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St. John library honors former teacher
Carmelita Hunter started teaching at St. John the Evangelist Catholic School when times were simpler. During her 32-year tenure, she saw many changes, and she was instrumental in making some of those changes.
To honor Hunter and her family for their commitment to the school, St. John rededicated the school library in the former teacher's name.
This was a most appropriate gesture, as Hunter was responsible for starting the school's first library. Unlike the current facility, she had only one choice for the library location — the school's old furnace room.
Hunter gathered books in the school's storage and relied on donations of others. She conducted new book fairs in which children and their families could buy books.
With just the help of parents donating their volunteer time, she decided to learn as much as she could about being a librarian. She visited the public library system to learn how to operate a library efficiently. All the time she was working on establishing the library, she was teaching reading, religion, English and history. Although she covered many subjects, “I never taught math or science,” she said with a laugh.
She was delighted when the school got “a real librarian,” but Hunter couldn't stop helping. “For a long time, the librarian and I taught etiquette classes.”
Principal Edward Hoffman, noted that Hunter had also been busy driving a school bus, supervising recess, and helping in the cafeteria.
In the beginning of her teaching career, there were only 87 students in the school. For many years, the administration and the majority of the teachers were Benedictine Sisters from Manassas. Sisters of Notre Dame of Ohio took up the role later. By 1997, the school depended strictly on lay teachers.
Hunter still keeps close ties with the school, visiting students and staff often. At the recent re-dedication, two celebrations were held, a student performance and a formal ribbon-cutting.
“I certainly didn't expect it to be such a fancy affair,” Hunter said.
E-mail the reporter: afelts@timespapers.com.
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