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Plessy v. Ferguson
U.S. Supreme Court establishes "separate but equal" schools for Blacks and Whites as constitutional in Plessy v. Ferguson (1). This action leads to segregated schools and continues the racial tensions and dichotomies in American society. Photo: http://americanhistory.si.edu/Brown/history/1-segregated/images/plessyvferguson-lg.jpg Accessed: 7/6/10 -
James Miller Land Born
My father is born in Glasgow, Scotland. He has one older sister, Alma. His parents are working class but upwardly mobile. Photo: Glasgow, Scotland, circa 1927. Nora Murphy private collection. -
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Miller Land Schooling
My father, J. Miller Land, attends school in Glasgow, Scotland. An inquisitive child, he loved to take things apart, repair electronics and build machines, but did not particularly like school. He found his teachers to be disassociated from his life. As a teenager, he chose trades over college. -
Alice Jean Buchan Born
My mother is born in Glasgow, Scotland. She will have 2 younger brothers. Her mother comes from a large middle class family, her father is a college educated geologist whose parents were of some means. Photo: Parma, Ohio circa 1976 Nora Murphy private collection. -
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Alice Jean Buchan Schooling
My mother, Alice Jean Buchan, was schooled in Colombia as a young child, and then attended boarding school in Canada. Her father was a senior geologist engineer for BP and spent his career in South America. My mother excelled in school, particularly in languages. She was fluent in Spanish and also studied French and Latin. -
WWII Begins
WWII begins in Europe when Germany invades Poland. (2) Britain has signed a mutual assistance treaty with Poland and declares war on Germany on 9/3/39. Life in Britain once again becomes occupied with war. Photo: http://wzus1.ask.com/r?t=a&d=us&s=a&c=p&ti=1&ai=30752&l=dis&o=15527&sv=0a5c423e&ip=6380135e&u=http://www.rbvhs.org/teachers/roswell/apeuro/unit9/docs/Between%20the%20Wars/img045.JPG Accessed: 7/6/10 -
JML High School
Compulsory games were part of my father's high school experience in Scotland. He hated sports leaving my brothers and me to find our own way into the sports crazed world we love. JML is 2nd row on far left. Photo: Glasgow, Scotland circa 1940. Nora Murphy private collection. -
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Fleeing from the Germans to the Japanese
Due to the increased bombing activity by the Germans on British towns, a group of BP employees evacuate their children from Scotland to Australia via Canada. My mother gets off the boat in Singapore, only to be removed within weeks to Borneo then Australia due to the movement of the Japanese. The family is in Sydney when the Japanese conduct their attack on Sydney Harbor. They return to South America via the Panama Canal. My mother is sent to Canada for boarding school. -
WWII Ends
WWII officially ends with signing of surrender of Japan in Tokyo Bay. (3) Photo: http://ispy.mnhs.org/00000000/00000395.JPG Accessed: 7/6/10 -
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Baby Boom!
The conclusion of WWII and the prosperities which result cause birth rates to explode for the next twenty years, a phenomenon known as the Baby Boom. (5) The needs of this generation will change the face of America. -
Parents Wed and Emigrate from Scotland
My parents get married and board a ship as immigrants to America seeking opportunities that were not available in war torn Britain. Photo: 9/29/52, Glasgow, Scotland. Nora Murphy private collection. -
Brown v. Board of Education
US Supreme Court Declares Separate but Equal schooling to be unconstitutional, reversing the Plessy v. Ferguson decision. (4) American education begins process of desegregating school but racial tensions run high. Photo: http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books nhl/images/ monandtxt.jpg Accessed 7/6/2010 -
Settle in Cleveland, Ohio
After spending time in Los Angeles, CA, my parents join some cousins in Cleveland and settle down. Photo: Miller and AJ Land in Los Angeles. circa 1953. Nora Murphy private collection. -
Move to Parma, Ohio
My parents move to Parma, Ohio with my oldest brother. They chose Parma as it was close to my father's business in Cleveland, yet was a growing suburb with opportunities for young families. By the late 1960's Parma becomes one of the largest suburb in the country, with over 100,000 residents. (6) Photo: http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/ movies/blog/2010/06/celebrate_elvis_presley_in_the.html Accessed: 7/6/10 -
My Birth
Nora Jean Land is born in Parma Hospital, the 4th and last child of Miller and Alice Jean Land. Photo: Parma, Ohio circa 1969. Nora Murphy private collection. -
Move to Family Home
We (now a family of 6) move to the home we will grow up in, in a new subdivision in Parma. Our neighbors are mostly first generation Americans like us. Our friends speak many different languages in the home, but English is the language on the streets. Photo: circa 1968. Nora Murphy private collection. -
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Royal Ridge Elementary School
I attended the local elemntary school which was newly built. The teachers were mostly young women who were enthusiastic and joyful. When we finished 6th grade, 1/2 of the class went to one Jr. High, the other to another, and we never were together again as those schools fed into different high schools. Friends made in kindergarten were separated at Jr. High school-it was a difficult parting for many. -
Citizenship
My parents become U.S. citizens renouncing their (and our) British citizenship. Photo: My parents, my brother Jim and I posing in our Scottish regalia circa 1972. Nora Murphy private collection. -
College Search
My parents conducted their own search for a college for their four children. They chose The College of Wooster, in Wooster, Ohio and all four of us attended. There was never a question in any of our minds that we would follow our parents' wishes. Photo: http://balder.prohosting.com/shissem/wooster.jpg Accessed: 7/6/10 -
Teachers Strike
Parma Teachers Strike! (7) It's the first day of Jr. High School and our teachers are on strike. My parents send us to school, but there are no classes. For 2 weeks we go to school, take attendance, and wander the streets. We are confused and truly disappointed that school hasn't started as we are looking forward to this new experience. Why don't the teachers want to teach? Photo: http://www.acc-tv.com/images/whtm/news/teacher_strike.jpg Accessed: 7/6/10 -
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Pleasant Valley Junior High School
A time of adolescent angst, life lasting friendships, experimentation and 9th grade Latin. My mother was the architect of our schooling and she had chosen Latin for my oldest brothers and so my younger brother and I followed, despite the fact that the teacher, Miss Chambers, was quite inept. There were a number of truly inspiring teachers who helped shape me and my friends. We have never forgotten the lessons Mr. Jones taught us, in and out of the classroom. -
Elvis Presley and my Mom die
The day that the world mourned the passing of the King (9), our family was rocked by the unexpected death of my mother at age 46. Photo: http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/movies/blog/2010/06/celebrate_elvis_presley_in_the.html Accessed: 7/6/2010. -
Cleveland Schools Institute Busing
Cleveland Public Schools institute busing in order to comply with court order to allow equal access to school opportunities for Blacks and Whites. (8) In response Cleveland experiences significant "White Flight" as residents move to the suburbs to avoid having their children bussed. Photo: http://www.caractacus.net/usa2003/images/227school_bus.jpg Accessed: 7/6/10 -
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Valley Forge High School
Off to the big leagues! There were 650 students in my graduating class, so this school was filled! We were quickly tracked and my "class" became a group of about 50 who took all the advanced classes and were more likely to go to some sort of college. I had a few strong teachers, but was not overwhelmingly impressed with any. This was for the most part, 3 years or playing sports and having fun with friends. -
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The College of Wooster
I followed lock step to the College of Wooster and discovered a new world of learning. Here, I was among students who (for the most part) wanted to learn, and teachers who truly enjoyed teaching. I had gone to college thinking that I might want to be a doctor, but after 3 chemistry classes I decided against that. -
Interview with Dr. Bromund
Having decided against Chemistry, I met with a chem teacher whom I greatly respected. He was disappointed in my decision but encouraged me to follow my interests and study something about which I had passion. We discussed at length the field of teaching and I told him how much I had learned from him, not just the chemistry. I decided to study more Greek and Latin because I found them to be interesting subjects. Photo: http//:www.wooster.edu/ faculty/chemistry/bromund Accessed 7/6/10 -
Graduate School Decisions
With college graduation looming, what next? I wanted to go to graduate school in Classics, my father wanted me to go to Law School. As there were few jobs available in Classics (even my own advisor was losing her interim position and could not find another one) I decided to follow my father's advice and go to Law School. Photo: http://www.ict.mic.ul.ie/websites/2002/Olivia_Parkinson/images/question_mark_-_colour.jpg Accessed: 7/6/10 -
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CWRU Law School
I attended CWRU Law School. I was a good student but did not engage much with the other students as I felt that they were too egocentric. I missed the collaborative atmosphere of college. -
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Young Family Life
Worked in Law, moved to Business, sold out during recession. What to do next? Chance encounter with Middle School Latin teacher who suggested I substitute in the district as they never have anyone who can sub for Latin. Intrigued, I qualified for Long Term Substitute Licenses in both Latin and Ancient Greek expecting to do a little subbing here and there for fun while I developed my next business. -
Wedding Time
I marry John Murphy, my college sweetheart. We don't know where life is taking us, but we've signed on to take the ride together. Photo: Parma, Ohio, 12/31/88. Nora Murphy private collection. -
Cara Jean Murphy
Our daughter, Cara Jean Murphy, is born. Now we have to be responsible adults! Photo: 8/2009, Shaker Heights, Ohio. Nora Murphy private collection. -
Trip to Greece
A 10 day trip to Greece renewed my interest in all things Classical. Photo: Athens, Greece. 3/97. Nora Murphy private collection. -
Ian Lawson Murphy
Ian joins his sister at our home in University Heights. Photo: University Heights, Ohio, 3/94. Nora Murphy private collection. -
Move to Shaker Heights
We move to Shaker Heights before Cara starts kindergarten. We were very intentional about wanting our kids to attend a public school. We felt that Shaker Heights offered the strongest school district in the area and it was a move home for John, whose parents still live in the home he grew up in, pretty much across the street from our new house. Photo: Shaker Hts., 1997. John demolishing the former dining room in our new home. Nora Murphy private collection. -
Girl Scout Leader
I lead my daughter's Girl Scout troop from Kindergarten through 12th grade. I learned the joy of working with young girls (and then women) as we explored the world in which we live. Photo: Troop 1402 leads Camporee for 100+ younger scouts and earn their Silver Awards. Ashtabula, Ohio, 5/20/2006. Nora Murphy private collection. -
Trip to Scotland with my dad
My dad wanted to take a trip to Scotland to see his old stomping grounds. My brother David and I joined him and we visited the homes he lived in, the schools he attended, where he served in the military and other sites. It was the only time in my adult life that I spent time alone with my father and he shared much of his personal philosophy. He died unexpectedly less than two years later, making the trip very cherished. Photo: Glasgow, Scotland 11/06. Nora Murphy private collection. -
A Crazy Proposal
I am approached by a number of people (teachers and administrators) about the possibility of my teaching the following year as one of the high school teachers wants to take a year off for maternity leave. With 10 days of subbing under my belt, and 20+ years since I last really used my Latin and Greek, I think they are all nuts. They talk me into it and I start to make plans to teach 3 different classes. Photo: http://i.ehow.com/images/a04/jh/1u/substitute-teacher-broward-county-florida-800X8 -
An Unexpected Call
The maternity leave starts sooner than expected as bed rest is ordered. Therefore I take over a full load at the high school for the final 3 week of school. What have I gotten myself into? Photo: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/gaston/graphics/images/telephone.jpg Accessed: 7/6/10 -
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High School Experience
Teaching at Shaker Heights High School. Latin I & II and Greek I full time and then subbing and teaching Greek while also running the Latin Club and then Student Teaching. I've learned that I really enjoy working with these students and the process of teaching. I hope to be able to continue for quite some time! -
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John Carroll University
Attend John Carroll to qualify for a teaching license. JCU is the only local institution which certifies in Latin so I have no options! I will hopefully graduate in May, 2011.
