By Irene Lagan
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 1/23/03)
VIENNA — Sisters of St. Joseph Mother Catherine Loyola approached the pulpit at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Vienna in 1961 to ask for help. The fifth-grade teacher at the school had become sick, and she asked if there was anyone in the parish who might be able to help her for a couple of weeks. Adele Graham (pictured at right) turned to her husband and said, "I think I’ll help for a little bit."
Forty-one years later she is still working at OLGC.
Graham began her teaching career at OLGC as the fifth-grade teacher, teaching 54 students in her first class. A few years later, she started teaching science to the junior high students. "I really loved teaching the junior high kids. One of the biggest thrills was having the children come in as seventh-graders, watching them mature, and seeing them graduate."
When she taught science, Graham said she had half of her kitchen in the classroom. She wanted to show the students how science worked with a hands-on approach. Two years ago her dream came true, and the school opened the Adele E. Graham Science Lab.
Every day that Graham has driven into the driveway of the school, she has said "Dear God, please let me remember I’m working with children." Graham works with the philosophy that children are not yet adults, and they should be treated as individuals. "They like honesty, consistency and to know teachers really care about them as individuals. You need to treat them that way and teach them that way."
Graham approached Sister Joseph Eleanor 34 years ago because she wanted to show her appreciation to the parents of the graduating students. Graham said that once the students knew which high school they were going to, they tended to spend more time with those going to the same school. Graham wanted to bring all of the students together before they went in different directions. She asked Sister Joseph Eleanor if she could hold a dinner theatre. Graham wanted to cook dinner for the students and their parents, and she talked to the music teacher about performing a play. That was the beginning of an OLGC tradition that has taken place every year since.
After 32 years as a teacher, Graham took the job of administrative assistant to the principal nine years ago. When asked if she had any plans for retirement, she said, "As long as the good Lord keeps me well, I intend to stay here. I thoroughly enjoy being around the children."
Graham does miss teaching and working one on one with the students. She also misses the teachers’ conferences that she used to enjoy attending with the Sisters of St. Joseph who worked at the school for more than 40 years.
One conference that Graham really enjoyed was titled "The One-Computer Classroom." She said she came back from that conference really energized about how a computer could change her classroom.
Now, OLGC has at least two computers in each classroom, a dozen computers in the computer lab, and computers in the science lab and the library.
Today, Graham sees the children and even grandchildren of her former students attending the school. Graham also enjoys running into her students out in the community, seeing how they have matured and what they have become. "It’s neat to meet them as adults and see that they’re successful and know you had a little something to do with that," she said.
Austin Poole, principal, said when asked about Graham, "Where do I start? Her life is the school. Her focus is the school. She is dedicated. She never misses a day. She is very involved in every aspect of the school." Poole said that Graham combines her administrative work in the office with individual interaction with the kids. He said she helps out in any way possible where she can spend time with the students.
Graham was born and raised in Philadelphia, where she attended Catholic grammar and high schools. Her Catholic education continued when she received her degree from St. Joseph University.
Graham did not exactly plan on teaching at OLGC, but ever since that Sunday when she unexpectedly became a part of the Catholic school system, she has loved her work and does not want to leave. "There’s something very unique about being part of a Catholic education," she said.
Copyright ©2003 Arlington Catholic Herald. All rights reserved.
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