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Hartselle Enquirer
Mooney pictured with several FHS students and the mustaches given to them as prizes related to a project they did in Mooney’s class. | Special to the Enquirer

Meet the teacher

Marshall Mooney: Teaching history, making history

Lauren Estes-Velez

Hartselle Enquirer

Marshall Mooney is the epitome of being feared, loved and respected.

The Falkville High School teaching veteran of 26 years has spent his entire teaching career locked in with the Blue Devils.

“Over the years I have taught 6th-11th grades and a variety of subjects including but not limited to: math, earth science, Alabama History, typing, current events, geography, US history and a few others,” Mooney said. “It has also been my privilege to teach with some of the finest teachers in the state. I watch teachers who spend their own money and spend lots of time beyond what is required. Often they will be working, studying and grading papers, or just helping kids with whatever they need. I thrive on the moments when a student comes to a new awareness of history.”

Mooney said that teachers don’t always get the type of recognition they deserve, because often, they become the only light a child will see.

“Teachers don’t get a lot of accolades, and definitely not many raises, so the source of joy most often comes when you meet someone on the street or in a store who says they enjoyed your class or learned things from it,” Mooney said. “People who tell you that don’t realize how incredibly motivating that is. While many of them are just being kind it is still incredibly important to the teacher.”

One story that has stuck out in the well-known history teacher’s mind was a story he still shares to this day.

“I had a student that came to me one year whose challenges in life were many. A difficult and poverty dictated lifestyle had dealt him a very rough hand,” Mooney said. “One day as I was teaching class, I was talking about the Great Depression. As I attempted to passionately describe how little people in this generation had, I happened to be walking past his desk. I heard him say under his breath, ‘that’s more than I ever had.’ It is impossible to describe how I felt at that moment. I wanted to stop and ask him to clarify, but I would never consider embarrassing him in that manner. After class, I asked him to stay a minute. I closed the door and asked him to verify that what I thought I heard him say was correct. He gave details that sent chills down my spine. He said he had never received a Christmas present, never a Christmas card, never had a Christmas tree, and the only people who had ever said “Merry Christmas” to him were people in stores who seemed more robotic than sincere.  The following Sunday at church I told his story. I did not share his name. After church two wonderful Christian ladies approached me. They explained that the company they worked for sought to find someone to help at Christmas-time and wanted to know if they could help this young man. I told them I would talk to him and see if he would allow this to happen. He agreed to it and the ladies went to work, and work they did. A while later they brought presents to church.”

Mooney went on to describe how the two women were able to fill his car with gifts and what to come was nothing short of a tear-jerker.

“When I got to school on Monday I asked the student if he would let me carry him home. He agreed and I made a place for him in the car,” Mooney said. “When we got to his grandmother’s house it was time to unload. We had to put most of the presents on the front porch. Tears rolled down his face as we carried armloads of brightly colored packages to the house, and a few made their way down mine as well. I told him as I left that Jesus loved him and that if he opened 3 gifts a day from then until Christmas he should have about 40 to open on Christmas morning. What ‘I’ learned during that time was more valuable than any textbook could ever say.”

For Mooney, teaching is a lot more than just his career. His goal within his job is to truly make a difference and be a difference in his field.

​“A story is told of a young man who made it big after college and had become very rich,” Mooney said. “At a party he had a bit too much to drink and began to brag. Becoming loud and obnoxious, he began to demean those he considered to be less than him. One of his targets was a young teacher. He loudly pointed out what all he owned and how much money he had. He concluded by pointing out that he was paid over one million dollars a year. He then asked the young teacher what she made. The room became silent as she stood to look him eye to eye. She began to detail how she took young children and taught them to read. She shared the routine of tying children’s shoes, and wiping their noses. She talked about keeping them safe and protected. When she finished she repeated his question. Then she finished by saying, ‘I make a difference, that what I make, A difference. While I may never know if I have truly done that, it is my dream to hear one student say that about me.’”

Although many opinions of Mooney share that he is passionate and respected in his job, he feels that many other teachers give even more.

“In my classroom we laugh a lot,” Mooney said. “I try to create an atmosphere where my students are relaxed and comfortable. We enjoy together the great stories of history and often learn from each other. We do many research based projects and are often teamed together in groups. It excites me to see those moments when the light comes on. I feel compelled to say that I don’t deserve the honor of an article in the paper. There are many teachers who work harder, longer and invest themselves deeper than I do. They are the ones who truly make a difference.”

Although Mooney’s track record for teaching and doing so successfully is high and respected among both students and teachers, there was a time where he doubted his own ability to be a teacher.

“It is my belief that God is involved in my life daily,” Mooney shared. “I believe He guides our circumstances. When I first started teaching I came to a point of frustration. I was simply not getting through to my students and I was about ready to call it quits, but God works in mysterious ways. At the time I was teaching reading in the sixth grade. My students simply did not like to read. I tried everything I knew and nothing was working. One day at a yard sale I bought over 200 readers digest magazines in large print. I took them to the classroom, sorted them and presented them to my students. They were still not interested. A day or two passed and I began to notice the cover of one particular issue. That day when break came, I grabbed the magazine and started to read. It was about putting out fires in oil wells. It was high drama. Unfortunately, when I got right to the climax of the story, the bell rang and my classroom began to fill. I really wanted to know what happened so I decided to read the story to my students. I began to read what I had already read and the students sat quietly. When I got to the climax of the story the intercom in my room buzzed and said I was needed in the office. I turned the magazine face down on the desk and stood. When I turned toward the door I heard someone say, “No, finish the story.” I looked at them and curtly replied, ‘If you want to know what happened, read it yourself.’ When I returned to the classroom a neighbor teacher was standing in my door. She told me never to leave my class unattended. She had had to come referee a fight in my room. When I ask her what they were fighting over she said, “Some stupid book.” God used this situation in my life to teach me that I was only successful when I found the way to help the students. From that day my philosophy became, ‘As a teacher, I have not taught until a child has learned’.”

Outside of the classroom, Mooney said he enjoys being involved in his church as the Minister of Music and teaches a Wednesday night class, and travelling.

“I am glad to have the opportunity to teach my Wednesday night class where we are studying the books of Acts,” Mooney said. “I love to play the piano. I don’t play very well, but it relaxes me and helps me deal with stress. Most of what I play is gospel. We also opened a small business in Decatur where we sell Salt Lamps and are excited about the many benefits they bring to the people who use them. My wife Sheila and I love to travel. While the budget does not allow very much of this, we enjoy getting to go. We go on those short two or three days trips that we call ‘Daycations’.”

The idea for salt lamps actually came to Mooney during a difficult time in he and his family’s life.

“We opened the business for our daughter Jennifer after she lost her husband in a car wreck; Salinity ​takes a lot of time,” Mooney said. “I also have a second daughter named Tara who is expecting a child in January, so I will soon have my fourth grandchild.”

Mooney said he has opportunities to make a difference in a student’s life each year, but often, they end up leaving a mark on his.

“Another young student one day stood in front of my desk shifting from one foot to another. I asked him what was going on. He looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, ‘Would you adopt me?’” Mooney said. “He explained that his parents were getting a divorce and that neither one wanted him. He said he heard then arguing the night before about who had to take him. Very few times have I ever touched a student because you always run the risk of being accused of things you didn’t do, but I could not restrain putting my arm around his shoulders and telling him that his parents were just fighting and they didn’t mean what they were saying. I assured him that if it were to become necessary I would adopt him in a heartbeat  I think sometimes we don’t realize how deeply words between parents can hurt a child.
I feel blessed to teach in Morgan County. I look forward to spending time with my students. They are the lifeblood of the future.”

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