Ruth Mahon joined the Laboratory School science faculty in 1956 and taught for eleven years. Joan Duea, a new lower elementary teacher then, calls Mahon, Al Potter’s “right hand.” “She was like ‘the mother’ in the department because she was the only woman and she was there for years,” Duea recalls. Mahon was active on the NK-12 science curriculum committee. Starting in the early 60s, Potter formed this committee to give continuity to the science curriculum. “It was composed of teachers from elementary grades and from all junior and senior high school science courses,” Duea explains. “I was the lower elementary member. We met every week for one hour. Ruth was a great influence since she was respected for her opinions. She was a gifted teacher with a talent for listening or being a moderator, then being able to summarize and combine ideas.” 

 

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