The teachers at the school were mature women. They were invariably white American Protestants, mostly trained in State Normal Schools.

My first primary teacher was named Miss Cross. She was stern and inflexible, but fair and kind. She was one of my favorites. And because I was a good student, I became a favorite of hers. Advancement for me came regular and everyone expected me to do well.

I gradually became aware that my regular attendance and natural gifts made me one of the best students in the school. Later I would begin to recognize that others had talents that even hard work could not explain. Whereas I was good with the written word, another student was better at arithmetic, another with art, another with sports, and so forth.