I was raised on a farm near a small town of 1200 people in central Illinois where nearly all of the residents were of German Catholic Heritage. Everyone had a strong work ethic and was raised with discipline. I went to Eastern Illinois University and graduated with a Bachelor of Education degree in mathematics and later with a Master’s degree in mathematics education.

I have always believed that the major education disciplines are reading and math. With knowledge in those two subjects, you can learn any of the other disciplines.

I began teaching mathematics at the age of 22 in a small high school. A couple of years later I moved to Robinson, Illinois, where I stayed. I taught math in a brand new middle school until retirement. Those years satisfied my desire to educate children in mathematics.

But my desire to assist the need for children to learn to read had not yet been addressed. When my three children were growing up, I took them to the local library during the summers. The children’s librarian was provided with a summer reading theme each year. So, with guitar in hand, I took it upon myself to write a song to go along with the theme that encouraged children to read. Each week the children sang along with me , both before and after the prepared program. I was given the nickname, Musical Marian! It was always so much fun to see the children enjoy my songs.

I now enjoy retirement and would like to share some of my songs, illustrated in children’s books with others.