Our love story began some 60 years ago on the campus of Mansfield State Teachers College (MSTC) now known as Mansfield University. At the time, Mansfield area elementary students attended school in Retan Center. While it provided an excellent educational experience for area students, it was also the lab school for the Education Department at the MSTC. MSTC students enrolled in the elementary education program would do their student teaching In Retan. I still remember all of my grade school teachers and many of the students teachers during my tenure as an elementary student in Retan Center, K-6.
It all began in the fall of 1959 when a
5 and 4 year old met in Retan as kindergarteners. I still remember the day this special girl (Brenda Clark) caught my attention as a five year old. I couldn’t wait to go home and tell my mother about the cute blonde in my room. Little did I know she would captivate my attention and my heart for a lifetime.
As time moved on, I realized not only was she cute, but smart as well; smarter than me! In Mrs. Marsh’s second grade, where students sat at tables large enough for two, I got to sit with Brenda as my table mate. Wow! Sitting next to the smart girl and cute one, to boot, made me one happy kid! Time continued on and we both went through elementary, junior and senior high school together in the community of Mansfield.
Brenda and I traveled in different circles in school as we grew older. According to Brenda’s recollection, she considered me to be a dork! My interest in high school was music, so I played in every music group available from concert band to jazz, marching and pep bands. Brenda’s interest was more academic…remember, she was the smart one! It wasn’t until our senior year in high school that I took the bold step to ask her out on a date.
In the spring of 1972 I attended a local high school basketball playoff game, held in Decker Gymnasium at Mansfield State College (MSC), where I noticed Brenda with her friends. It was there I got the nerve to ask her to go out. Positive she would turn me down, I braced myself for rejection. But, to my surprise, she said yes! Finally, I got to go out with the cute blonde! A few days later we attended a movie, our first date, at our local theater. Within three weeks of our first date I knew I would ask her to be my wife. It would take me two years to do so. This set the stage for a lifetime of friendship and love.
We were in our final few months of our senior year in high school with college on the horizon. Unbeknownst to each of us, we discovered we were both enrolled in the freshman class at MSC for fall 1972. Brenda was going to pursue Spanish education while I would study elementary education with an emphasis in early childhood. The fall semester began and we spent every available moment between classes together. We both felt that marriage was certainly on the horizon. It was near the end of our sophomore year that we made it official when I asked her to marry me. She said yes! What a feeling!
It was during our sophomore year at MSC that we both took the same math class required for our degrees. Now, Brenda was and still is a whiz at math. Me, it was a different story. While taking the class, she became my tutor. So, I guess it can be said I married my kindergarten crush and college math tutor!
I look back at this time in our lives and realize how young and naive we were. We planned a wedding for May 17, 1975 at the end of our junior year. Going to college, no real income, no car, but love prevailed! We were dirt poor and didn’t know it! We married and the rest is history. Nearly 44 years later, we have survived what life has handed us and still are going strong. She remains the love of my life!
The Writer
After graduating from Mansfield University in 1976, Brian began his educational career teaching. His teaching experience led him to form a K-12 private school which today still serves the local Mansfield area and beyond. In 1989, he transitioned to Mansfield University concluding his career in 2011 as the Executive Director of Enrollment Management.
Since retiring from the university Brian has served on the Mansfield Alumni Board and currently serves on the Mansfield Auxiliary Corporation which built the new student housing at Mansfield University. Their son and daughter-in-law both graduated from Mansfield University. Brian and Brenda (Clark) '76 spend their days planning trips, traveling and enjoying their two grandsons.
