Moments to cherish

Teaching Pre K-8, Mar 2002 by Raymond, Allen

All of us have moments to cherish. For instance, one morning, as I walked off the commuter train in New York's Grand Central Terminal, a man introduced himself and asked "Do you remember me? Many years ago I was on your Little League team."

I didn't recognize him, but I remembered him. A wonderful little kid. During one of our games - and this must have been 45-50 years ago - he surprised both of us by getting a solid hit and landing safely at first base. It didn't happen often and I was so proud I lost my cool and cheered like a madman.

He was excited, too. Looking my way as he stood proudly on first base, he let a shy smile light his face... and my heart has never recovered.

It happens like that with so many of the people whose lives cross our paths - your paths and mine. Something about what these friends say or do triggers a happy reaction in our hearts, a moment to cherish.

It not only happened to me on that Little League ball field, but it happened again when my friend, Bob Loomis, a remarkable artist and an inspiring art director, designed the logo for Early Years, the new magazine Patricia Broderick and I launched in 1971.

With a stroke of genius Bob included the little seedling in our logo as a symbol of growth and hope for the young children and teachers for whom the magazine was created.

"The seedling," I wrote at the time, "signifies the very essence of life - a beginning, exciting, full of promise." Even though, in February 1985, we changed the magazine's name to Teaching K-8, the seedling remains.

Bob, a good friend who has now retired, was our Art Director for many years, and we still call upon him when we need one of his illustrations to brighten our pages.

During a recent visit to our office he used his new digital camera to take the photograph of me which appears to the left, prompting me to tell you a little about Bob.

He was born in Paris, where his American father represented a major United States corporation. In 1941 he, his brother and his mother and father were able to escape Nazi-occupied France and come to the United States. Soon, however, as a member of the United States Army, Bob returned to Europe where, on June 6, 1944, his unit, the 4th Infantry Division, was among the first to land on the Normandy beaches during the D-Day invasion of France. He subsequently engaged in further battles in Northern France, the Ardennes, the Battle of the Bulge and Central Europe.

His decorations include the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Presidential Citation, The Army Meritorious Citation and others.

After the war Bob returned to France to continue his study of art, and it was in France where he met his American wife, Joan Paul of West Hartford, Connecticut. They were married in Connecticut in 1948.

A tennis player, an equestrian and a pianist - as well as an artist - Bob is the beacon to whom we turn for guidance on good taste, good design, good style and good friendship.

Well, those are two of life's moments I cherish the most - the memory of that Little Leaguer's joy and the day the creativity of Bob Loomis became a part of our fledgling magazine.