Condolences

Click here to read the condolences left for the Patton family at the Longwood Funeral Home website.

He Listened

credit: Normal Rockwell

Tomorrow, our middle school will host a memorial for the man the building was named after: Charles F. Patton--one of the best listeners I have known in education. He was so good at listening that even if you weren't looking for it you noticed it.

You noticed and felt the sincerity of his eyes on you. He was the model of mutual respect. He loved young people, education, and you knew he loved teachers.

Hired after he retired, I could consider myself "second generation Patton" yet I still came to know Charles because he embraced education and our school community as a part of his life. But, I have to admit, there is something in the way my "first-generation Patton" colleagues (those hired by Charles) speak about him. It was as if Charles stepped right out of a Norman Rockwell painting and right into their lives because when they talk about Charles they all do one thing the same.

They smile.

And you notice and feel the sincerity in their eyes. His example imprinted that sincerity in them.

What resonates best with me is just how many stories from those colleagues begin with, "Charles would take you into his office and sit you down and..."

And talk.

Actually, he would press the right buttons so others could talk and he could listen. He gave them all of the time in the world. All of the time they ever needed. And he loved doing it.

You could see and feel that from his eyes too. I know that is a part of the reason why they smile when they remember Charles.

We all have the same hours in the day, yet Charles made it seem like he had all the time in world for you. He wasn't in a hurry with you. In a weird way that is difficult to explain, he indeed did have all of the time in the world for his staff, his students, and his community.

He freely gave everyone his time. All of it. And it was his joy and honor to do it.

Anytime I was around the man, he would take the time to look at me and ask me how I was...and after listening...he would ask about my class, or coaching, or the school play, or anything I was involved in. You couldn't walk within the vicinity of Charles and not be drawn into a heartfelt conversation with him.

During my first ten years in the building, I directed the school plays. Charles, long since retired, came to many of the performances. He would sit quietly off to the side and leave when it was done--careful not to attract attention or distract from the kids and their mentor. He would talk with me about it at another time.

I saw Charles in a folding chair at so many sporting events. Sometimes he would be talking with others--actually, they would be talking and he would be listening--and it would come as no surprise that he knew the names of the kids on the field.

I saw Charles at school concerts and I saw him in the evenings in the school library as the host for a community bridge night.

I saw Charles stop to talk to people. He always stopped. He stopped to talk to kids, parents, teachers, administrators, support staff--everyone. He seemed to stop time when he did it.

But what I remember is his eyes.

They were so focused on you. He was listening. He was giving you his time. And you would understand that.

Tomorrow, at the memorial, a large part of what I will think about and take a lesson from is his example as a listener and what an incredibly powerful tool listening can be for an educator.

And I am also going to think about time.

Chilean poet Pablo Neruda wrote "Love is so short, forgetting is so long."

I used to think about that line as sad. Yet, as I write and think about Charles, I can reinvent it as a happy line. We will memorialize and celebrate the much too short, wonderful tenure of Mr. Patton's love for education, young people, and teachers...and many will smile for a long, long time because they could never, ever possibly forget a man who did so much for so many.

Brian Kelley
Current Patton MS Teacher

Unparalled Passion For Teaching

I was lucky enough to have Mr Patton for 8th grade algebra.  Now, I realize how rare it is for a middle school principal to teach a class.  I don't know how he had the time or energy to teach us algebra each day with all of his other responsibilities.  But he made it a priority, clearly.

He had a unparalleled passion for teaching- this was evident to even us 8th graders back then.  Algebra just came alive in his class!   Most importantly, Mr Patton set high expectations for each of his students and challenged us to do our best.  In particular, I remember his rather unconventional motivational technique of seating our class in order of our most recent test grade!

I'm convinced that Mr Patton's mathematical inspiration contributed to my lifelong love of math and science. Without a doubt, Mr Patton was one of best teachers I ever had, and I am thankful for the experience of having him as my teacher.  He will be missed, but long remembered in the hearts of many.

Karen (Laslo) Franklin
UHS Class of 88

He Always Went Out Of His Way

Mr. Patton always went out of his way to have genuine, real conversations with you. He knew where I went to school, my children's names, my hobbies, vacation spots etc and he remembered them! When I was athletic training Mr. Patton was always around. He made it to so so many sporting events and the kids loved his support. They would always come over to chat with him. We used to sit together at wrestling matches and he would love to have a friendly wager on who was going to win the match. He was a passionate educator who cared deeply about the individuals he was working with. He will be greatly missed.

Marcia DiGregorio
Current Patton MS Teacher

Taking Time To Care

Knowing Mr. Patton in his older age made me wish I had met him sooner. Thank you for all the kind words, great stories, and the time you took to care.

Jason Palo

Current Patton MS Teacher

Pillar of the Community

In 1988 I moved to Chester County and was lucky enough to get a teaching position at Unionville Middle School. Because I was a special education teacher, I was hired by the Intermediate Unit, but Mr. Patton took me under his wing and made me feel welcome in his school. I was never made to feel like an outsider. When Unionville took over the Intermediate Unit's classes a few years later, I could not have been more thrilled to be working for Mr. Patton. He was the patriarch of the school and a pillar of the community. Not only did he know all the students in the school, he knew their families. When Mr. Patton retired from Patton Middle School, he remained a constant presence in the school and in the community. Mr. Patton is Unionville and he is sorely missed.

Beth Nanis
Patton MS Teacher

Thank You, Charles Patton

Thank you to Charles Patton for taking a chance on a 22 year old college athlete back in the late summer of 1976.  Because of that, I was able to start a 36 year career at the Unionville (Charles Patton) Middle School.  I was a teacher, team leader, assistant principal, and became the principal when Charles retired.

I remember his retirement celebration at the Mendenhall Inn.  He always used to brag about when they went on vacation, everyone was allowed one paper grocery bag for their clothes and everything would fit in the trunk of the car.   At his retirement, I gave him a new set of luggage; different size grocery bags from the local Acme!!  I could never get my family to pack like that!!

Charles always knew everything about everybody!!!  When I first started teaching, I lived in Newark, DE.  I would come in on a Monday, and he would proceed to tell me what I did over the weekend!!  I never did find out his informant!  He was able to do that with everyone.

He was a true advocate for the middle level.  He spent a year studying middle schools as he developed the program at Unionville.  UMS opened in January 1973, and became one of the first middle schools in the state.  He included many of the programs that Donald Eichhorn identified as essential for effective middle schools.  In the 1992-93 school year the Unionville Middle School was renamed the Charles F Patton Middle School because of his commitment to the middle level and Unionville.  In 2003, Charles was awarded the William Alexander Award by the Pennsylvania Middle School Association for his continued commitment to the middle level as well as his influence on me as a middle level principal.

The middle school was a big part of his life.  He loved teaching and continued to teach Algebra I while he was the principal.  After his retirement, he substituted at the middle school and taught bridge at the Adult Night School.  He loved working with students and adults.  He attended all the student programs and sporting events.  He was great at remembering names of current and past students.

I can not thank Charles enough for what he did for me as well as thousands of other students and teachers.  He will be missed by many but never forgotten.  His legacy will continue as CFPMS continues to strive to be one of the best middle schools in the state.

Bruce Vosburgh

Former Patton MS Teacher and Principal

September 1976 - June 2012