Farewell, Mrs. Mays

Outside, you notice the leaves are turning into various hues of orange, yellow, and brown. You feel the cool autumn wind blowing and hear the metallic clang of a cord hitting the flagpole. You observe the students scurrying about and finding their classes. You mouth habitual greetings to your teachers before making your way to your first class. You tread light footsteps that dull as they reach the carpeted hall, noise blurring into the background. Passing through the hall, you see Room 160. You see the room’s walls bare, without maps or a poster of Rosie the Riveter. You see a desk, plain and missing colorful trinkets and flags. You spot an unfamiliar face occupying the room. Finally, you realize the slightly frazzled Mrs. Mays is gone.

After teaching at Hastings Senior High School for 29 years, Ann Mays will be retiring once the 2024-2025 school year ends.

Mays is choosing to retire because nearly three decades of teaching has worn her out. She was also prompted to retire because she is eligible for Rule 85, the Nebraska early retirement benefits. Rule 85 allows school employees to combine their age with the number of years they have worked, and if the sum of years is 85, they can retire with full retirement benefits; those hired before July 1, 2018 must be a minimum of 55 years old while those hired after must be a minimum of 60 years old.

“I’m sure, no matter how much you love teaching, there are days when you hate it, and you’re too tired. And for me, that’s why it’s time to retire. I am too tired,” Mays said with a laughing smile. “I’m not too tired usually in the classroom, but I leave here, and I’m too tired to do anything else, and I don’t mean just grading papers. I’m too tired to do laundry; I’m too tired to plant flowers; I’m too tired. When I can’t bring that level of energy to the classroom, then it’s time for me to not be there.”

Before becoming a teacher, Mays attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and double-majored in political science and English. Mays initially wanted to attend law school, but after marrying fellow HHS teacher and alumnus Greg Mays, she moved back to Hastings, got her history endorsement at Hastings College in order to get her education degree, and pursued a career in education.

“Kind of my plan was to go to law school, but then I moved back to Hastings because I got married. So, I still kind of thought I might go back to law school, but a couple of years went by, (and) we got a house. I didn’t want to go to law school anymore,” Mays said.

Mays did not only decide to become a teacher because she moved back to Hastings. Teachers have always been a prevalent part of her life ever since she was a child.

“I think that I was one of those kids that really liked school. I was good at school. I was comfortable at school. I was involved in yearbook, newspaper and theater, and I tried to play tennis,” Mays said. “I think that sometimes people become teachers because they really like the high school they went to or they really liked their teachers, and (teachers) are the people I looked up to growing up. And so, I guess I could see myself doing that, so that made that decision a little bit easier.”

Committing to continuing the job was a difficult part of Mays’ career, especially during the early years of her career as an English and journalism teacher.

“It’s a tough job. It’s tougher than people know… The first few years, to be honest, I didn’t like it. I didn’t want to do it anymore… It was really difficult, so I thought about stopping,” Mays said. “…Well, this is going to sound kind of weird. Maybe ten, fifteen years ago, I was really struggling, and I remember just crying to Mr. Mays, ‘I can’t do this anymore. It’s too hard. I’m too stressed out,’ and he’s like, ‘Okay. You can stop. You can stop. We’ll just figure it out.’”

Despite being at a low, a large motivator for Mays was being a figure who can guide students. Her duty to help students helped strengthen her resolve and love for her career.

“I had this one student in class and he was a student that I made sure I talked to every day… He just said things are really bad at home, and I remember thinking, ‘Well, if I don’t work there anymore, if I’m not there, who’s going to look after that kid?’ Then, it occurred to me, who’s going to look after any of the kids that need that connection?” Mays said. “I felt like I should keep doing this, and this is probably when I thought, ‘Oh. That is what I love about teaching. That is what will keep you there and will keep you going.’” 

During her time as a teacher in the English department, Mays was inspired heavily by her husband, Gregory Mays, and her fellow teacher, Honey Lou Bonar. She was also encouraged by fellow social studies teachers David Johnson and Tracy Douglas when Mays switched to the history department after teaching in the English department for four years.

“(Bonar) really helped me, and she really inspired me. She was one of those people who was always positive… Of course, Mr. Mays was an inspiration to me because he just has so much energy and he is larger than life,” Mays said.

Mays enjoyed many parts of her time teaching, including organizing the National History Competition entries, working with kids no matter their academic skill, teaching Advanced Placement United States History, and being with her children during school.

“I love the History Day competition even though it’s a pain in my butt. Some of the best relationships I’ve formed with students and the most rewarding moments in teaching have been pushing, pulling, (and) dragging students through that History Day project,” Mays said with a laugh. “Those are my favorite things, even though it tortures me.”

A story Mays vividly remembers from her time teaching is when the current seniors were sophomores in her seventh period class two years ago and bought her an Ida B. Wells Barbie.

“(The students) had just got done studying Ida Wells… I happened to mention to them that Barbie, Mattel, made a Barbie of Ida Wells… I was just joking around. I said, ‘Hey! If you want to get me something for Christmas, you can get me this Ida Wells Barbie,’ and I showed them the picture. I was just joking, but they got me that Barbie! …and that was just so nice of them, so thoughtful of them!” Mays said with a smile.

Knowing that she will be leaving a familiar environment she has been a part of ever since she was a high schooler is a difficult and bittersweet moment for Mays.

“Of course, I’ll miss my students. I mean, it’s such a privilege to work with students. There are not many people who in their career get to work with so many amazing young people,” Mays said. “I definitely will miss my colleagues. I’ll miss Mr. Kugel and Mr. Laux and Mr. Linden and joking with them. I’ll miss a lot of the teachers and just that camaraderie… I’ll also miss learning. I …think I always learn so much more than my students do.”

Mays wants to continue being involved in education as a substitute teacher, but she wants to test the waters of retirement and is not ultimately sure of what she wants to do next.

“My hope is that I’ll be able to keep doing some things in education and that I’ll be okay. Then I’ll be able to be a flower farmer, or an eBay reseller, or whatever it is that comes next, and that will be okay,” Mays said with acceptance. “I guess we’ll find out probably pretty quickly in the fall.”

Being a teacher, in spite of its highs and lows, is something that Mays is truly grateful for.

“I just… I’m trying not to get emotional. I’m just so, so thankful that I had this chance. As hard as it’s been, you know, as hard of work as it is… it’s really quite an amazing opportunity. So I guess that’s what I want people to know,” Mays said with teary eyes.