玛丽德尔·费希尔·弗赖尔

Teacher/Administrator, BA 1957

Maridell Fryar spent her 36-year career in the field of education and education administration. 退休后, she has continued to serve in leadership roles in her profession and in her community.

玛丽德尔·费希尔·弗赖尔 was born August 18, 1935, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Dr. 弗雷德和利亚·费希尔. Maridell’s father served as the chairman of the Bible Department at Hardin-Simmons from 1947 to 1952, before joining the faculty of Golden Gate Seminary.

Maridell attended Abilene Public 学校 and later graduated from El Cerrito High School in California in 1953. She then enrolled at Hardin-Simmons大学, graduating magna cum laude in 1957 with a BA in speech, 辅修英语.

她遇到了她的丈夫, 杰克, while they were students at Hardin-Simmons, and the couple was married in June of 1957 shortly after both graduated from HSU. Maridell began her career in 1957 at Lake Worth High School in Lake Worth, 德州, teaching high school speech and English. In 1960, she and 杰克 moved to California where she was a seventh grade gifted and talented teacher at Vallecito Middle School in San Rafael.

Shortly before the birth of her son, 埃里克, the young family returned to 德州, and Maridell taught speech and English and was the debate coach at Robert E. Lee High School in Midland, 德州, from 1963 to 1967. In 1967 her daughter Delanna was born, and Maridell became the director of forensics and speech instructor at Hardin-Simmons. After a move to Martin County 德州 in 1968, she taught first grade at Grady Elementary School until 1970 when the family returned to Midland and Maridell resumed her work at Lee High School, teaching speech and coaching debate.

Maridell earned a Master of Arts degree in speech communication and English from 德州 Tech University in 1972, and a mid-management certification from the University of 德州 of the Permian Basin in 1978. She also did post-graduate study at 德州 Tech University.

In 1979, Maridell became the coordinator of fine arts for the Midland Independent School District. In 1982, she became the director of secondary education for Midland ISD and then, in 1984, she became their executive director of instruction for K through 12. She remained in this position until her retirement in 1993.

Maridell has served as a leader in professional organizations throughout her career, including president of the 德州 Speech Communication Association, president of the 德州 Forensic Association, and director of the 德州 Forensic Association State Tournament. She also served as president of the American Forensic Association and parliamentarian for the National Forensic League Student Congress.

Maridell has served as a consultant for the 德州 Educational Secretaries Association and Region 18 for training administrators in the 德州 Teacher Appraisal System. She also has served as a statewide consultant for the 德州 Education Agency to help prepare teachers to take the TECAT.

In 1966, Maridell received the Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award for Lee High School in Midland. In 1975, she coached the Lee High School debate team, which was the first West 德州 team to qualify for the National Forensic League National Debate Tournament. In 1976, she was named Double Diamond Debate Coach by the National Forensic League.

In 1989, Maridell received the Hardin-Simmons大学 Distinguished 校友 Award. In 1990, she received the 德州 Class Room Teachers Associations’ Administrator of the Year Award at the TCTA State Convention.

Maridell has co-authored six books in the field of communication, three of which were state-adopted textbooks. She has also authored numerous articles for professional journals in the field of communication.

After their retirement in 1993, Maridell and 杰克 traveled the United States, 观光, 拜访朋友和家人, 研究家谱. 自从杰克2004年去世后, Maridell has continued to travel, 2007年, she and her children and grandchildren enjoyed an Alaskan cruise to celebrate the 50th anniversary of her marriage to 杰克.

Maridell has stayed active in community and education leadership roles, currently serving as president of the Midland/Odessa Symphony and Chorale Board of Directors and serving as second vice president of the 德州 Retired Teachers Association Board of Directors.

It is the high honor of Hardin-Simmons大学 to recognize one of her own and to formally induct 玛丽德尔·费希尔·弗赖尔 into the HSU 领袖堂.