TEACHER'S CORNER: ADVANCE TEACHER SOLD ON CONTINUED EDUCATION

Jan Morgan is a believer in continuing education.

As librarian for grades kindergarten-12 at the Advance public schools, Morgan stays close to the education process. That commitment doesn't stop in the summer.

"Most of my summers have been filled by attending classes at Southeast Missouri State University," Morgan said, "or attending the summer media workshop at the University of Missouri at Columbia."

Along with her library duties, Morgan also teaches journalism at Advance High School, where she also is adviser for the Advancer, the school's yearbook. She has taught for 20 years.

Morgan is a 1953 graduate of Advance High School. She received a bachelor of science degree in education with a major in English in 1971 from Southeast Missouri State.

She also received a master's degree in English from Southeast in 1984. During summers, she received certification in journalism and library science.

"When I was growing up," Morgan said, "I always wanted to be one of two things: a librarian or a journalist. It took me many years to accomplish this objective, but just a few years before retirement I have done just that."

As yearbook adviser for the last 16 years, the Advancer has won All-Missouri honors 15 of those years.

"I would like to be remembered for making the journalism program here a strong program," she said.

"Under my tenure, the school got its first darkroom. Before that, I did the darkroom work at home, using the broom closet to develop the film and the bathroom to print the photographs."

Morgan likes knowing just about every child in the school.

"When I go for a walk through town, I hear `Hi, Mrs. Morgan,' many, many times. That certainly gives me a `high.' I get to see the children grow from kindergarteners to seniors.

"I love the journalism part of my life, too, and feel that helping the students to record history is very important.

"I always tell my classes that a yearbook is forever, and my classes and I take great pride in producing a good history of every year."

In addition to her duties at school, Morgan has a part-time job at the Advance Statesman newspaper as a reporter, columnist and photographer.

"I'm in a position to report a lot of school news," she said, "and it gives me a good feeling to be able to give students and teachers some good publicity."

A widow, Morgan has three children. Her daughter, Babette, is a business writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Her son, Rhett, is a sports writer for the Tulsa Tribune.

She also has three grandchildren, two of whom live with her. In addition to enjoying her work, Morgan said she likes to read and watch her grandchildren grow.