Two-teacher family is giving young Appalachian leaders a good start
By Ann Mary Quarandillo

John Alexander, along with his wife, Susan Alexander have spent their lives helping kids grow and learn, using what they learned at Berea as a pattern for their work in Bridle Creek Elementary in Grayson County, Va.

"We just love kids."

It's that simple for Susan McGuffin Alexander, '78. She and her husband John, '78, first met when they were six months old. They have spent their lives helping kids grow and learn, using what they learned at Berea as a patter for their work.

For 14 years, the Alexanders ran a children's home in Lynchburg, Va. " A lot of that work is in education, since most of the youngsters were behind educationally," says John. "Our big thrill was to get them caught up. We had 80 children on camus, including 19 in college." The Alexanders modeled their system after Berea's work program. Those residents attending local college would work at the children's home, and in return have their expenses paid. "If they got in (to college), they could get out without owing anything, much like Berea," John explains.

After their work in Lynchburg, the Alexanders moved to Wytheville to take over another children's home, where they incorporated another Berea lesson--how to raise funds. "It was a much smaller home, with virtually no endowments," John recalls. "We worked hard to get the endowment upto $1 million."

Through much of their time at the children's home, Susan taught preschool. "I always said I would go back to teaching when our kids grew up," she says. When the youngest of seven children entered hight school, it seemed like the right time, and three years ago, both of them came back to public education John is principal of Bridle Creek Elementary in Grayson County, Va. and Susan teaches kindergarten at Galax (Va.) Elementary.

This area of southwest Virginia is not well off. In the last 18 months, Grayson County has lost four factories and still has double digit unemployement. That makes it all the more important that the kids get a good education, and what the Alexanders learned from watching how Berea provided education at minimal cost to students helps them provide it. "At Berea, we didn't use a lot of expensive materials in our teaching methods classes," says John. "That's still true today. At a lot of schools, you don't have th emoney to go out and by materials, but you can get by with a lot of neat things that don't cost much. Berea has a wonderful tradition of getting foundation help, and I've run with that idea. We have anumber of grants here--some small, but everything adds up."

John is proud of the achievements at Bridle Creek. The average test score for his fourth grader sis 90%, mor ethan twice the statewide average of 40%. "Even though we're one of the poorest school districts," he explains, "it just goes to prove that with quality teachers, you can do just about anything."

Susan also finds innovative ways to help her students. "I love teaching kindergarten because of the children and the excitement of watching them learn," says Susan. "Learning if so fun at that age. You can teach through games, activities--anything you do with the kids is learning."

A significant challenge in the area is the increasing multicultural face of the students. Galax has one of the largest Hispanic populations in southwest Virginia, and both John ans Susan work with a diverse population. Both Alexanders credit Berea's environment with preparing them well for the increasing diversity in the area. "Berea was really multicultural," Susan recalls. "We came from a small school, and when we came to Berea, it was the first time I'd experienced and learned about a lot of different cultures."

"I have been so impressed with the Hispanic families," John continues. "They want the American dream. They're working hard, they're learning English, and the parents come to PTO (Parent-Teacher Organization) meetings. It's fun to watch, because that's how we all got here. It's great to see that dream continuing."

John spent four years in the Navy working in communications before returning to college. " Our family has a teaching tradition," he says. "My mother was a teacher for over 30 years. She started out in a one room school on Mary's Creek in Rockbridge County, Va. at the age of 19."

Although both John and Susan grew up in Fairfield, Va., "we did not know Berea existed," John remembers. "I was sitting in a libraryin the Philippines on a Navy base with a book of all the colleges in the U.S., and it said "Berea-rural, accredited, no tuition.' And I said 'yes!'" When the Alexanders started at Berea, their first son Chris was three years old. "Berea was perfect for a young married couple," Susan recalls. "It was like having two jobs, but it prepared us well for balancing teaching and family."

"Our educatin at Berea was superior," says John. "We had top quality teachers. I stil luse many of the techniques I learned in Dr. (Thomas) Crumbaugh's reading methods classes." Susan completed her student teaching at Berea Community School, and worked at Berea's preschool. "Berea gave me a preview of what my career would be like," she says. "I learned to work with parents as well as children, which prepared me well for teaching."

Event though he is now principal, John tries to be in "every classroom, everyday," and acknowledges that working in a small school allows him that time with the students. He still substitutes when teachers are absent. "I don't see how you can not try to be with the kids as much as possible," he says. "If you're not with the kids, something's wrong."

A number of other Berea alums live and work in southwest Virginia, and both Alexanders are glad they have returned home. "It's great to read about Berea graduates who are famous in their fields," John concludes. "But it's also nice to see a lot of us stay in the Appalachian region and have some impact, we hope."