DATE: Saturday, April 26, 1997              TAG: 9704260001

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B6   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Editorial 

                                            LENGTH:   54 lines

PATTY MASTERSON MASTERON'S INFLUENCE ON THE WORLD WILL NOT END WITH HER PASSING

U. S. historian and writer Henry Brooks Adams once said, ``A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.''

Change ``he'' and ``his'' to ``she'' and ``her'' and you could easily be referring to Edith Pratt ``Patty'' Masterson, one of Virginian's most highly esteemed teachers, who died this week at age 75.

In recent years she was well-known as a volunteer lobbyist for Virginians Against Handgun violence.

Masterson, who lived in Virginia Beach, never set out to be a teacher. As the daughter of a South Carolina cotton broker in an era when most girls were preparing only for managing households, Edith Pratt Breedon sought a less conventional life. When she entered law school in 1942, Edith Breedon was one of few women in her class. She served as editor of the University of South Carolina Law School's Law Review and was the first woman to try a case before that state's Supreme Court.

She had a private law practice when she married naval officer Christopher R. Masterson. Together they had five children. In 1954, while the Mastersons were stationed in Panama, she began teaching. Upon the family's return to the United States in 1956, Masterson accepted a position at the Country Day School for Girls in Virginia Beach. The school later merged with Norfolk Academy, where Masterson taught English and American literature until her retirement in 1991.

Masterson's students nicknamed her ``Bat'' after the TV Western hero. Characteristically, Masterson embraced the moniker and henceforth filled her life and house with bat memorabilia.

Although she spent most of her life as a teacher, Masterson always regarded herself as a student. She shared this love of learning with all who came in contact with her.

In a 1991 newspaper story, Masterson's oldest daughter, Linda, recalled being awakened as a child by her mother in the middle of the night during a hurricane. Masterson bundled her small children out of the house and into the eye of the storm so they could experience for themselves the awesome calm that had settled over their Oceanfront neighborhood.

As news of Masterson's death spread this week among her former students, many, no doubt, echoed the sentiments of Norfolk State University Professor Page Laws. Laws is a former student of Masterson who holds a Ph.D. in comparative literature from Yale University.

``It doesn't matter how many degrees I have after my name,'' Laws said in a tribute to Masterson at the teacher's retirement. ``I am her student, and I always will be.''

This is the legacy of one truly great teacher. MEMO: A memorial service for Mrs. Masterson will be held at 1 p.m.

Sunday at Norfolk Academy.

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