Education Legacy Tree Highlight – Evelyn McLaughlin

They saw my potential, not my limitations

An appreciation of professors William P. McDougall and Victor P. Dauer

By Evelyn Jager McLaughlin, WSU Class of 1964

I came to WSU in the fall of 1960 to major in elementary education. I arrived wearing glasses and with some paralysis on my right side, a part of my life since birth. At that time, teacher’s candidates were expected to be “perfect” and I wasn’t. Dr. McDougall was my advisor in Education, and he became my champion. Some of my professors thought I didn’t belong in the classroom and it was wrong to let me think I could be there. When they asked Dr. McDougall about me, his answer was always, “Leave her alone. She’ll be fine. Evelyn is here for all the right reasons.” The only disagreement he and I had was about subject matter. He hoped mine would be social studies and I preferred language arts.

As a senior I was to take a methods class in physical education from Dr. Dauer. As luck would have it, the only section open when I registered was intended for PE majors. Dr. Dauer noticed my limp and asked about my limitations the first day of class. When we started the first and second grade activities, he asked if I could do them. I wasn’t graceful, and I certainly didn’t move as easily as the PE majors in class, but I tried everything they did. By the third grade level, Dr. Dauer asked me to tell him if there were activities I couldn’t do. At the end of the semester Dr. Dauer not only gave me the best grade I ever earned in a PE class, he also told everyone who would listen that I was going to be a wonderful teacher. He was sure of it.

Knowing Dr. McDougall and Dr. Dauer were “in my corner” was a great feeling as I went on to student teaching, graduation, and my first teaching job. I am grateful for their support and encouragement to this day.

Evelyn McLaughlin  taught second grade from 1964-1966 at Cascade Elementary in Marysville, Wash., and first grade from 1967-1969 at North Shorewood Elementary in the Highline School District, and has volunteered regularly in schools since then. She lives in Brier, Wash.T