THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 16, 1995 TAG: 9504140151
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Close Up
LENGTH: Medium: 100 lines
Had it not been for her inquisitive seventh-graders, Linda Goss may never have become an author.
Goss, an English teacher at Cradock Middle School, was teaching Greek mythology about four years ago when one of her students asked, ``Aren't there any black gods or goddesses that look like us?''
Goss thought a moment, then replied, ``Well, I'll have to do some research to try and find some.''
For about a year, Goss hit the libraries and the museums until she found the faces she was looking for in Egyptian mythology. She compiled the stories into a manuscript and presented the tales to her students as part of the lesson. Revisions, based on student comments, eventually led to the publication of Goss' first book.
``The kids would `yea' or `nay' it,'' said Goss. ``If they didn't like it or it wasn't exciting enough or if there were words they didn't understand or places I needed to make changes, then I listened to them. I didn't change the stories, but I just made it appeal to them.''
The book, ``Egyptian Gods and Goddesses of the Ennead,'' is based on one ``family'' of gods.
``When I did the research, I saw that there were literally thousands of these gods and goddesses,'' said Goss. ``And I only focused on the gods of the Ennead. People who know Egyptian mythology can relate to the Ennead. They know which gods I'm talking about.''
The 23-page book is being shared with other teachers at Cradock Middle School, said Goss, who is chairwoman of the English department.
Published in February by Maya Publications in Norfolk, the book lends itself to studies in English and history, said Goss. It has ties to Egyptian history, mythology and multi-cultural studies.
``There is a very close tie between Greek and Egyptian mythology, and it's one of the things that I wanted to show in my book,'' said Goss.
``I thought the kids needed to understand this because sometimes they learn things in isolation - they don't see the relationship between ideas.
Goss' brother, Ronald Purvis, a shipyard electrician, drew the illustrations for the book.
``He's a budding artist. When we were kids, he used to draw all the time,'' said Goss. ``He was really impressed with the stories. He has a young daughter, and she had read them, and he agreed to do the illustrations for me.''
Goss, 44, has taught English at Cradock Middle School, formerly Alf J. Mapp Junior High School, for eight years. Prior to teaching, Goss spent 10 years as a paralegal. She has an undergraduate and master's degree in English from Old Dominion University.
Name: Linda C. Goss
Nickname: None
Number of years in Portsmouth: Lived in Portsmouth from ages 6 to 12 in Victory Manor
Birthplace: Norfolk
Birthdate: 9/23/50
Occupation: Educator, writer
What other job than your own would you like? Journalist, news anchor, bookstore owner
Marital status: Divorced
Children: Two girls: Joy, 18, and Tiffany, 26
Grandchildren: Grandson, Derrick, 7
Fondest childhood memory: Building a ``fort'' with my brother, Ronald, in the woods near Victory Manor; dressing up like Pocahontas and charging 25 cents or a candy bar for admission
What song or book title best describes your life? A book by Zora Neale Hurston ``I Love Myself When I'm Laughing''
If you won the lottery, what's the very first thing you'd buy? House for my parents
If you could trade places for just one day with anyone in the world, who would it be and why? Someone influential in government who could improve schools and teachers' salaries
Biggest accomplishment: Writing and publishing ``Egyptian Gods and Goddesses of the Ennead''
Most embarrassing moment: When I misspell a word on the board and the students point it out
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? More patience with authority figures
Perfect way to spend the day: At the beach listening to the ocean and reading a book
I can't resist: Anything chocolate
Favorite Portsmouth restaurant: The Circle (especially seafood)
Favorite Portsmouth hangout: Portside at an outdoor concert
Biggest problem facing Portsmouth: Economics. Portsmouth has so much potential for growth and development.
If you had three wishes for Portsmouth, what would they be?
More economic opportunities
Develop downtown more
Become a thriving place where people will want to live
Other than its small-town atmosphere, what do you like about working in Portsmouth? The history and quaintness of the neighborhoods; the access to the waterways; and the schools, of course. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN
Linda Goss
by CNB