Remarks Upon Presenting the National Teacher of the Year Award

Thank you very much, Governor. Mr. Secretary, Dr. Bell, Virginia Trotter and, of course, the person being honored here today, Mrs. Ruby Murchison, and all of the guests who are here:

I Was looking over your biography, and I was greatly impressed, of course, with one fact that I understand you are very proud of. You don't teach subjects, you teach children, and I think that is really what education is all about.

I have often thought I got much more out of the way in which a subject was taught to me rather than the books that were presented that I had to look through, and sometimes study. [Laughter]

Anyhow, we are very proud of you, and I know the people in Fayetteville are extremely proud of you, and those who come from your junior high school, not only the students but the faculty.

This is the 25th year, I understand, that the Teacher of the Year Award is being made. I recall vividly last year, which was my first opportunity to make this award, there was a young teacher from Minnesota who was the Teacher of the Year at that time. And I enjoyed having the opportunity of talking with him. And it is a great privilege and pleasure for me to participate in this award occasion on your behalf.

As the good Governor said, the junior high school period is a very formative period for the child, but it is also a very difficult period for the teacher. We have had in our family four who have gone through that period. And it is also a little difficult for the parents, I might add. [Laughter]

But they all survived, like most of our children do, and the parents did, and the teachers keep on the fine work that they continue to do in taking this outstanding group of young people and getting them through this very formative period.

I do want to congratulate you not only on being the Teacher of the Year but, from what I saw, the great contributions you make not only to Fayetteville but to the State of North Carolina and to the teaching profession as a whole.

I am honored to see to it that you get the famous apple, which is the second time I have had an opportunity to make a presentation. It is a great occasion for you, and it is a great occasion for education, and it is a very enjoyable occasion for me. Here is the Bicentennial Medal, which I am sure you will prize.

And in conclusion, let me congratulate the people from the Encyclopaedia Britannica, as well as the Ladies Home Journal, for their sponsorship of this fine program and this award.

Mrs. MURCHISON. Thank you, Mr. President, sincerely, for this symbol of excellence in teaching on behalf of all teachers and for the Bicentennial Medal. I also have a gift for you.

On behalf of the Fayetteville city schools, I am delighted to present to you this pewter plate, which is an exact copy of one made in Fayetteville in the early 18th century. This plate was designed in Fayetteville by craftsman Isaac Scarborough. We certainly hope that you will like this.

THE PRESIDENT. It is beautiful. Thank you very, very much, Mrs. Murchison. I can assure you that Betty will be delighted with this, and I thank you on her behalf, as well as myself.

I can tell you something I have done already that is wrong. I can see those fingerprint marks--[laughter]--that she will reprimand me about. But I will turn it over to her, and she will keep it the way it should be kept.

Both of us are most grateful and very appreciative of your thoughtfulness. You will express to the people from Fayetteville our appreciation as well.

It is nice to see you all. This is a great occasion, it is one I particularly like. So, I congratulate you again and wish you the very, very best. They are lucky to have you as a teacher down there.