More than a Third Grade Teacher

It seems that whatever Norma Saylor-Grove chooses to do with her life, she leaves an undeniable legacy. 

For over 33 years, she taught third grade at Williamsburg Elementary School. 

Grove was also on the Board of Directors for the Williamsburg Community Farm Show, where she was recently awarded the Friend of the Fair Award.

Education

Grove is the daughter of the late John and Ida Saylor of Williamsburg. She has one sister, Nancy, a niece, Ashley, and a nephew, the late Jim Bob.

Grove is a 1974 graduate of Williamsburg High School. She received her bachelor’s degree in 1978 from Penn State University and received her master’s degree in 1981.

“I was a paper short of my doctorate,” Grove said. 

She began substituting for Williamsburg in March of 1978 and became a third-grade teacher in the fall of 1978, where she stayed for thirty-three years. 

“I enjoyed it – students were breaking away from their parents, were more independent, and had a real interest in learning,” Grove said. 

She remembers her favorite subjects to teach were reading and mathematics, especially multiplication.

“The basics were important,” Grove said, as she remembered math games of reciting multiplication questions while students were standing in line.

Her least favorite subject to teach was handwriting. 

This was a time when students were coming out of second grade and learning cursive, which could be considered a lost art in today’s education system. 

Grove also remembers teaching during the beginning of computers. 

“I remember taking turns with teachers with laptops, time in the computer lab – the kids loved it,” Grove said. 

Those who were in Grove’s class knew one of the highlights was the hatching chicks unit in the classroom.

“Kids would ask me on the first day of school when we would hatch chicks,” Grove said. “Typically, we would do them after standardized testing.” 

She said there would be an incubator in the middle of the floor, and students enjoyed the hatching part.

“They had to learn it, so they watched,” Grove said. 

After they hatched, students would sit on the floor in a circle and put the chicks in the middle.

“Kids loved every second of being able to play with them, the janitors always appreciated that the students cleaned up after the chicks, too,” she said.

During her tenure at Williamsburg, she was matched up with a variety of teachers. Miss Rager and Mrs. Hewell were at the beginning of her tenure. However, for 23 years, the third-grade classroom team was Mrs. Christina Brown and Grove. 

“We just enjoyed working together. We both knew what was to be covered and we kept things pretty similar in the classrooms, like reading the same stories,” Grove said.

Grove retired in September 2011. 

“If I miss anything, it’s the interaction with the kids – lots of fun tormenting them, and them tormenting me,” Grove said. “As long as they did work, they could have fun.” 

Grove also enjoys it when former students greet her.

“They still call me Miss Saylor, and I appreciate it when they make a point to come and say hello. They must have liked me,” she said. 

Grove says her advice to current educators is to encourage students to do their best and to enjoy what they are doing. 

“If they do their best, they will succeed in a lot of things,” she said.

Farm Show

Grove joined the Williamsburg Community Farm Show Board of Directors in 1996, following the encouragement of her father John.

“They wanted him on the Board, but he said ask my daughter. He encouraged me,” Grove said.

She served as treasurer from 1998-2007, before stepping away for a year and returning from 2008-2015 again as treasurer.

Grove fondly remembers many events at the Farm Show, from auctions to fundraisers and serving banquets.

“I enjoyed doing all of that,” she said. “With the banquet, not so much the cooking, but the serving and doing dishes. The best part was eating the leftovers afterward.”

Grove’s favorite part of being on the board was Fair Week.

“You got to see a lot of people and you were always so busy,” she said.

“I always had a lot of help that I appreciated. It was all work, but I enjoyed it.” 

Grove’s favorite part of Farm Show was everything.

“I always had to know everything that was happening,” she said.

Grove was also very organized when it came to bookkeeping – preparing monthly budget reports and banquet reports.

“They knew where every cent went,” Grove said.

Grove left the board in 2015.

“My Dad needed help. The one thing I could give up was the Farm Show,” she said.

However, the Farm Show never forgot Grove and awarded her with the Friend of the Fair award.

“It was a total surprise,” Grove said.

One of the biggest mysteries is how her husband, Wayne kept it a secret from her since April.

“I just did,” he said.

Farm Show President Jeff Walason said she was nominated because of her contributions to both the Farm Show and the community.

“It’s a fitting award for her,” he said. “She worked for the Farm Show when times were tough and she was an integral part in moving this organization (Farm Show) forward.”

Retirement

Following retirement, began her quilting career with a five to six week beginners quilting class and more sewing practice. 

She also bought a sewing machine and then continued her sewing education in Bedford.

Grove said she usually gives quilts to her family members or ailing people in the Cove.

At this year’s Farm Show, Grove donated a quilt to be auctioned off, and it received the second-highest amount of tickets at the event.

Another item in retirement is cooking and baking,

Grove loves to make cinnamon rolls and her famous chocolate chip cookies.