Preserving a Legacy

Families are so important. At TCL our family roots go back to our Matriarch, Rachel Crane Mather. We credit Mrs. Mather as our founder dating back to 1868. Each February, we celebrate Founder’s Day, a day when we remember the legacy of a woman with a vision who inspired others by giving them hope and by making a difference in their lives through education.

I’m reading a book by Barbara Mackoff and Gary Wenet called the Inner work of Leaders: Leadership as a Habit of Mind. In it, the authors mention how psychologist James Hillman describes the “net of nurturance” that shapes our lives. Clearly, Mrs. Mather is part of a net that binds us together. The authors also talk about the importance of mentors. They claim the action of leaders is shaped by mentors, and we need to remain open to opportunities for mentoring relationships.

I have many treasured mentors. Most of them are educators, some are community leaders. Some of my special mentors helped shape my faith. Take a moment and think about your mentors. Who are they? How did they impact you life? Some may have had a dramatic impact on your life, so much so that you place them in a unique category. These individuals, like super mentors, are termed exemplars, or people along your path of leadership who served as true role models -- who inspired in you the leadership concept as a habit of mind. An exemplar is a person who serves as a model of behavior, guiding the growth of inner resources in leaders-to-be.

Frankly, I like the term and the meaning of exemplar. Rachael Crane Mather was an exemplar, a woman with a deeper passion who made a difference in countless lives. Mrs. Mather’s passion for education led her to reach out to daughters of freed slaves and encouraged them to begin a regimented program of studies, eventually leading some of them to become teachers. Is there any higher calling?

We are fortunate at TCL to celebrate the Mather legacy during Founders Day (February 26) and every day. May her legacy continue to live through the lives of our current and future students.