COLUMBUS, Ind. — Big love from little ones. Barb Newton never will forget.
“All their hugs is what I will miss the most,” Newton said, freely reminiscing in her office at First Presbyterian Preschool at 512 Seventh St. in Columbus. “And I will miss all the funny things they say.”
That includes a little girl who asked Newton the other day if she knew much “about that Jesus dude.” The longtime educator and hugger is still chuckling over that one.
Newton will retire from 27 years as the 150-student facility’s director on June 30, but her last day with the children is Tuesday. That time span represents nearly half of the 67-year-old school’s history. From 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at Mill Race Park, friends, coworkers, supporters and well-wishers will host a drive-thu vehicle parade to celebrate Newton’s contributions to the preschool. The rain date is Tuesday at the same time, same location.
Newton, 64, acknowledged the event could be emotional.
“How can it NOT be?” she asked, seated behind a desk adorned with enough student artwork to decorate refrigerators from here to Hope.
“But I simply feel it’s time for new ideas and a new direction,” Newton said. “Little people keep you young. And so it’s sometimes hard to think you’re getting older.”
For more on this story, see Saturday’s Republic.
