Pat Mouton gave me a D on the first assignment I ever turned in to her.<\/p>\n
It was an essay on some summer reading assignment going into junior year of high school; I don\u2019t remember now what the book was. I do remember I had never gotten a D in my life and I was devastated. My mother was incensed\u2014not at me, but because surely the paper couldn\u2019t have been that bad, and the grade was just cruel.<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t know if what I\u2019d written merited a D, but I do know it wasn\u2019t my best work. I know that over the two years I had Mrs. Mouton for English in high school, my writing improved, and that D showed me she meant business. (I never got another D, by the way.)<\/p>\n
Pat Mouton was one of many exceptional teachers I had during my educational career. My English teachers made me a better writer. The first journalistic article I ever wrote was a story on Onondaga County\u2019s first death penalty case for Tony Anello. Tim Murphy made me think this was something I might actually be good at (and he indulged my penchant for doodling song lyrics on my vocabulary quizzes). Linda Wiehl and Janet Brooks inspired my love for social studies, and Dick Fitzgerald\u2019s passion was infectious enough to spur me to major in history in college. Jill Harsin, Camilla Townsend and Robert Nemes helped me hone my research skills and my writing (though they may also have made me more long-winded as a result). When I needed to focus on one area, Frank Byrne, Dave King, Mary McCune and Doug Deal helped me decide I was most interested in 20th century America. When I wanted to teach, Tara Ross, Rick McLain and Tim Willig gave me the guidance I needed to be a confident professor.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m still always learning, and I\u2019m still grateful to the people who invested their time and talents in me. It\u2019s a clich\u00e9, but none of us would be where we are today without our teachers.<\/p>\n
I got to work with Pat Mouton again as an adult while I was at the paper and she was serving on the Liverpool school board. She passed away several years ago. Not long after, I was talking to a mutual acquaintance, former Liverpool village Mayor Marlene Ward who told me she and Mrs. Mouton were talking about me. Marlene told me Mrs. Mouton had told her she was so proud of the work I was doing and she was so pleased to see me at the helm of the paper.<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t ask for higher praise.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Pat Mouton gave me a D on the first assignment I ever turned in to her. It was an essay on some summer reading assignment going into junior year of high school; I don\u2019t remember now what the book was. I do remember I had never gotten a D in my life and I was…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":2359,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[717],"tags":[782,931],"class_list":["post-2532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-from-the-editor","tag-from-the-editor","tag-the-education-issue"],"gutentor_comment":0,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1920%2C1440&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3743,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=3743","url_meta":{"origin":2532,"position":0},"title":"Inspire: Mary Pat Speno – Dance school director reflects on 40 years of teaching","author":"syracusewomanmag_c4lfdt","date":"September 1, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"By Alyssa Dearborn After 40 years of owning the Syracuse School of Dance and acting as the artistic director of the Syracuse Contemporary Dance Company, Mary Pat Speno is retiring. Over the years, the school has expanded the different dance styles offered to students, but the school has remained dedicated\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Special Feature"","block_context":{"text":"Special Feature","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=4"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/mary-pat-speno-H-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/mary-pat-speno-H-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/mary-pat-speno-H-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/mary-pat-speno-H-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/mary-pat-speno-H-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2318,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2318","url_meta":{"origin":2532,"position":1},"title":"LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: A note from WISE","author":"Sarah Hall","date":"April 5, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Editor\u2019s note: In honor of our WISE edition this month, instead of my blathering, I\u2019m giving over this space to Nicole Samolis. Looking forward to seeing you at the Symposium on the 25th! - Sarah \u00a0 Hello,Readers, \u00a0 Welcome to the WISE Symposium issue! \u00a0 This year marks the 17th\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "From the editor"","block_context":{"text":"From the editor","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=717"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/New-WISE-Symposium-Logo.jpg?fit=1200%2C720&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/New-WISE-Symposium-Logo.jpg?fit=1200%2C720&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/New-WISE-Symposium-Logo.jpg?fit=1200%2C720&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/New-WISE-Symposium-Logo.jpg?fit=1200%2C720&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/New-WISE-Symposium-Logo.jpg?fit=1200%2C720&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2707,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2707","url_meta":{"origin":2532,"position":2},"title":"Letter from the editor","author":"Sarah Hall","date":"December 1, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Tis the season of giving, and, appropriately, our December issue focuses on giving back. You needn\u2019t look too far to find a worthy recipient for your time and financial donations. Central New York has a wealth of deserving organizations doing good, and they\u2019re all in need of your support. We\u2019ve\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Causes"","block_context":{"text":"Causes","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=104"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2421,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2421","url_meta":{"origin":2532,"position":3},"title":"FROM THE EDITOR","author":"Sarah Hall","date":"June 1, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"What makes a good man? The answer to that question has evolved in the last few years (and it\u2019s about time). Yes, a good man should be kind, and honest, and fair, and good with plants. But that\u2019s not enough. Now, to meet the definition of a good man, a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "From the editor"","block_context":{"text":"From the editor","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=717"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1292,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=1292","url_meta":{"origin":2532,"position":4},"title":"A Year in Review","author":"Staff","date":"December 1, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"A Year in Review from my Rearview Mirror By Kate D. Mahoney\u00a0 I am old-school, often one with my car stereo, a blend of trepidation and optimism when I hit the road to share my story and hear the stories of others. Whether it\u2019s cranking up Queen in the middle\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Features"","block_context":{"text":"Features","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=101"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/COVER-Misfit-Miracle-Girl-3-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/COVER-Misfit-Miracle-Girl-3-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/COVER-Misfit-Miracle-Girl-3-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/COVER-Misfit-Miracle-Girl-3-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/COVER-Misfit-Miracle-Girl-3-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2286,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2286","url_meta":{"origin":2532,"position":5},"title":"FROM THE EDITOR: Uppity women, unite","author":"Sarah Hall","date":"March 1, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201cWell-behaved women seldom make history.\u201d I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve heard that before. It\u2019s often attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt or Marilyn Monroe, but it actually comes from a 1976 article on Puritan funeral services written by historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. I guess if anyone would know, it\u2019s a historian, right? Ms. Ulrich\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "From the editor"","block_context":{"text":"From the editor","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=717"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/uppity-women-unite.jpg?fit=1200%2C1194&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/uppity-women-unite.jpg?fit=1200%2C1194&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/uppity-women-unite.jpg?fit=1200%2C1194&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/uppity-women-unite.jpg?fit=1200%2C1194&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/uppity-women-unite.jpg?fit=1200%2C1194&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2532","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2532"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2532\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2533,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2532\/revisions\/2533"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2359"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2532"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2532"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2532"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}