of children that first steered her toward elementary education, which was not her first love.

"I wanted to be a sports writer," said Strawn, a 1947 graduate of Hunter High School and a member of the girls basketball team. "I had done that all through high school, and I thought I could do that."

Her parents certainly weren't going to stop her.

Strawn said their philosoply was, "If you wanted to do something, go for it." So she went for it, at Kansas State College, only to have her sports journalism dreams whistled foul by the faculty, who no doubt were thinking ahead to the requisite locker room interviews.

A women's place in a newsroom was on the society desk, she was told.

She didn't give up entirely, and worked on a minor in physical education. (Also, she has been a Kansas State University football season ticket holder for years and has been a familiar face at bowl games.)

One of the requirements for the physical education minor called for her to run elementary school recess -- plan the games and supervise the play.

By this time, she was on course to earn a degree in secondary education and eventually command a room full of high school students, but working with the younger children gave her pause.

"I like it down here," she said of the lower grades.

Except for a brief stint as a high school teacher at Hunter, she spent her entire career in elementary schools in Beloit, Manhattan, Colby and Salina. She taught at Heusner for 11 years and retired in 1994 after 11 years at Meadowlark Ridge Elementary School.

She said she stayed at it for nearly 40 years because of her love of children.

The changes over the years in new students means no more kindergarten naps, milk and cookies, but the purpose of teaching remains the same, she said.

"I think it's so important for (students) in our world to get educated, to get cared for, to learn to be good citizens," she said. "We're the foundation. A good house has to have a foundation."

nGordon D. Fiedler Jr. can be reached at 822-1407 or by e-mail at gfiedler@salina.com.

Join the Discussion:

Salina.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here. Read our full online terms of service policy.

Marcia Craft says....
Mrs. Strawn was the best thing that ever happened to my boys--many years ago!
4/27/2009

---

Post a comment
Your best chance of getting your comment posted:

• No profanity
• Be civil
• Everyone is innocent until proven guilty.

Comment:

Poster:

Enter text seen above:

Read our full use policy.