By Hannah Taylor ’15, LifeStyle Section Editor
On Thursday May 14th, members of the Country Day community met at the Broadwell House to celebrate Ms. Karen Healy’s legacy at Country Day. A teacher at the school for eighteen years, Ms. Healy has instilled a passion for life and learning in her students, many of whom returned to thank her and say their goodbyes that evening. During her time at CCD, she explored her gift for teaching in the Montessori program. Deeply passionate about the discipline, Ms. Healy, extremely well-loved, inspired all she touched. Her Montessori tutor attended the celebration and expressed her pride in Ms. Healy’s developments as both an educator and as a person. Mrs. Jean Corbus, a former teacher at CCD and colleague to Ms. Healy, spoke at length over Skype of her friend’s achievements in the Montessori program.
While many would be teary-eyed upon their departure from CCD, Ms. Healy chose to leave her colleagues and friends with a few words of wisdom. The poem she recited (which can be seen below) epitomizes her work at Country Day and the values that she imparted upon her young students. She looks to the future with plans of celebrating life with her family and grandchildren. She will be missed.
“Barter” by Sara Teasdale
Life has loveliness to sell
All beautiful and splendid things
Blue waves whitened on a cliff
Soaring fire that sways and sings
And children’s faces looking up
Holding wonder like a cup
Life has loveliness to sell
Music like a curve of gold
Scent of pine trees in the rain
Eyes that love you
Arms that hold
And for your spirit’s still delight
Holy thoughts that star the night
Spend all you have for loveliness
Buy it and never count the cost
For one white singing hour of peace
Count many a year of strife well lost
And for a breath of ecstasy
Give all you have been or could be
