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It isn't difficult to understand why the recent building referendum in the Arbor Vitae-Woodruff School District (AVW) was a huge success. Nona Berray wanted it to pass. Of course, it isn't quite that simple, but almost.
"I owe a lot to this district. It was where I went to school, it is where my two sons and my daughter went, and now my grandchildren are getting ready to start school here," said Nona. "This is my school."
After graduating from AVW in 1955, Nona went on to get her two-year teaching certificate from UW-Stevens Point. "That's all you needed back then, and I immediately got my first teaching job in Deerfield. I had 38 kids in this one-room school - grades 1 through 8," she recalled.
"It was a wonderful time for me because I had 200% support from the parents. I remember putting my musical talents to use a lot during that year, and the families responded so warmly to me and to those productions. They were always bringing me gifts and homemade goodies."
When that school was closed due to consolidation, Nona returned to her hometown and was hired by Superintendent Webb Hagen. He knew Nona from her former AVW experiences as head majorette and as part of past school musical productions. She gladly accepted the offer to teach at her old school.
"In the last 32 years, I've taught everything here in AVW," she said. "First it was kindergarten, then 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and then Social Studies/Language Arts. I also got certified in both physical education and music. Of course, I went back to UW-Stevens Point during the summers and got my four-year degree. That really has helped me be a better teacher."
Although Nona retired from full-time teaching in 1993, she has continued to regularly substitute in the district. "They know I'll come in any time they need me and that I can sub in any of the subjects," she laughed.
When it became clear that a new building was critically needed, the current administrator, Bill Pollard, called on Nona.
"She knew everybody in the district because she was a hometown person. She knew the staff and they liked and respected her, so I knew she was the one to lead the fight in favor of the referendum," he said.
And lead the fight she did. "We knew the support was there for a new building, but we had to identify those 'yes' people and make sure they voted. And we had to diffuse the nostalgic idea that if the old 1926 building wasn't a school any more, then there wouldn't be an AVW school at all," Nona said.
But one thing concerned her about the new school. It was the old school bell.
"I remember that the children used to ring it by hand every day and that it was quite an honor to be chosen for this job," Nona said. "As soon as Bill said the bell would be saved and put in a place of honor in the new school, I was completely in favor of the referendum."
But it wasn't only her concern for the old bell that provided the impetus for her referendum support. It went back to when Nona attended AVW herself.
In 1954 the students raised more than $100,000 in pennies to complete the construction of the Lakeland Memorial Hospital. The "million dollar penny parade" brought money in from all over America because one of the doctors had been on the TV show, "This Is Your Life."
"It was a great lesson in civic responsibility and sharing for us kids," she recalled. Those same values formed the basis for her participation in the referendum effort.
When the local editor interviewed her about the referendum, Nona spoke eloquently in favor of the new building. Her impact was clearly evident because many citizens called her to express their change of heart about the vote.
"They told me that if I, of all people, could say good-bye to the old school, then it was all right for them to do the same. Even Webb Hagen postponed his return to Florida just so he could vote yes. That made me feel pretty good," she said quietly.
On Saturday, September 28, the referendum passed by an almost 2 to 1 margin. "Folks in the district are still on a high about that vote. I get calls from people saying thanks, and that makes me feel very proud," said Nona.
"This is my community," she said, "and when I think about it, the school here has really been my life. Oh sure, the families are different today than 30 years ago and the teaching has changed a lot for all of us. But one thing hasn't changed and that is the need for all of us in public education to simply be there for the children. For me, that is what this referendum was about."
Even in her retirement Nona keeps a full schedule of substitute teaching. She also continues as the assistant football coach of the AVW Junior High Team.
Nona Berray, a member of WEAC-Retired, is another reason why public schools work for Wisconsin.
Posted November 20, 1996