Mary Italin

(This is an article taken from the January 26, 1939 Tazewell County Reporter after her death)

Miss Mary Italin Taken In Death Yesterday Morning at 7:15. Sixty Years a Teacher

Services Will Be Held at the Presbyterian Church Tomorrow Afternoon, Schools and Business Houses to Close, Burial in Glen Dale Cemetery

Beloved Miss Mary is gone.  As the word rapidly spread Wednesday morning of her death at 7:15, it ended several days of constant worry over her condition.

She had been ill for a couple of weeks but being very independent she kept her troubles to herself and it was only last Thursday night that she would as much as let anyone stay with her.  Miss Louise Harte stayed with her that night and early the next morning Miss Mary passed into a coma from which she never regained consciousness.  She was taken to the Methodist hospital in Peoria where every care was given to her but she could not overcome the effects of the poison from a kidney infection and she passed peacefully away at 7:15 Wednesday morning.

Miss Mary is survived by one cousin, Mrs. Laura Berlo, of St. Louis.

Spent Life Here

Miss Mary Italin was the daughter of Conrad and Margaret Italin and was born in Peoria August 20, 1860 and when eighteen months of age moved with her parents to Washington where she has since spent her entire life.  She received her education in the local schools and at the age of 15 graduated from the Washington High School with the first class in 1876.

The following fall she started to teach the primary room and in her 60 years missed only two short intervals.  At one time she was out several weeks with scarlet fever and the second time six months on account of the illness of her mother.

Her first 16 years were spent teaching when the grades were altogether in one school but for the next 44 years she taught in what was known as the primary school or “little school” on Peoria Street.

At the time of her retirement at the close of the school year in 1936 Miss Mary estimated that more than 2500 had started school in her grade-although her book listed only 1963.

Her classes numbered as few as 35 and as many as 70 in one class.  In her first class there were 60 pupils and in her last there were 44 and there is no doubt but that the last class of 44 received instruction on a par with any other class or in any other school.

Miss Mary was a member of the Presbyterian church and since her retirement from teaching and following the death of Mrs. George Storey she has taught the primary class in the Presbyterian Sunday school.  She was also a member of the Woman’s Club and the Parent-Teachers Association.

Services Friday

Friends may call at the Habecker Funeral Home anytime this afternoon or night and until 10 o’clock tomorrow morning.  At that time the body will be taken to the Presbyterian church where people may view the body up to the time of the service at 2:30.  Other churches with larger capacity have been offered for the service but her close friends feel that it would be her wish to have services from the Presbyterian church where she had long been so active.  The service will be in charge of Rev. Walter McAdoo.  Burial will be in Glen Dale Cemetery.

Taught for 60 Years

Known and loved by everyone in Washington Miss Mary has given a long and useful life to the community.  For 60 years hers was the guiding hand that started children to school and those who were fortunate to start their school life under Miss Mary feel that they belonged to a privileged class for at the time of her retirement no other teacher in the United States had a like record of 60 years continuous teaching in grade school.

Her book shows that 1963 boys and girls (more than the last population of the city of Washington) started to school in her classes.

Many prominent people received their first instruction in school under Miss Mary and not a one has ever forgotten her kindly ways.  Her students are scattered from coast to coast and each year Christmas cards and greetings were showered on her from many parts of the world.

Her punishment for a child in school was severe in the mind of a six year old.  Her punishment was to have the child place his or her head on the desk-and her discipline was one of the best.

Miss Mary was a lover of flowers and her home was surrounded by beautiful flowers.  One poinsettia was especially pretty and she always had it in her front window each holiday season.  Her life can be likened to the flowers that she raised.  It was a beautiful life devoted to the service and comfort of others.

Many of the records of Miss Mary were destroyed in her first years of teaching and she had kept only a part of them.

In many cases three generations of a family started school under Miss Mary.  Had she taught two more years the fourth generation would have been in her class.  Mrs. Margaret Geason is probably the only person living in Washington that started in Miss Mary’s first class.

Honored at Centennial

A wonderful tribute was paid to Miss Mary on August 9, 1925 when 3,000 people including 500 former students gathered at the Centennial celebration and put on a pageant depicting the life of Miss Mary.  Following the pageant she was escorted to Commercial Square where she was presented with the beautiful flower urn.  At this time she received telegrams from President Calvin Coolidge, Governor Len Small and Senator Wm. McKinley as well as many other notables.

The schools of Washington will be closed from 11 o’clock for the rest of the day and Mayor Rinkenberger has asked that business houses all close during the time of the services.

Miss Mary’s essay when she graduated from high school was entitled, “If Life Is but a Dream, Dream It Well.”  And she has dreamed her life well.  Her dreams have been expressed in her life’s work.  She is gone but her life and remarkable record will long be remembered.