It Happens Every October

Mountain Day is always the 1st Saturday in October, and it is one of my favorite holidays.  Berry students and alumnae look forward to this special weekend.  It's a time of fun, family and friends.  Classes are suspended on Friday afternoon for the Mountain Day Olympics. This is a friendly competition between the dorms. There are themes, t-shirts and lots of excitement.  This year both Winshape dorms won!! Chickens RULE, but don't tell the cows!!!

Olympic Parade

This year was my 30th reunion at Berry, the class of 1982. Making it even more special is the fact that my college roomie was here.  Judy and I lived on 4th West Mary for 2 years, one year on 3rd West and then I got married.  We have kept in touch through the years, but now that her daughter Anna is at Berry I get to see her a lot!

College Roommates!!

Our family has been blessed to minister to college students for many years.  I've fed them, laughed with them,  gone caroling with them, danced with them, cried with them, prayed with them and loved them.  It's always great to see them at Mountain Day!

2007 grads, Amanda, Evie, Katharine and Helen
with Kathryn with Kate

There was a special group of students that graduated in 2002, and this was their 10 year reunion.  It was in this group that we met Shanna Foskey. Shanna is ever joyful and smiling. Shanna is the one who dubbed me "Mamanobles".  Helen Thompson Simmons (07) brought the name back and it has stuck!  It's always fun for the grads to see my kids because they remember when they were little. Shanna and Jessica Thompson Greear (and a few others) used to babysit for my girls. They would go to the Clara apartment and one of the college girls would watch them while I taught Kindermusik!

Shanna, Carrie & Jessica

Family picture on Mountain Day.
Aaron had to work!

Jake Greenway with a chocolate chip cookie

 Many students remember my cookies, so I always bring some to the festivities and share.

Great to see Tiffany Greenway!

 This was Carrie's FIRST Mountain Day. She loved the Olympics, Marthapoolza, and seeing alumni.  She was not excited about being in the band, because she didn't get to participate in the Grand March.  Since Carrie grew up attending Mountain Day and watching the march, it was a bummer to have to play the trumpet.  Scholarships often mean sacrifice!

Carrie's 1st Mountain Day

Trumpet line before the march.
All these kids have been in my piano class! 

The Grand March is the culmination of celebration on the mountain.  To show their appreciation for Martha Berry, students contribute a penny for each year of his age to an endowment fund at the birthday celebration. During Ms. Berry's lifetime she stood to receive the small donations for the college in a gift basket.  This tradition survives and thrives today.  This year there were 960 students that participated in the Grand March.  I don't know who counts, but that is the number they announced on Saturday.  Another statistic for the day is that 8000 attend the afternoon festivities!

Lindsey and crazy Kyle, two by two

Rob acting his usual self!

Joanna and Rebecca during a pause in the march

Carrie's roommate, Emily
 the lovely red head on the right

Bringing it home, 16 across

 Alumni flock to Mountain Day, even if it isn't a certain reunion year.  Berry is a special place full of memories with friends that share this unusual birthday bash.  Tim Howard was Randy's roommate, and history major. We can always count on seeing Tim in October.

Kim and Tim (82C) with Randy

The young alumni come back to re-live those carefree days of college. It doesn't seem carefree at the time, but after graduation they appreciate the experience even more.  They come back with a new job, a dog, a spouse, pregnant, and then the kids.  At some point, life gets busy and they aren't able to get back as often.  Regardless of the frequency of their visits, they all have fond memories of Berry and Mountain Day.

Alyssa and Rebecca together again

Alyssa and Surls 

Rachel (11C) and Rebecca  (14C) Stewart are my blonde daughters.  They eat Sunday lunch with us almost every week. I met Rachel when she came as a freshman.  I walked into 2nd East Mary to meet her, and realized I had attended Berry with her mom, Layne Banks!  That made our relationship with the Stewart girls even more special!!

Layne and Kathryn

I went to my first Mega Reunion at Oak Hill because it was my 30th reunion.  I did see some of my classmates, but of course I was more interested in hanging out with my young alumni friends!  They always make me laugh and feel young.

2007 girls at the Mega Reunion, dance the night away!

Randy's sister, Karen and her family attended Mountain Day this year.  Karen and her husband Greg are also Berry graduates.  Randy's mom came to the mountain, probably for the first time since 1979! Alyssa's fall break allowed her to come home for the big weekend too! It was a busy, tiring, but memorable weekend!! Happy Birthday Martha, thanks for the vision you had for this incomparable institution!

32 Years in the 8th grade

Randy Nobles has spent 32 years teaching Georgia Studies to 8th graders.  He has influenced many children, teachers, athletes, and families. November 30 will be his last day with Rome City Schools, as he has turned in his letter of resignation. 32 years in the 8th grade is to be commended, especially if you still have your sanity!  Randy has taught at least 2 generations.  The first group of students he taught in 1980 are now approaching 45 years of age. There are some great stories from those early years in the classroom, and it's a wonder he lasted this long.

On the phone....favorite pasttime!

Randy loves history. He can recall minute details that elude most people. One of the things that makes him such a great teacher is his love of the subject.  He can make those stories come to life. Just ask a student who been in his class as he climbed Bunker Hill, or some other historical event!

Learning more history at the Kennedy Library in Boston

Some of the highlights of teaching is when your students become teachers. Randy has definitely inspired  many adolescence to pursue education as a career.  He has had the occasion to teach with former students.  One of those is Phil Wood.  Phil played soccer for Randy at West Rome (you should see the mullet on young Phil). Phil became a teacher and taught history for many years at Rome High.  Aaron and Alyssa were fortunate to have him for American History. Phil then took the administrative route and was actually the assistant principal at Rome Middle School for a few years. That meant Randy's boss was his former student!!

Phil Wood, Aaron and Randy.

Another joy is the student teachers that come through Randy's classroom.  He has had the opportunity to mentor young educators during his tenure at RMS.  It's always exciting to hear how he encouraged them in their teaching.  He does have a few favorites: Grace Cowan Powell and TJ Dixon immediately come to mind!

TJ and Randy during a recent reunion!

Our kids have heard the good, bad and ugly of education, yet ALL of them want to be educators (or already are!).  For years we told Aaron he should teach and coach, he finally realized that was a good choice and will graduate with a geography degree in December. Guess what is going to be taught in the high schools in the NEW common core? Geography!  Of course he wants to coach too.  Randy coached high school soccer for 25 years!

Alyssa is in her first year of teaching in rural Mississippi. From her Dad she learned that teaching is hard work, but that you can make a difference.

Dad and 1st year teacher daughter setting up her classroom

The girls loved having Dad at the middle school. They are  proud that their Dad is such a caring and sensitive teacher.  Carrie would give him hugs when she saw him in the hall.  Carrie is a freshman at Berry, majoring in Early Childhood Education. It's the family profession!

Carrie and Dad on a school sponsored trip to NYC

When Kate was born I made Randy promise that he would keep teaching until she finished middle school. Kate is in the 8th grade, and is bummed that Randy won't finish the year with her. She understands that his mid-year retirement is for financial reasons.

Kate wants to be a middle school teacher.

Randy is retiring earlier than planned because of a tax increase that would mean loss of money during retirement.  He hope to continue working part time after he retires.  His dream job would be to continue as athletic director at Rome Middle School.  He loves taking care of the details so that coaches can focus on coaching.

Randy and I have always said we want to retire to Montana.  I suppose that is yet to be seen, but hopefully retirement will allow us a few trips to our beloved National Parks!

Enjoying Zion National Park 

Mr. Nobles classroom rules:
1. I always win
2. I won't remember your name next week (or maybe even tomorrow)
3. Don't give me an explanation unless I ask for it.

YOU WILL BE MISSED!!