Jan Smith Memorial Jefferson and Lettie Brown Library Fund
This fund was established by Jan’s husband, Pete Smith in June of 2024. It’s purpose is to assist Jefferson Elementary and Lettie Brown Elementary schools specifically around Library services. The fund prioritizes the use of the funds as follows: (1) to fund library books, technology, and other materials for the Agencies’ libraries, and (2) to fund such other needs as determined by the schools’ Principals.
Jeanette A. (Jan) Smith thought that education was the key to solving a lot of the World's problems. She was the founder and Director of the Family Resources Center, which was a Christian Library in Peoria, IL. When her own children were all in school, she decided to pursue her passion for education by returning to finish her own degree in education. She graduated from Bradley University Summa Cum Laude in 1972, and was immediately hired by District 709 in Morton, IL to teach 4th grade at Jefferson grade school. She also taught 4th grade at Lettie Brown grade school, and Blessed Sacrament grade school.
She was a creative and innovative teacher that made learning fun for her students. She loved her students, and they loved her in return, and many of them will proclaim that she was their “favorite teacher”.
She was an avid reader, and a prolific writer. Early in her marriage, she tried to augment the family income by writing articles and short stories which she submitted to publishers of the popular magazines of the day like Redbook, Ladies Home Journal, and the Saturday Evening Post.
Once she started her 4th grade teaching, she tried to instill this love of reading and writing in her students. She brought in outside guests such as Firemen, Journalists, Doctors, and took them on many educational fieldtrips. Every 4th grade class she taught had to have a class newspaper with the students filling the roles of editor, reporters that interviewed members of the school staff. They loved to see their bylines in print. They also wrote famous Americans, including the President, Illinois state officials, and people like Charles Schultz of Peanuts comic fame.
One of the big concerns of teachers in the 70’s was the negative effect of Television, which they feared kept students from reading. Jan made sure that her students got to their school libraries and Morton Public Library on a regular basis. She even wrote a young adults book designed to increase her students interest in reading. She read the book to every class without them knowing that she was the author. The book is titled Journey to the Unwritten, and is still available at the Lettie Brown, Jefferson, and Bethel Lutheran schools libraries in addition to the Morton Public Library.
During this period, she also founded and was volunteer director for many years of the Family Resources Center which was a Christian Library in Peoria, IL.
Jan’s family wanted to establish this fund to honor her many years as an educator that nurtured the love of reading in all her students. The donations will be used to provide additional assistance to the libraries at Jefferson, and Lettie Brown schools.
More about Jan…
Below are snapshots of some of Jan’s classrooms, pages of her book, “Journey to the Unwritten,” letters, newsletters, and articles…
Jan often received notes from parents that appreciated her efforts in improving the lives of their children. Here are a couple of examples:
“Dear Mrs. Smith,
My husband and I would like to thank you for your dedication, your patience, your kindness, and your excellence of teaching. We sincerely appreciate All that you have done for ____. You will surely be blessed for all you have given the children this year. ____ has not only gained academically, but has a renewed faith in herself. You deserve a large measure of the credit for this! You have been an inspiration to ____, and will always be a special person to her.
”
“Dear Jan,
Thanks you for all you did for ____ this year. I don’t know what we would have done without you. You are truly an asset to your profession. We will all miss you a great deal. All of the children looked forward to having Mrs. Smith for their teacher. Most of all we appreciate the love you show for each child. I again thank you for the part you have played in ____’s life.
May the Lord bless you and may His Face shine upon you and your family.”