Catherine Brown

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​For her outstanding contributions as a high school teacher Catherine is recognized on the Donors’ Wall of Fame by J. Wayne and Norma J. Bastin of Emporia, Kansas.  According to them:
Catherine had such a positive influence on students over the years.  All too often students do not take the time to say “thank you.” During my years at Emporia High Schoo, I heard many times from my own children and others about what a great teacher Mrs. Brown was.  I often told them to tell her, but some are too shy or too macho to do so.  Catherine was truly a Master Teacher.  After her retirement, Catherine continued to teach mathematics part-time at Emporia State University.
As I reminisce over our days together I remember fondly how I would purposefully go into her room just to lift my spirits in observing a teacher who had control, whose students were on task, and who was obviously enjoying what she was doing.  I would often assign students teachers to observe Catherine on their Prep Periods.  I once asked Catherine what the secret of her success was.  She replied, “I have no secret. I just love math and my students and the rest I cannot explain.”  Catherine was a natural.
On a personal level, Catherine was a very caring person.  She was liked by her students, colleagues, and administration.  She raised twin boys on her own, having lost her husband early in their marriage to a premature death.  She has been an anchor to her boys and they have become adults.  She has unselfishly sacrificed much of herself and her resources because of her love and devotion to her family.  She demonstrated these same qualities in her teaching career.  Once again, congratulations to Catherine upon her inclusion on the Wall of Fame.
Catherine received her B.S. in Education from Kansas State Teachers College in 1953.  She then went on to teach at Toledo Township High School for ten years and at Emporia High School for thirty-one years. Catherine’s honors include Kansas Master Teacher from ESU in 1983, High School Teacher Recognition Award from KU in 1986, and The Teachers College Honored Teacher from ESU in 1997.
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