by Olivia P. Tucker
Intern Reporter
Euleda Turner was a graduate of Austin High School with the class of 1974, she taught for 44 years at Austin High School, Crothersville High School and Greenfield Central High School.
Last month she closed the books on her classroom career which included 28 years as English teacher at AHS.
Turner offered some of her thoughts of moving on, “my philosophy about making decisions about change is never to be reactive, to think about it, to make sure it’s a sound decision. Number one never leave a place but look at it as going to something else and something better.”
She explained that she is nervous due to her being a teacher and has been part of a routine for so long, She also said that she is excited as well.
Turner is also ready to give more of her time to her family as well as household projects, writing, reading, and do the things that she thought she would have time to do as a teacher.
She said, “Teaching is fulfilling and rewarding, it’s a noble profession.”
Turner said, “she enjoyed all of her students” but she remembered some fun moments with the class of 2007.
Turner has been known to make baked goods for her students, she recalled that the yearbook staff in 2007 had signed a paper that said “Yearbook class will strike if the following requirements have not been made: make bread”. According to Turner, that was hanging up in the classroom until recently. Turner also has made plenty of cookies for students throughout the years for a reward for her classes having everyone in attendance.
Turner said she wants to be creative and have a home recording studio to record songs that she has written over the years.
“I have a lot of goals, a lot of people say ‘what are you going to do? Travel?’, maybe, it’s just going to feel really good to be creative, I want to be creative,” she said.
Every year for the Veterans Day program, Turner performed a song she wrote in honor of her dad “Defenders of Freedom”. Though it is uncertain that she will perform the song for the programs going forward, she did say that if asked she would come back and perform it. She even commented that she would bring her family with her to perform it as well.
Turner has also been known to have her students learn vocabulary words. She remarked that is the one thing students remember but she hoped that the students didn’t forget the words that students were tested on.
Turner would assign AHS seniors a 10-page research paper. To reciprocate. during spirit week in 2004, the students jokingly created a “wanted poster” with her photo and the moniker alias “10 Page Turner”.
Her students also learned, if they were late that they had to sing a song to make up for being late. However Turner remarked, “Nowadays I sing more than the students while being late.” She has a list of songs ready to go, including the “Tardy Rap”.
Turner said that she will miss most about being a teacher is the interaction between her students and colleagues. She even mentioned that she is considering being a substitute teacher every so often to see familiar faces.
About her students over the years, “I hope what they have taken away good memories, I hope they think of the time they spent with me fondly but what I hope they have taken away is knowing how to learn. Vocabulary is valuable, but learning to study for it is more valuable. I hope that I’ve help prepare them to understand more of what they read, be able to write more fluently, convey their ideas and be taken seriously. I want them to be taken seriously, not just in their college classes but when they communicate. I want people to be able to understand them.”
She also mentioned she wants her students’ time in high school to be used for great things in whatever the student decides to do in life.
Turner said, “This place is like home, I’m happy to have been a part of a family. Not just teachers but a school family that is really the heart of Austin. I’m happy to have been a part of that family.”
“I may be retired but I wlll always be an Austin Eagle.” said added..
During the school board meeting on Monday, May 16 Superintendent Trevor Jones in announcing Turner’s retirement said, “We appreciate all Ms. Turner has done, she has been a great asset to this school, a great teacher, does a lot of extra things, and we’ll still see her around but we will miss her a great deal. We wish her the best of luck with her retirement.”