CULLEOKA, Tenn. (WTVF) — For Mary Eleanor Morrow, teaching isn't merely a job; it's a lifelong passion that has kept her engaged for more than six decades.
As the 84-year-old educator embarks on her 64th year within the Maury County School system, she shows no signs of slowing down.
Known as Mrs. Morrow at Culleoka Unit School, she has been a fixture in Maury County since 1959 when her "classroom on wheels" hit the road.
In her early teaching days, Mrs. Morrow utilized her "speech mobile" to reach students.
"I would pull up to the school and plug in, and then have my classes come out to the speech mobile. Everybody wanted to come to speech, and I guess I drove it for about 13 years until the springs gave out and flopped."
Every school day, for half an hour, students eagerly arrive in Mrs. Morrow's classroom where she teaches them proper pronunciation, confident reading and effective communication.
To her, teaching is not just a career; it's her calling.
"I really enjoy it. You can tell when I work with the students that it's just something that's really fun for me," she said.
Mrs. Morrow's impact extends far beyond her classroom walls, influencing Maury County's past, present and future.
Some of her former students have even chosen to follow in her footsteps. One such example is Jim Hamilton, a teacher at Johnson Elementary School in Franklin.
Hamilton, who teaches physical education, fondly remembers his time in Mrs. Morrow's mobile classroom, where flashcards helped him learn to sound out words.
"I'll be honest with you; it was hard at first because I have 99% hearing loss; I'm profoundly deaf," Hamilton said.
He credits Mrs. Morrow for instilling the courage to find his voice, a testament to her lasting influence.
Yet, Mrs. Morrow's story is not one of retirement, but rather a continuation of her lifelong passion.
"I haven't really thought about the ending time. I want to just keep on as long as I enjoy it," she said.
Remarkably, Mrs. Morrow says she has the ability to remember every student she has taught, given just their name.
The only time she temporarily stepped away from teaching was when her late husband battled cancer, a testament to her commitment to both family and her beloved profession.
