A surprise retirement party was held May 23 for a teacher at Sheridan Elementary School in Orangeburg who has made a difference in the lives of young people for a quarter of a century.

Patricia S. Clamp taught first grade at Sheridan for 25 years, touching and impacting the lives of more than 600 students during her time there.

Her family moved to Orangeburg in 1968, and Clamp decided that she wanted to teach. She attended South Carolina State University, earning a degree in early childhood education. While attending school, she juggled two children, a husband and a household.

Clamp began teaching at St. Paul’s Church and stayed there for five years before going to Sheridan in December 1980.

Her daughter, Beth Clamp Smith, started planning the surprise party for her mother almost a month ago.

“We wanted to make sure she went out with recognition for her years of dedication. She put her heart and soul into teaching,” Smith said.

In Smith’s remarks honoring her mother, she told Clamp that she was very proud of what she had accomplished.

“Because for all of your hard work and devotion, nobody deserves it more than you do,” she said.

Clamp’s son, Pennell M. “Danny” Clamp Jr., said it has inspired him to see his mother’s accomplishments.

“I love her with all my heart,” he said.

The staff at Sheridan Elementary is also proud of Mrs. Clamp. Principal Xennie Weeks taught Clamp’s children. He said she was always concerned about her children’s education and wanted to make sure they were always doing well in their classes.

She cared about her students just as much, he said.

“She genuinely cared and loved her children as if they were her own. She was always the first to arrive in the morning and one of the last to leave,” Weeks said.

Teresa Reid, Sheridan’s curriculum coordinator, has known Clamp for four years and reminds her of teachers she had in the past, she said.

“I call her an old-school teacher. Her demeanor is pleasant, and she has high expectations for her students,” Reid said. “She’s just a special lady. I’ve never heard her raise her voice at the children. She’s got their respect.”

Betty Jo Fersner taught with Clamp at Sheridan as a music teacher.

“I always enjoyed working with Pat. She is a wonderful person. She really cared about the children,” Fersner said.

Fourth-grade teacher Michele Crane started teaching at the school the same year Clamp did.

“I’ll miss our little morning chit-chats,” Crane said.

Another first-grade teacher at Sheridan, Diana Fersner, actually went to South Carolina State with Clamp. After they graduated, they both went to teach at Sheridan. “I’m just going to miss her. We’ve been together so long,” she said.

Even after all the initial excitement of the party had subsided, Patricia Clamp still couldn’t say much.

“I can’t believe my family kept this from me,” she said. “I’m speechless.”

-- T&D Correspondent Ashley K. Wheeler can be reached by e-mail at wheelera2@pobox.winthrop.edu. Discuss this and other stories on-line at TheTandD.com.

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