Last of the Col-Hi Wildcats 1982
Last of the Col-Hi Wildcats 1982
135 Mrs Sue Reynolds- Last of the Col-Hi Wildcats 1982
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As we approach our 40th year, I interview friends from my graduating class of 1982, The College High Wildcats. This class held the distinction of being the last graduating class of College High School before the name was changed to Bartlesville High School. Sooner High School and College High were combined into one school called Bartlesville High School.
In this episode, I visit with Col-Hi Wildcat Home Economics teacher, Mrs. Sue Reynolds. Mrs. Reynolds talks about her love of basketball, what a typical day was like as a Home Economics teacher, the last year of College High, how she helps students feel valued, and advice for us for the next 30-40 years.
To contact Mrs. Reynolds, send an email to scott@scotttownsend.info
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Chris Hayes:you know, you go to college and you're on this all star team. So I would tell myself that, really don't listen to that voice inside your head that tells you you're not good enough. And probably the other thing I would tell myself is get more sleep.
Amy Wallen:Not everyone's gonna like you, but try to make them watch. And so working on that one.
Kent Hudson:People say, Well, I'm not going to have kids yet, because it's not the right time or I'm not gonna get married yet. It's not the right time. Well, if you keep moving the goalposts and lie, there's never gonna be the right time. So enjoy your life. Do what you love, figure out a way to make that work.
John Hensley:Don't Don't do something because that's what you're supposed to do, because it's gonna do something that makes you happy.
Mark Thompson:Think going to Lander's for lunch, go to landers for lunch, sitting around Jeff Blair's Mustang II and listening to his tape of Pink Floyd's The Wall.
Scott Townsend:Hey, this is Scott Townsend. Welcome back to the Last of the Col-Hi Wildcats 1982 podcast. And today in this episode, you'll get to hear from one of the sweetest ladies I know. Mrs. Sue Reynolds, Mrs. Reynolds was kind enough to spend some time with me and talk about what it was like to be a home ec teacher in College High back in 1982. And before Mrs. Reynolds talks about how she got into teaching, how she helps students feel valued. She answers questions sent in by you on Facebook. And she offers up some advice for all of us for the next 30-40 years. If you like this podcast, you can be a member of the Last of the Col-Hi Wildcats 1982 podcast by going to patreon.com/Wildcats1982 and choose the membership level that's right for you. And as always make sure to subscribe to this podcast on YouTube, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. And now my conversation with the wonderful Mrs. Sue Reynolds. Mrs Reynolds How you doing?
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:Doing great.
Scott Townsend:So I there's been a lot of students who I've interviewed so far. And one of the questions I always ask is, you know, what teacher influenced you or you know, who to do like as a teacher and your name pops up probably more than anybody else. No, definitely more than anybody else. And so when Donnie sent me a picture of he, you and him the other day and said, hey, you need to interview Mrs. Reynolds. I appreciate you taking the time to visit with us.
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:Thank you. Well, I ran into Donnie at the basketball game. We still love to go to the basketball games . So all of these years, even after teaching my husband I continued to go to almost all the home basketball games. And that's where oftentimes see Donnie, Donnie also lived down the street from us several years ago on a previous Street. And it was really nice to have that connection with him and his family at that time.
Scott Townsend:So let me ask you, you know, going back 39 years, one of the originating questions maybe is how did you get into teaching what? What got you into the teaching profession?
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:Okay, I grew up in a small rural community. And you have to realize that was back in the early 60s. And for women, we kind of thought about choices after graduation was, well, you could go to college because there was a junior college about five miles from us. We could become a nurse or a teacher, cosmetology and that was an interest to me but I really wanted to go to college. So I have had wonderful teachers that just poured their life in to us students, and gave us a lot of attention. In turn, extra time, I could see their lifestyle. It just meant a lot to me to see the influence that they had not only on me, but on other students. And I thought, you know, that is something that I would like to do to be able to influence the young people. And to be a part of that. I love school. I loved all the activities I participated in everything that came about. And so it was just seemed like the natural thing for me to do. So I just enrolled in college at Wilburton, went two years and then went on to OSU. And that's just kind of how I got started.
Scott Townsend:So you went to OSU?
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:Yes.
Scott Townsend:Okay, good. Awesome. Great. So So did I. So
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:that's okay. Let me tell you something interesting. In high school, our school colors were black and gold. Okay. Then when I went to junior college, it was gold, and copper, royal blue. Then when I went to LSU, of course, we know it's black and orange. And when I graduated from there, I went to Copan to teach for five years. And their colors were black and gold. And then I came to Col-Hi and we all know what those colors are, black and gold. I said it just seemed like it fit.
Scott Townsend:So if I ask a question, and I'm and I'm, I'm prying, just say, I don't want to answer that. But what year did you start at College High?
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:1970, five years previous, and then came there in 1970. And then I told the class of 98, that I was going to finally graduate with them. That mean, I was retiring. But then I went right back into substituting. And I've substituted for now for 20 years. So I spent 55 years in the classroom. Wow, I just, I just...this is the first year that I haven't been substituting I decided that my age, I should just give it up and stay home and do other things. And that's what I'm doing.
Scott Townsend:You can do whatever you want now. You've earned you've earned it. Right. There's a several students. That mentioned like I said earlier that you were one of their favorites. And they, and they're they're very enthusiastic when they say that, why do you think that is? Why do you think after 39 years, when asked Who was your favorite teacher? they say you.
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:I really think Scott, that goes back to the curriculum. You know, the family living curriculum, or the home economics covered many, many areas of study. And I just feel like that it was the subjects that we were teaching, and always kind of related it to living in Oklahoma. If you didn't like what we were studying right now, just bear with it. And a few weeks, we'll be on to something else. It's like the weather, it will change. So we just covered so many life skills, preparing them to leave home to be able to function on their own. I think we tried to make the classes very interesting. Sue Smith is another one that favorite teachers that I know that alot of students and referred to right, sometimes it would be a toss up to were they gonna get Miss Smith, or they gonna get Miss Reynolds, you know, but we work very closely together to develop the program that would meet the needs of young people that do it in an interesting way that they could interact with other students frequently. And we love our activities, I mean, they interacted together in the classroom. Another thing was that we had field trips, and guest speakers. I'll forever be grateful to the people in Bartlesville that embraced our program would allow hundreds of students to come through their business on a day's basis, or they would come and speak to roughly 200 students five times during the day, because we would put the students the two classes together, when the speaker came. So one speaker could take care of two classes at the same time. But I think a lot of it was the course, the camaraderie within the classroom, interacting with each other. But as a teacher myself, because even though we were teaching the same thing, and Sue and I work together to plan the lessons, and then we get together after school, well, you know, how far did you get, and how did, what was the response and so forth, that we're getting the same basic information, but just with different teachers. But my goal was to create an atmosphere in my classroom, where every student felt welcome. They felt valued. And that they felt that I was being a fair teacher, you know, trying to treat everybody as equally as I could. And so that probably had something to do with it.
Scott Townsend:So how did you how did you go about doing that? How did you go about doing that? What, what does the teacher what would you do to help make a student feel valued or heard or feel like a part of the class?
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:I tried to get the students name and face together as quickly as possible. That was my goal, the first week of school. And that's and how I accomplished that was with name tags, and label name cards. And I seated them alphabetically. And I said, this won't last forever. But until I get to know your name and face, right, let's do this together. And then I tried to incorporate every student in what was happening. I tried to be aware of the students that were more shy, that needed some encouragement. I tried to observe their actions, reactions, to see if I could pick up on things that might be bothering them. And if so I tried privately, to see if there was something that I could do for them. Just tried to develop a relationship with every student. And I know there were students that went through and said, Why don't think she ever knew me that well. And others thought I wish she didn't know me so well. But I loved teaching, I loved the students. And I always wanted that to come forth that they were important to me. And a big part of my life,
Scott Townsend:isn't it? Isn't it funny that you started off with getting to know their name and their face? That's, to me, that's, I totally agree. And I just wonder why that's so important to us?
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:Well don't we still appreciate people that remember your name, even though our faces change? And there's something I would say to this, any of the students that's listening, former students, I really appreciate if you see me out somewhere that you stop me. And you say, I think your Mrs. Reynolds andI think I recognize you and tell me who you are. I love to reconnect with students that I haven't seen for years, that I can't always remember the name. I might recognize the face. Sometimes we can't recognize each other's faces. But I always like to know, you keep up with former students.
Scott Townsend:You had the hardest part of the job, everybody can remember you. But you had to remember hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of students.
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:Yes. When I retired in 98, I had had over 3000 students, because all the years of my teaching, I would average 100 or more students. That's a lot of students to remember. Now, for the next 20 years, I had all the students that I substituted from class to class. So some of them, I, you know, could remember names and faces and got it together. I kept returning to the same classroom or they'd be in a different class, but it's just a lot of memory. And you guys are just in your late 50s and I'm in my late 70s. So add 30 more years, you know, to the brain and it just doesn't come to me as well.
Scott Townsend:What was a typical day at school like for you, and,
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:okay, I usually show up 30 to 45 minutes before class time. And of course you check in the office so they know you're there. And then get the mail, see what's going on, take care of things that needed something, to take care of them, and then get to the classroom. So I would be there as the early birds came, because oftentimes, your good visiting times, before school, lunchtime after school, at the students opportunity, so I wanted to be available. If a student wanted to come in with our labs, there was so much to seat up I wanted to get that done in the afternoon. So usually, I would teach three hours in the morning and then have that 30 to 40 minute lunch time. And that covered, not only eating lunch, going to the restroom, putting on lipstick again, that was important. And being ready for the next the afternoon classes. And then after the classes. If there was a planning period, then or sometime during the day, it was again, getting prepared for the next day, meeting with other teachers, especially with Sue or whoever my teaching partner would be at the time. And I always wanted to set everything up to the next day, before I left in the afternoon. I didn't want to feel rushed the next morning, things together. Because a lot of ours was getting things out, especially in the foods unit. Sometimes in this delay, and depending on what we were doing, there's setting up things in the classroom. And so I just wanted to be prepared. Oftentimes, there were a lot of meetings after school, especially the nine years that I was department chair, and we travel to other buildings, and have meetings at various time. So a lot of time was spent with meetings after school. And I would arrive home, prepare dinner, back in those days, we didn't have pick up takeout food, non prepared food. And so that was something and then if there was a school activity going on, I wanted to be there. So we would go back in the evenings to school activities. I often referred to myself as a bag lady, when I was teaching, because it seemed like I was always taking home a bag, a case or something of things to be working on at home, gradeing lessons, planning and contacts being made. That one of the things that in the day's activity is scheduling those field trips. That's one of the things that students love. We got on the bus and went someplace on a field trip. Or we had a guest speaker coming in and coordinating all of that, would take time in the day but it was very valuable to the students.
Scott Townsend:Now , I didn't have home economics. So give me can you give me an idea of what was studied during during that class.
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:Probably often referred to as we studied most things A through Z. Okay, let's break it down into some of the units of study. years ago, people thought of home economics as cooking and sewing. We continue to use those throughout all the years that I taught but we branched out into many other areas, we had a unit of study on housing, you know, what would you look for when you get out and you need to rent a place? What are what you need to know if you were going to look at buying a place? What about some of the furnishings and various things. So the housing unit, child development, pregnancy, to the pregnant pregnancy, childbirth delivery, care of newborns, and then child development, some of the stages that you could expect, like from the toddler years, the three to fives and that sort of thing. So and marriage and family relationships. So we got into a lot of, you know, from dating to marriage, and one of the big things was when the guest speakers would come in and set up for a wedding reception, bring wedding dresses and a tux and kids would get to put them on and they'd go through the process, you know, and and then when Dorothy Welch would come and have the wedding cake that she would bring, and talk about receptions and all of that part of the wedding, and then the kids, of course, got to have punch and cake. So that was a big deal. So any of that on relationships, marriage and so forth. Consumer Education so much dealing with the use of money. You don't just earn it, but how do you learn to budget the money. So they did a lot of budgeting exercises, income tax that go through the process of working out budgets, according to a career that they had chosen. And we help we tried to help them to choose realistic salaries, you know, they have to look up the salary range. This huge salary would kind of remind them that you have to work up to that. But the budgeting they had to do a budget when they when they were in the foods unit, so much for each kitchen for their so many weeks of cooking. And they had to keep a record of everything they spent.
Scott Townsend:I should have taken home, I should have taken this class, I can really see where I was I missed out on a lot.
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:Well, that's true. We've covered a lot of area in what we taught, preparing students to go out and be successful.
Scott Townsend:So here's one question for one from one of the students on Facebook. Amy Wallen she said, let's see. Amy says her her complexion is so nice. What moisturizer does she use? To not age?
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:You know, really I think it's more the genes. My background. My heritage, my longevity was in our family. And my mom always looked 10 to 15 years younger than she was. I don't think it's what I used on my face. I think it's what I put into my heart and my soul that comes forth. I've been truly blessed with good health. I'm very grateful that I have had good health, but it's just comes from within and but for Amy, I will tell her that I've used just various moisturizers and makeups. And most of the time that was what was on sale. But from a lady that had wonderful complexion, a few years ago, I asked her what do you use? And she said, Well, she uses coconut moisturizer. And she bought it at Sam's. So I went to Sam's and bought coconut moisturizer. And then that later I found it in our store here. Ollie's. Now they don't always have the same. I don't know she could find it here now but that's what I use at the present time.
Scott Townsend:So there you go.
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:There you go Amy.
Scott Townsend:She's in San Diego, I believe right now. She's an author. And yeah, so she's, we've had her on the show before. What are some of your favorite memories from the last year of college High thinking back on that last year? I don't think we as students realized... I mean, we did realize that that was a big thing. But I think as we get older, we appreciate that, the ending of an era so to speak. What's your favorite memories from that year maybe?
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:Again, I said, trying to think back exactly what happened at that particular year, my memory goes back to, everything was special and unique. Because we all realized that was the last year that we would be Col-Hi Wildcats. Because we knew by the end of the year that we were going to be Bruins that we will no longer have the black and gold that we would have blues and white and I just feel like everything that year had an importance that meant something special because it was going to be the last time that it would be considered that and of course my love for basketball. I remember you know Donnie Mooreland being one of the stars for the basketball. And so all of the activities, I think were just special because of knowing it was going to change.
Scott Townsend:Right. Yeah, I think we all kind of felt that way a little bit. And so there, here's another question for you. This is from see. Glenn Goodrich he says Mrs. Reynolds provided me with a ceramic pie pan when we when I first married, as well as an autographed cookbook. I believe I still have both. And then Amy says, so ask her if she has any pie advice, because Amy's a big, yeah, she's a big pie maker, I guess. And so talk,
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:like Scott make that, or Goodrich, make that filling from scratch is going to taste better. And on the crust, don't overwork it. Overworking it makes it too tough. You want to keep it light and fluffy. And use more shortening, about a third of the shortening that you use with flour to a half, that combo.
Scott Townsend:So I make an apple pie. And I use the pre made rolled up crust you know the pie, you know, it takes in a taste pretty good. So what you're saying is don't use that make it from scratch. And so how do you make it from scratch? I have no idea.
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:Oh, okay. Well, there's recipes but it contains flour and shortening. And you work, and salt, you work those together with a pastry blender or two knives, pastry blender. And then you began to add cold water. I put ice in the water and get it real cold. Then pour out from that the amount of cold water I need and work that in gradually, gradually, with the big fork or something where you don't mash it and smash it. You want to keep everything light and fluffy and only enough to get it to roll it together in a ball. Chill it and then put it out on your pastries cloth. It's in flour, no flour on it. So there's recipes in those books how to do those pies.
Scott Townsend:Yeah, go get you a recipe book. So yeah, I'm gonna try that next time, instead of using the pre made pie crust thing. I think
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:Glenn is different from a lot of the students that I had usually got invitations to a lot of their weddings. And that was always thrilled. But I realized that with a family of my own limited budget, that I couldn't afford to go and buy really nice wedding gifts. So I thought what can I do that would mean something to the students, that wouldn't be real costly. So many of my students received a little bag that I made from a heavy, neutral fabric. And sometimes I've monogram something on it and sometimes not. That then in that bag would be a dozen or more cookie cutters, and a recipe for sugar cookies. And that way I could give a personal gift that I had made spent time putting together without spending a lot of money. And even today, I'll have students tell me, I still have that cookie cutter. I mean that cookie bag and those cookie cutters If Glenn got a pie pan, well that was a little different.
Scott Townsend:So there you go, Glenn, you better consider yourself special. Chris Frederick, Chris Hays. You remember Chris Hays, the swimmer? She... She said echoing Amy's question maybe I should have asked this 20 years ago. I wonder. I want to know what she thought about teaching serious life skills to high school seniors for all those years and how did they come up with the curriculum?
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:How did it come up with what?
Scott Townsend:the curriculum? How did you come up with the curriculum?
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:Okay, Sue Smith started that curriculum. She gets the credit for starting that. And when she started teaching, she saw a need, you know for life skills. And she started well, and then I can go on board. And we began to work and develop more and more, then the State Department of Vocational Home Economics asked me to be on their state curriculum development of family living. So I took what sue and I had developed, and then met with committees, and we continued to develop, to develop the extensive curriculum. And it was used for years and years. And now as many people know that home economics has kind of phased out, in a lot of the schools, including Bartlesville.
Scott Townsend:So I was want to ask about that. What do you what do you think about that?
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:do I think about that? It breaks my heart. I mean, we taught skills that young people are not getting elsewhere. And sometimes they'll say, oh, yeah, they can go back and buy all the food they need at the delis and restaurants and you take your clothes to the cleaners, and I mean, you know, just things like that, and say you can get by without. But they're missing a lot. A lot of young people do not know how to budget. You know, they spend what they have, and they don't worry about the next. Many students have gotten some of that elsewhere. So I think it's a loss to the young people that they did away with that curriculum. I will say that in Bartlesville, what basically replaced our department was the STEM program. And I have substituted in the STEM many times, I think it's a wonderful program. I think it's needed, I think it's beneficial. But, you know, that it kind of took the place of home economics and family living. And you know, Home Economics changed from that to the wording is Family and Consumer Sciences, because that was more like you're saying they realize all things that we taught, that are fit in the curriculum.
Scott Townsend:You know, it's interesting, I think back over the last 39 years, the need to sew on a button. It you would think that would never come into play. But I can't tell you how many times I've either been on a business trip or here at the house or you know, something and you got to put a button on and I in, I didn't know how to sew the button on you know, something as simple as that. I just kind of find that interesting. Actually, you don't think that's a big deal. But it's a it's a big deal when you when you don't know it and need it.
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:And alot students had no idea about how to sort laundry.
Scott Townsend:I didn't know there was
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:they just put everything in the washer at one time. Well, that's not the best way to do it. So we taught that and how to iron. You know, again today that not very many people do a lot of ironing. But I always thought it was important that if I was going to send my husband out, he should have a shirt that was ironed.
Scott Townsend:That's why I guess my wife won't let me do the wash because everything jut goes in.
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:But everybody needs to know how to do it.
Scott Townsend:Yeah, yeah. Here's another question. Okay. Did you realize at the time what a huge impact you would have on
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:I don't know that I really realized I wanted all of us? to have a very positive impact on the young people. But I don't know that I've truly realized how much impact it's had until I hear students, former students tell me that what some of the things that they learned, and how beneficial it's been to them in their adult lives. And so that's, that's been encouraging to know that. I did learn some things and put it into practice. Yeah,
Scott Townsend:they were listening. Yeah, yes. And then Chris Hays winds up with she says, Please tell her how many of us mentioned her as a favorite teacher. So I'm passing that along from
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:Would you repeat that Scott?
Scott Townsend:Yeah, Chris Hayes finished up her question with the, And please tell her how many of us mentioned her as a favorite teacher.
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:Oh, and I thank every one of you that liked me, and put up with me and have remembered me. And like I said, I'm just thrilled to have this time to share some of those stories and experiences. And please get in touch with me if you can. Scott has my email and phone number. So he's, I gave him permission to give it out on this broadcast, and love to hear from any and all of you.
Scott Townsend:Right. One last, I guess this is actually this is the last one. She gave us. Great. Amy said She gave us great advice at 18. What can she give us for the future? You gave everyone great advice back in 1982, 39 years later, what can you tell us? What advice would you give us now
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:To live a clean life. happiness comes from within and that comes through your relationship with God. So have a clean life, exercise, eat healthy, and do the things that you enjoy doing. In other words, there's a book titled Don't Sweat, The Small Stuff. And many of the things that we dwell on and spend our time on this small, insignificant things, that oftentimes does not even happen. So live in the moment and plan far enough in the future that you're making wise decisions, but enjoy life. Enjoy your families, enjoy your friends. You know, we put a friend we said goodbye to a good friend today this morning,
Scott Townsend:John Burkett.
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:So we never know when that time will come. Be prepared. And enjoy your family and your friends.
Scott Townsend:Well, that's a great note to end on. I really appreciate your time. Thanks for visiting with us. I know everyone's going to enjoy this. And you'll probably be hearing from a lot of them here. I hope. So. I'll have your email and phone number handy in case anybody wants that. Well, Mrs. Reynolds, any last anything you'd like to tell the Last of the Col-Hi Wildcats before we sign off?
Mrs. Sue Reynolds:Just as I said, enjoy day by day, and to know that I love you, will always love you. You had a very special part of my life. My life was centered around my career. I had a wonderful family wonderful husband that supported me. It enabled him to give a great deal of myself to my students. And I'll just love each other forever. Let me know, when you see who you are.
Scott Townsend:Well for, so hang on just a second. Don't hang up yet. So for Mrs. Sue Reynolds, this is Scott Townsend. Thanks for listening, watching Last of the Col-Hi Wildcats 1982 podcast. Have a great day and we'll talk to you later.
Narrator:Last of the Col-Hi Wildcats 1982 podcast is a Deetsoman Production. Visit the Last of the Col-Hi Wildcats 1982 YouTube channel. Listen on Apple podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
Scott Townsend:This podcast is made possible by our Patreon members Butch Bolen, Ben Townsend, Mark Thompson, Sandra Yeager and Kristie Brooks. And by the generous donations made via the GoFundMe campaign