October 21, 2003:
I am writing to nominate Margaret Rawson for the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame Award given to honor a Maryland woman who has made a unique and lasting contribution to the economic, political, cultural and social life of the State, and who provides a role model of achievement for tomorrow's female leaders. Although Margaret is no longer with us, she passed away at 102, her legacy and influence lives on.
The gift of spirit, heart, insight, wisdom, and strength of perseverance was limitless within the embodiment of this inspirational woman by the name of Margaret Rawson. She influenced the world and its understanding of dyslexic people and their learning style, needs and gifts on a state, national, and international levels. Upon her retirement from Hood College, located in Frederick, Maryland from the field of Sociology at age of 65, she began her third career in the area of dyslexia and became a world renowned expert on the subject.
It is difficult to describe over one hundred years of creative altruism that have emerged from this one woman's life efforts. She played the role of educator; research; sociologist; mother; activist; co-founder of the Jemicy school in the Baltimore; advisor of the Frederick county dyslexia project (the first of its type in the Maryland public school system); friend; former president of the Orton Dyslexia Society...the list goes on and on. In searching for the words to explain how influential Margaret Rawson's life long dedication to others was and how best to represent her gift of giving, I thought it best to share the following story, because the essence of her gift is revealed in this one case which can be multiplied by the thousands.
My son John-Randall Gorby was diagnosed with a classic case of severe dyslexia. His story, like that of many dyslexic children, was a tragic saga. He had been improperly diagnosed as intellectually limited, emotionally weak, and attention deficit by his school. He had been shamed, ridiculed, and punished improperly by teachers and children. With the help of Margaret Rawson, and the people she educated and influenced directly and indirectly, we came to discover that our son was dyslexic, that the view of our child by the school was wrong, and that the school was not able to meet his learning needs and to teach his learning difference because no one in the school at the time had been fully educated regarding this learning difference. Eventually, my son like thousands of other children did come to benefit from the vision and insight of Margaret Rawson. If it were not for Margaret Rawson, my son, like so many others, would still be suffering from painfully low levels of self-esteem, and the vision for his future would be bleak. He would still be lost, and defined by a school that would not allow for an alternative perspective to define his learning struggles.
Like so many families, we are forever indebted to Margaret Rawson for pushing on the boundaries of understanding regarding this learning difference and dedicating her life and spirit to the helping of others. My son benefited from the school system that she came to influence and the Jemicy school, which she helped to create. She was one of those rare individuals with the talent, skills, and heart to be able to create a new space of vision and hope for people in need. She helped my son to find a new vision of himself and the world around him. In the big picture, my son was just one wave in a sea of misdiagnosed and understood children who get labeled and damaged by the impact of not being able to read. However, Margaret Rawson was the force and visionary behind my son's success and that of countless other children throughout Maryland, the United States, and the world.
At the heart of this nomination for Margaret into the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame is an awareness that leadership often requires that an individual observe a traditional social "problem" or perspective in a different way and then act on that perspective with the needed courage and insight to successfully create change. For Margaret, her wisdom, insights, and action spanned over one hundred years. At the root of what she viewed differently was people, people who are traditionally labeled and condemned as 'stupid', 'learning disabled', and 'inferior'. She upheld and claimed that their source of suffering was not due to an individual 'disability', but rather to a type of educational 'disability'. When people are not fully educated, they can often be misguided and ill-informed as to the roots of the learning difference called dyslexia and the necessary ways of remediation. Because of Margaret's deep love for people and respect for individual differences, she had the courage to pioneer and was an active agent for educational reform and change over many, many years.
Margaret Rawson's life long work was a metaphor of hope and possibility. She touched thousands of lives directly and indirectly. She was a pioneer in the field of education and human possibility. She was a human being who was doing and promoting positive social change for a very long time. I am sure at times that the isolation and the wariness of walking to the beat of a different drummer was difficult for her. What an honor it would be for her to be further acknowledged and celebrated by the Maryland Commission for Women and the Women Legislators of Maryland. I always asked her how she kept going and trying to make a difference in the face of various obstacles. She always said, "one's impatience will make you patient". Change does not occur overnight, yet when one has the stamina, love and conviction to have kept trying for so many years, it is worthy of special attention. To have seen others as all part of the whole, to have celebrated the rich differences among us all, is the reward she would have wanted for herself. However, I know along with many others the jewel that was found within her, and I hope and pray there is a way to share her story of insight, strength and courage with others. She was a role model of action and to this day continues to influence the creation of new schools like the Friendship School in Eldersburg, Maryland, where I am currently serving as Head of School. Even though Margaret is no longer with us, her influence has made a lasting impact on the education of dyslexic children.
Margaret Rawson was a woman whose pioneering efforts in the field of dyslexia and literacy made a difference for us all. I have no doubt that one day more people will come to recognize this unusual woman's efforts. Margaret would have been glad to know that the humanity of her life's efforts and wisdom will continue to influence and aid millions of people who would otherwise be doomed to a fate of illiteracy and suffering.
Spending time with Margaret was like stepping into a holographic image. All of her knowledge, humanity, and compassion towards others was rolled up into that one experience which could be multiplied across time and space. Margaret embodied both wisdom and knowledge of the science of education, with the art and practice of teaching. I can think of no one more deserving of the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame. I only hope my words have done justice in describing this incredible woman's life of service to us all.
Sincerely,
Teresa Ankney, Ph.D. Head of Frienship School
Teresa Ankney, Ph.D.