ROCKLAND, Maine — Barbara Hart and her younger sister, Christine Knutson, have followed similar paths. They will continue to do so later this month, when each retires after 37 years of teaching in the Rockland area school system.
The sisters both graduated with education degrees from the same college — New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire. Christine taught out of state for three years, and Barbara taught in the Camden schools for three years.
Then, in November 1978, a sixth-grade teaching job opened at the Owls Head Central School, and both sisters set their sights on the position. Both women were granted interviews, with Barbara getting the first crack at the hiring committee and, as she walked out of the room, her younger sister was next.
The sisters said the principals and superintendent did not realize the two women were related. The superintendent’s administrative assistant, however, caught on quick.
That now retired assistant, Sharon Spaulding, said she thought they were sisters when the two women came for the interviews but the superintendent disagreed.
“I looked at their resumes and saw they went to the same school. I bet the superintendent $5 they were sisters,” Spaulding said, quickly pointing out she won the bet.
Soon after the interview, a second elementary teaching job opened and, on the same day, Barbara got the Owls Head job and Knutson got a job in Rockland.
They both said they are retiring because the time is right. Christine has four grandchildren and Barbara seven, and the women want to spend more time with their families.
“It will be good to make my own schedule,” Knutson said.
The biggest change in education has been the amount of time it takes to do the job, they said.
“The time demands have increased. Sundays are never yours if you are a full-time teacher,” Knutson said.
The two women were among five who were honored for their service Thursday night by the board of Regional School Unit 13, which serves the communities of Rockland, Thomaston, Cushing, Owls Head and South Thomaston.
Also retiring at the end of the school year will be fourth-grade teacher Leslie Spear, who has been a teacher for 34 years and in the district since 1996; Holly Smith, who has been the high school art teacher for 30 years; sixth-grade teacher Susan McNeilly, who has been with the district for 30 of her 39 years of teaching; and Peter Carriveau, who has been a social studies teacher in the district for seven years and 32 years total in education. Educational technician Barbara Ezell also will be retiring in a few weeks after 28 years with the local schools.