All three of my boys consider themselves to be scholars of the Apostle Paul in Scripture. That is probably a bit of a stretch, but they would be quick to tell you that they sat at the feet of a teacher who described the life and teachings of Paul, as if she were with him on the road to Damascus when he saw the bright light. Her name is Dorothy and she really is a Pauline scholar.

Dorothy started teaching vacation Bible school in Woodward, OK not too long after Paul and others completed the missionary journeys described in the New Testament. Every summer she teaches an eager group of first and second graders at the Woodward VBS. Dorothy has never had any formal theological training. In fact, she I am not sure if she ever went to college. However she possesses some key qualities that any teacher instructing any subject should have.

Dorothy loves children, and it shows. She lavishes affection on all of them, and never hesitates to be generous with her praise. Kids can always sense it when an adult truly cares about them. She loves the kids who have deep family roots at church and she cares about the children brought in on buses from the community with equal fervor. Dorothy’s love for children fills the air of the church I served in Woodward, and somehow made us all better people. Good teachers love their students, and are not afraid to demonstrate it.

Dorothy knows her subject matter quite well. The depth of her preparation is obvious. She teaches with confidence and the students walk away with a wealth of information. My college age son today attributes his knowledge of certain aspects of Scripture to the influence of Dorothy Price. She taught him at VBS and during Sunday morning Bible hour for children. It usually takes kids a few years beyond their college experience to appreciate the adults who impacted them, but that is not true in this case. My son readily acknowledges today that Dorothy was a magnificent teacher for him when he was a young boy. Good teachers are well prepared.
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Dorothy is extremely enthusiastic about the subject matter of her classes. How do you keep the attention of first and second graders? She would say that you need to be excited about what you are teaching! She does not hide her overwhelming zeal, and the kids love it! Good teachers are passionate about their subject matter.

Last night I watched the kids sing their songs at the closing program for Vacation Bible School here in Granbury. A number of adults put a lot of time and energy into making VBS a neat experience for the kids. Watching first and second graders up on the stage brought back a lot of memories. I have had Dorothy Price on my mind all week. The impact she made in the lives of all three of my boys will live on for many years to come. Thank you Dorothy.