By Patrick Rita
Sentry Staff Reporter
On Monday, May 26, 2014, Arlington county suffered a tragic loss when H-B Woodlawn teacher and administrator Mary McBride died suddenly of a heart attack. McBride had been a teacher in Arlington for 46 years and started teaching back when H-B Woodlawn was first developing into the unique school that it is today. In 1971, H-B Woodlawn implemented a program that would give students more control over their education than they would have at a traditional public school. McBride had just started teaching at H-B Woodlawn when this program began and has since played a vital role in progressing this program and establishing the new identity of the school that came with it. McBride was planning to retire at the end of the school year.
H-B Woodlawn has always been a school designed to promote creativity and leadership among its students. McBride fully embodied these principles and incorporated them intoher teaching style. As a history teacher, McBride was known for making the class lively and interactive and was able to create memorable, lasting bonds with her students. Because she had been at H-B Woodlawn since it was first developing into the school it is now, McBride knew all about the history of the school and had become an icon of the H-B Woodlawn community. H-B Woodlawn teacher Eleanor Reed was able to explain the type of impact that losing someone of such character had on the school.
“This has had a huge impact on us. She was a really important person for us here. We kind of think of her as the heart of our community. She was just a wonderful personality, a wonderful friend, an extremely caring person. When you lose somebody like that, there is definitely a hole that is hard to fill. She was a really special person and we will really miss her a lot,” said Reed.
It was apparent the kind of widespread influence McBride had by the way the community responded to her death. Parents, counselors and other Arlington County faculty gave the entire school much support. There was a memorial service on May 29 and a funeral on May 30 for McBride and many Arlington county students, faculty and residents were in attendance. When the faculty at H-B Woodlawn went to the funeral, many teachers from across the county covered for them as substitutes. Others have brought food to the school. Many H-B Woodlawn alumni were also in attendance for the memorial service and funeral and this speaks to the kind of durable relationships McBride built with her students.
Principal Dr. Raymond Pasi could also attest to how dedicated she was to her students and felt sorry about her passing.
“She was someone very committed to Arlington schools and students and she was a delightful person to know. McBride was a lot of fun, full of life, and I always enjoyed her sense of humor,” said Pasi.
All a teacher can hope for in her career is to be able to influence the lives of their students so much that their legacy lives on in the minds of their students. This was undoubtedly achieved by McBride. Her lasting impact after her passing has continued to shape those around her. She has taught everyone to value relationships and that the ideals at H-B Woodlawn should be practiced everywhere, which are to grow close to those around you and to genuinely care about others.
“She is remembered fondly. It is a shame that she will not be able to enjoy her retirement, but she will be missed and her memory will continue on,” said Pasi.
H-B Woodlawn is the smallest of Arlington public schools and is known for having a tight-knit culture at the school. After the news of McBride’s death, this feeling was even stronger.
“I personally have valued my colleagues this week as well as my students. When something like this happens, we are reminded how important relationships are and how important people are to each other…I am reminded that we are not just a school, we are a whole community. It is not even about one school or another. We are a town… It makes a difference when people look out for each other,” said Reed.
