No Love Notes from Space

I was going to be the Erma Bombeck of Outer Space. That was the overall plan when I wrote eight essays on different topics as part of the application for the first "Teacher in Space" program. My pitch involved writing a daily humorous diary from my perch in the Challenger as we fulfilled our duties while soaring high above the world. After all, it seemed to me that with all that heavy-duty scientific stuff going on, someone had to act as the observer who would chronicle the story of the space mission in reader-friendly terms.

That someone, in my wild dreams, would be a wacky English teacher from Sandpoint, Idaho, who'd pen "Love Notes from Space." I believe that my colleague at Sandpoint High School, Ray Miller, also applied. The application process took a long time, but I finally completed it and sent it to Boise where a committee reviewed the Idaho candidates and eventually selected elementary teacher Barbara Morgan from McCall (wife of novelist Clay Morgan). Someone who'd served on the selection panel wrote to me later and told me that the committee had really enjoyed my essays.

That news made me feel good about losing out in this highly competitive nationwide process to determine who would be the first teacher to go with other astronauts into outer space. Eventually, we all learned that New Hampshire's Christa McAuliffe had been chosen and that Idaho's Barbara Morgan would be her back-up. That made me feel even better, knowing that one of our own potatoheads would participate in this exciting program.

I followed the Teacher in Space program closely from that time on. I remained admittedly envious but truly excited when the day finally arrived for a fellow educator to make history with the Challenger mission.

On Jan. 28, 1986, I was standing in front of my second period English class when a young lady with a solemn expression appeared at the door and said, "Mrs. Love, come to the library. Something's happened with the Challenger." I left my classroom and walked through the library into a back room where a crowd stood huddled around the TV. The librarian told me something really terrible had happened. As events unfolded and the true horror of the Challenger explosion revealed itself, I remember a student saying, "Mrs. Love, we're glad you didn't get chosen as Teacher in Space."

It was a thoughtful, sincere comment, and as I continued to absorb this tragedy, it certainly did make me ponder that "There but for the grace of God go I" truism. I eventually returned to my classroom and announced to the students what had happened. It was one of those days of single, unfathomable tragedy that all who witnessed at the site or watched replay after replay on television would never forget.

I find it hard to believe that today marks the 20th anniversary of the Challenger disaster. Seems like just yesterday, I was filling out that endless application. Seems like just yesterday, I was so filled with hope that my writing talents would land me the opportunity to represent my profession and to go on this trip, which would be like no other.

Twenty years later, Christa McAuliffe's memory lives on as the forever-young science teacher and mother, so contagiously enthusiastic and so perfectly representative of our noble profession. She has no wrinkles as we see her in that often-replayed video, dressed in that space suit walking proudly with her colleagues and armed with that big smile, ready to take on that mission of a lifetime, which ended so quickly and so tragically.

Last night, Barbara Morgan appeared on CBS news and reflected on the experience 20 years ago. . She related a story about Christa McAuliffe and how she was ever the teacher, finishing two recommendations for high school seniors the night before the mission. Barbara Morgan is no longer a McCall school teacher. She's now a full-fledged astronaut, eager and ready to go on a mission soon. She has wrinkles these days, as do I. Ray Miller may not have wrinkles, but he definitely has less hair. He continued his teaching/coaching career and eventually became Sandpoint's mayor.

Twenty years later, as a retiree from my own teaching career, I think of what might have been had I gotten that chance to write my "Love Notes from Space." Because of my sense of adventure, I still have no second thoughts about being one of the thousands of hopeful teachers who filled out applications and who would have given anything to be walking in Christa McAuliffe's shoes that day.

We went along with her in spirit, and on that day we were all so proud to be teachers. Her mark on our profession and our inner spirits is infinite.

Note: If you want to get out of the house on this snowy day and learn some history about the Humbird Lumber Co., I'm lettin' you know that Bill is about to head to town to get the equipment set up for his presentation, set to begin around 10 a.m. at Community Hall in Sandpoint. If you're in England or New Zealand, you can catch him at a later date.