Pryor Scrapbook Clippings, 1955-1980

~. By RANDY KEMP Citizen StaffWriter , She surpressed the tears that she · thought would have to come, when she announced that she is selling her kindergarten. "I promise you they will be loved and c_ated for ;il-.t as they alway$·have been;" Dot Beck told, a crowd of .surprised parents May io at the conclusion of com– mencement ceremonies for som, of the students of Dot Beck· Kindergarten in Searcy. She choked back her ' emotions . "I have thoroughly enjoyed it. It has been hard work, but a lot of fun," said the teacher of 24 years in announcing. that s is aelijng the school :I3url and Evelyn curt;.s, effecti~ July 31. In an terview with the attractif~, S(jft-spoken woman at her home last week, Mrs. ·Beck talked of past experiences, present feelings and future plans. · '~I feel good about it," she said of the decision to · sell after establishing the school 15 years ago, where Dillin-West Photography ia , now located on East Market Street. ''It's a special world, the world of · little children. I've always been drawn to little children.,, Although she said she .will miss the children, she said she has no regrets yet about the decision. . · 'Mrs. Beck taught in i,iblic schools for nine years, starting in 1946 just before her 18th birthday in Cleveland, Tennessee, where she taught 52 fourth amd fifth graders. She later tall&ht •a year at Harding Academy and two years at Kem,ett. She said that when she taught at the Academy, the youngest 1tuden ~ by her 'room all day, and "it was awarent' which ones had had kindergarten · trainiq. It was in the back of my mind to . have a kin– de~arten, but at the time I started it I just needed to help with home payment– s," she said. "It was then - 16 years ago - that I developed an unusual , appetite, and I discovered I was prepant with Melody Ann. ':'.ae was really the reason I started a kin– dergarten,'' she said with a . smile. She started in 1964 with about 35 kids in the Dior– nong and 24 in the af– ternoon. "I didn't want it to just be a play school - I wanted it to be more of a readiness program for ffnt grade. It is just too great a shock for them to play what they, want to play all day, and then go into the rigid structure of school.'' Mn. Beck, a singer and musician for many yeari, said one· part of her program · every day in– volved music. "The children who usually were shy responded to music," she explained. , · When she first opened, there were many . parents who called to find out what her policies and plans would be. She told them she believes in firm discipline, "meted out with love." And love has been the · cor- nerstone of the school. She said she always told the children d1at: "Because I do love you, I care about what you do - I expect your best behavior, and your best work." She paused in the in– terview to sip her soft drink, g« some photos of her- first classes, and to reminisce. "My first kindergarten class is finishings its sophomore year in college now,'' she announced. ''I see their names in the paper, and We honors they are recieiving, and it swells my heart to think that I might have had some small part in their success." She took another sip another: ·1ook at the old photos, and resumed. ~'I would feed and bathe Melody Ann ~rly in the morning, and I would be next . door at the kin– dergarten ... she didn't know I was gone ... her father or my mother took care of her at home in the .morning, and I would check in on her from time to time." The educator, modest and quite•apoken but energetic and outgoing~ talked about what ahe tried to teach her charges. "I tried to teach them the rights of others; to share; to feel good about them– selves, and that each one of 1J8 is special. I wanted them to know that we all make mistakes, and to let mistakes to be to grow on; that there is a God, and that he lovei us, and gives us all the wonderful things of the world; I tried to teach, them to be obedient to their parents, and not to say 'no' to trying a~ytbfng. school instead of dreading it.,, ,Her teaching ideals were . centered around true love . for the children of her "little school" "A touch - a soft, gentle touch - and noticing things about them, paying attention to them ... they know -whether you. love them or not: You don't have to say 'Look, I love you' for them to know," she said with emphasis. Mrs. . Beck added daycare services to the school 12 years ago. She explained, however, that "I didn't start my daycare to ·encourage mothers to work - they were working anyway - but I started it -so ·that tnothers wouldn't · have to -feel guilty about leaving their children somewhere, and so the children wouldn't be unhappy with their mothers at work.. I have had children who cried on Saturdays because they ·couldn't come to tlie school," she confided with modest pride. , "My little school," as she 1 refers to it, has grown over the years to include 112 students now, with eight on the school staff. They are Mrs. Evelyn Curtis, who has taught there for four years and is buying the school; and Mrs. Crystal Carrigan, Mrs. Beth Hoofman, Mrs. Nancy Johnson, Mn. Janet Pitt– man, Mrs. Mildred Price, Miss Lynn Williams and Mrs. Beck. I wanted them to do their best - that's what I've always asked _of my own children. I wanted them to have a really good first- · school experience, so they would look forward to Mrs. Beck started her first year with one .teacher besides herself - Mrs. Johnny Berryhill, and the second year added Mrs. Richard Beck. After that second year, she moved the school about four blocks west on Market to its present location beside Strother Abstract Com– pany. ,A 1952 graduate of · MRS. BECK on page 2A Mrs~ Beck recalls long career (Continued from "ge one) Harding, Mrs. Beck met her husband, Cecil, while in college here. Cecil baa been with the college liDce 1963 as intramural iporta I program director. Pausing again from her school story, she talked. fondly about her bUiband, their three children, and ~er friends. Gary, 25, II now teaching in St. Louii; Debra, 23, Just graduated from Harding with a degree in IIUl'Sing; and Melody, their youngest daughter, wlll be a sophomore in high school, lbe said. After spelling out ·the names for the reporter, she apin ~ to talking about the school ihe has · nurtured so long. She said she has been working long hours- often 16 or 18 hours some days, what with bookkeeping and housework - and that ibe wants time to do other tbinp while she can. · "I love my music, but becauae of lack of time, I l haven't bad time to enjoy it much. I like to sew, but I haven't had time for that I either. And I waat more time to live to tbe ~rd- I need more time t0i tend to the needs of people,,, she said. "I've tried to be a good wife, a good mother and a ~ teacher - it's I' ' . - , been a f1:ill-time job doing those three full-time jobi," she laughed. She said she hopes DOW to take a real estate couae. "I enjoy people, and I love bouaee," she said of her future. "I Just have some wonderful memori9' ·of sweet families, and lovable sweet children that I'll cherish. It's been a won– derful life for me~ and I'D mi,ss it - but my husband and Melody need me rilbt now··~ and it's time..." Al · she concluded the ia- tervlew, a week after • forced back the tears flOm the audience of parlllla, she cried.