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At 100, she recalls 40 years as teacher, trips across U.S.
Intelligencer Journal
Lancaster New Era
Nov 02, 2009 08:00 EST
New Holland
By LORI VAN INGEN, Staff Writer

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Anna Harsh, who marks her 100th birthday today, says there is no secret to the long life she has lived.

"It just happened, and I still can't believe it," Harsh said.

Born Nov. 2, 1909, on her grandfather's farm near White Horse in Salisbury Township, Harsh was the second of seven children of Harry and Anna Kurtz Snader.

As a young girl, Harsh remembers having to milk the cows.

"I liked it if they stood still. I remember one cow put her foot in the bucket," Harsh said.

She also enjoyed playing tag and hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters, she said.

Harsh attended the one-room White Horse School and the former White Horse High School and earned her teaching certificate at the former Millersville Normal School.

A schoolteacher for more than 40 years, Harsh first taught all eight grades at local country schools, including Amish schools. When World War II caused a shortage of teachers, Harsh began teaching first through third grades at the Bareville school. She also taught at Upper Leacock and Leola elementary schools.

Although she decided to become a teacher because "there was nothing else for me to do," Harsh said she still "enjoyed teaching."

In the mid-1930s she married Samuel Harsh, who was a correspondent for the New Holland Clarion, Ephrata Review, Lancaster New Era and Intelligencer Journal.

The Harshes had one daughter, MaryAnn Spahr; two grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.

Harsh recalled that she and her husband made a special trip across southern Canada. Her husband also wanted to see how many states and places he could visit.

"That was his aim in life," Harsh said.

While traveling was her husband's thing, Harsh said she enjoyed crocheting and reading history books, particularly biographies.

After Samuel's death in 1998, Harsh moved to Garden Spot Village, where she now enjoys playing bingo. She also helps make applesauce, strawberry jam and canned peaches in her skilled nursing household.

In May, Harsh attended a Lancaster Barnstormers baseball game. "It was a cold and windy day. I wasn't ready for that. It was a good game, but it would have been better if I wasn't so cold," she said.

lvaningen@lnpnews.com


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QUOTE (Lancaster Online @ Nov 2 2009, 10:00 AM)
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I well remember her teaching second grade at Upper Leacock Elementary. I had Miss Gish for first grade and Mrs. Huber for third grade there. Compared to those two, Harsh was not only her name, is also described her teaching style!
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