DATE: Friday, September 26, 1997            TAG: 9709250527

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 

COLUMN: Making a difference 

SOURCE: BY DENISE WATSON, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   49 lines

ASSISTANT MAKES LOVE OF CHILDREN HER CAREER

Teacher's assistant Marlene Smith gave up the idea of being a teacher awhile ago. For many reasons, she never completed the college work, but, as she points out now, it really doesn't matter.

``The only difference between me and a teacher is my paycheck,'' she said laughing, while looking at two sleeping toddlers at Tidewater Park Elementary school.

In her 31 years as an assistant, Smith has loved hundreds of children, consoled even more parents, and ``adopted'' young teachers who needed support. The 61-year-old is now teaching some of the grandchildren of students she taught years ago.

Administrators and teachers at Tidewater Park Elementary, where Smith has worked for the past 22 years, say she has given as much as any educator who has a college degree.

``She's touched the lives of many, many people,'' principal Sylvia Spratley said. ``You can hear her any day, talking to parents about picking their children up on time, getting involved at the school. . . . She's been able to make a contribution to the community because she's involved in the community.''

Smith said it comes from a need to make sure children are taken care of.

``I love working with the parents and helping them with their children,'' Smith said. ``I'm good but stern. I tell parents `I love your children, but I don't want to love them more than you do.' You don't have to have a lot of money to do good things. You just have to care.''

Smith grew up in Norfolk, the 11th of 12 children. Her parents stressed education and after Smith got married, adopted a daughter and volunteered in her school, she thought of becoming a teacher.

In 1966, she became a teacher's assistant at Roberts Park Elementary and attended night classes at Norfolk State University. But Smith, who had scarlet fever as a child, had vision problems and couldn't drive. She relied on buses to get to class but they were often unreliable and riding them can be dangerous - she was attacked twice while waiting for a bus. She decided to stick with being an assistant. She later taught at Pineridge Elementary in Norfolk, then moved to Tidewater Park in 1975.

Although things didn't work out exactly as planned, she doesn't have any regrets.

``I'm so blessed,'' Smith said. ``I'm loving every minute of it.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo

Marlene Smith

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