Miss Stellfox: Enduring influence of a great teacher

Published: January 10, 2012

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A group of former students of the beloved Jean Louise Stellfox are creating a tribute befitting of the late teacher's impact on local education.

The Jean Stellfox Memorial Award, an annual scholarship to be presented to a Shamokin Area graduate, is in the works, thanks to those who won't let the memory of this revered figure fade into history.

"Miss Stellfox," who had been retired, met an unfair fate more than eight years ago when she was struck and killed while crossing a street in Mount Carmel. Before and since that tragedy, she has been saluted for her ability to educate. As is the case in describing the best teachers, it's not just what she said or did, it's how she did it. Her cultivation of a lifelong interest in learning among her students is what prompted the scholarship development.

Also of note, as reported in The News-Item last week, is the effort to take Shamokin Area students to Dickinson College, Stellfox's alma mater, for an annual visit. It is there where she was inspired to become a teacher of literature, spurred in part by her brush with American literary royalty in 1959 when Robert Frost visited the campus.

In fact, her donation of the majority of her $1.5 million estate to Dickinson has led to the establishment of the college's Harold and Ethel L. Stellfox Visiting Scholars and Writers Program.

We salute those who are working toward the scholarship and what should prove an inspiring annual visit to Dickinson. Both are deserving of support, as we too often overlook the lasting impact of a terrific teacher.

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The public mention of Stellfox's death has led to a fresh round of accusations and innuendo about the circumstances surrounding her death, which remains unsolved. Anyone who has any credible information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, should contact Mount Carmel Borough Police.

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