School Profile: Miss Jane

Remembering MISS JANE WILSON

It is a well-known fact that school office managers and secretaries are the backbone of a school. They are the first person you see when you walk through the door. They are nurses, counselors, confidants, and friends. Covington Latin School has been blessed with some amazing women who have held that post in our nearly 100 years. We lost one of those amazing women recently and wanted to share a few stories about her tenure at CLS.

Memories of Miss Jane Wilson

by Matt Krebs

In the start of my career at Latin School, I was fortunate to work for about five years with Miss Jane, our school office manager. As a new teacher finding his way, I’m not sure I knew just how long she had worked here, but I sure mined her brain for information.

Of course, her teasing of me was incessant. I was a little chagrined---I thought we were buddies. Then a veteran teacher explained it to me: “She only teases you if she likes you.” I had the sense that, if Miss Jane likes you, you’re in.

In those days, Miss Jane typed the morning announcements, and homeroom teachers read them aloud to the class. Miss Jane injected her own brand of humor into the delivery. There were the expected, traditional typos (John Smith reprot to the main office) and the best part, Miss Jane’s color commentary at the bottom for “teachers’ eyes only.”

Once, at a faculty meeting, I brought up the idea of closing our campus after school. I had concerns about our kids going down the street to Walgreens or to White Castle without supervision. I had discussed it with the Dean of Students and he suggested I mention it when we met as a faculty, so I did. Honestly, all these years later, I don’t remember the faculty’s response to my concerns. At any rate, it didn’t happen. But Miss Jane made her take on my suggestion known to all at the bottom of the next morning’s announcements: “To Mr. Krebs: Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. And a Tooth Fairy. And the Easter Bunny and the Great Pumpkin. There is also the dumpster at Walgreen’s which provides some measure of privacy if you get my drift. So campus scrampus to you, my friend.” Classic Miss Jane.

Beyond her sense of humor, Miss Jane will be remembered fondly as a dedicated steward of the Latin School for more than three decades. May the souls of the faithfully departed, through the Mercy of God, rest in peace.

Memories of Miss Jane

by John Meier, Class of ‘67

My Aunt Dodie passed away on May 8. Those of you who attended Covington Latin School during the mid-60s through the 90s would remember her as Miss Jane (Wilson), the Latin School secretary. She started working there during my second year in 1965 and continued her service to the Latin School community for 31 years until her retirement in 1996. The faculty and staff who were there during that time can attest to her competence and devotion to her work as a secretary. Although she served as assistant to the Headmaster (Father Mueller) and Dean (Father Vater) during the early years, I could tell that she actually ran the place. Some of you may also remember that she hired my sister, Susan Meier, my cousin, Karla Zalla (Nageleisen), and my daughter, Emily Goshorn (Meier) to do part-time work for her during their high school years. They were all cute girls and Dodie would tell me about all the boys coming to “visit her” when they were helping out. I have lots of fond memories during my Latin School years, and my Aunt Dodie was certainly a big part of them. Requiescat in pace.