We knew three sides of Joan Bauman:
• teacher at Cory-Rawson for 30 years
• owner of a Bluffton bed and breakfast
• a person with an international view
For those 30 school years at Cory-Rawson, students knew “Mrs. Bauman” as the teacher whose room was in the top right corner of the old Rawson school.
As a third grade teacher, former students describe her in glowing terms:
“my all-time favorite teacher,” “phenomenal,” “a teacher with a big heart,” and “larger than life.”
She had her own way of teaching. She placed students at stations where students worked much of the time on their own. This developed independent thinking. You could say she was ahead of her time.
A favorite memory of one student was when she read third graders “Where the Red Fern Grows.” She cried at the sad part.
After retiring from teaching, she opened a bed and breakfast in her home on South Main Street.
All the while, she insisted that she wasn’t a business person, even though she treated her guests way beyond the call of what is expected from a business owner. She no doubt could have written a best seller on how to keep the customers happy.
Many may not be aware of Joan’s international views because she did not flaunt her experiences in public.
But, consider:
• she served in the African mission field for three years
• she lived in Belgium for three years
• she was a host mother to several international high school exchange students.
A missionary, teacher and businesswoman. Joan Bauman was all three. Who among us can say we’ve touched so many different lives in so many different ways?
