The Mercy of Mabel Farley
In the summer of 2008, a number of letters were written to Hixnews.com in support of granting Mabel Farley entry to the Hixnews Hall of Fame. I looked back at them before writing this article. As my elder sister Marilyn had been a student under Miss Farley, I was not surprised to see people write about their Principal's famous blend of stern demeanor and understanding heart. Apparently, she did not confuse forgiveness with giving people free rides. And yet, when it mattered, she could be unexpectedly flexible.
Students who ran into problems, even problems of their own making, knew that they could come to Mabel Farley for advice. In nominating Miss Farley, one graduate talked about Miss Farley's having first got to know him because he had had some difficulties that required her intervention. Despite first meeting under awkward circumstances, near the end of his senior year she unexpectedly booked a job interview for him, at a company she felt would be a good match. He got the job, and he went on to work for that employer until he retired, more than forty years later.
Another student wrote that he had tried to tailor his classes at Hicksville so that he would qualify for a specific engineering program. Along the way, he hit an obstacle, and was in danger of having to delay starting college for a year - he lacked a pre-requisite for two courses he needed. After considering his situation carefully, Miss Farley and the faculty member who would teach those two courses agreed to waive the pre-requisite. With their extra help, he was able to get into the program on time; he went on to become an engineer and enjoy a good career.
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