SAM JARRELL, PRINCIPAL AT MAY GREENE, WILL RETIRE

When he was a boy, Sam Jarrell used to reassure his youngest sister Amanda that the water moccasins in their swimming hole wouldn't bite her as long as she held her breath. Little Amanda would swallow her fear and go into the water, snakes and all.

"I always looked up to him," says Amanda Shaw, who grew up without becoming the victim of a snake bite.

A lot of people who look up to Jarrell turned out at a reception at the Vo-Tech Building Sunday afternoon to wish the May Greene School principal a long and happy retirement. Jarrell will retire at the end of the school year after 26 years with the Cape Girardeau public schools.

Jarrell's is a family that believes in the profession of teaching. Three of his five siblings became school teachers and the other two married teachers.

The 59-year-old Jarrell began his teaching career at Washington School, then moved over to May Greene. He was a combination principal and teacher at Lorimier School from 1972 until the district closed the school in 1975.

He then spent six years as a counselor in the school system until assuming the position of principal and teacher at May Greene in 1981. He subsequently became the school's full-time principal.

Keeping up the family tradition, Jarrell's wife, Jan, teaches the second grade at Clippard School and his daughter Cheryl McAllister is a math instructor at Southeast Missouri State University.

Jarrell's daughter Laura Easley is a free-lance technical writer in St. Charles, his son Samuel R. Jarrell II is an electrical engineer in Kansas City, and his daughter Jan is studying English at Southeast Missouri State University.

When her father was an elementary school teacher, McAllister recalls, he used to host a year-end party at their house for all his students.

She remembers thinking, "This is really neat. All these kids like my dad as much as I do."

McAllister says the one word that describes her father is "servant." Her father is very religious, she said. "His religious beliefs lead him to believe he's doing what God wants him to do."

She said his fathering style of setting consistent boundaries and never raising his voice carried over to his teaching.

"My dad is himself wherever he is," McAllister said. "My fondest wish is to grow up to be just like him."

Jarrell was praised Sunday by teachers for his democratic leadership style and for getting into the spirit of school events.

"When children see he's involved they'll be involved too," said May Greene first-grade teacher Mary Ann Lewis. She said Jarrell played "The Ballad of Martin Luther King" to her class on the guitar during Black History Month.

Jarrell's departure will leave fourth-grade teacher Frank Ellis as the only male member of the May Greene faculty. "There needs to be a male figure at least one in the building," Ellis said.

Staff members said Jarrell often has brought them flowers and goodies his wife cooks at home. As a principal, said secretary Claire Campbell, his door always has been open to the students.

Among the gifts Jarrell received at the reception was a pen-and-ink rendering of May Greene School drawn by Cape Girardeau artist Mark Farmer. The drawing was signed by members of the May Greene staff and faculty.

In return, Jarrell lauded the three secretaries who served in his administrations, saying they probably contributed the most to the success he achieved. "I am an atrocious speller and my handwriting was terrible," he admitted.

The high point of his career was watching children he'd helped educate progress to college and graduate, he said.

Jarrell was an operating engineer before he became an educator. He expects to fill his retirement with household construction projects and not a little fishing.

"I'm going to paint, carve and build rock walls," he said. "I'm a builder. I enjoy working with my hands."

Jarrell likes fixing things, and admits that at times has been a frustration to him as an educator.

"You don't fix kids," he said.

Jarrell said he feels anxious with three weeks of school remaining and lots of work still to do. "I've still got to concentrate on my work."

He doesn't expect to feel any different on June 4, the last day of school.

"I will not feel `off' until August. I will know then I am really done," he said.

Barbara Kohlfeld, who has worked as a gifted program facilitator for the schools for the past six years, will assume Jarrell's duties as principal at May Greene next year.

Because Jarrell has been working to support a family since the age of 13 the result of his parents' early divorce his wife Jan expects retirement to be a joyous time for him.

"It's time for him to do what he wants to do," she said.