Hundreds of former students who attended the old Clarkdale grade school between 1946 and 1985 hold fond memories for Mrs. Minnie Tavasci who taught kindergarten, first and second grades for 40 years!  Mrs. Tavasci passed away at age 98 on October 28, 2021.

See the class photo of Mrs. Tavasci with some of the first graders in the spring of 1968.  Can you name the students in the photo?   read more...

Below is from Mrs. Tavasci’s interview at the Clarkdale Historical Society & Museum’s 2012 Living Legacy event:

Minnie Tavasci was born in Rogersville, Tenn., in 1923.  Her mother’s family came to America in the 1700s and received a land grant from the King of England.  Her brother found the grant after their grandfather passed away.
She came to Clarkdale in 1946 to accept a teaching job, one she stayed with for well over 30 years.
“It was my very first teaching job,” she said.
Minnie taught first and second grade her first year. “I had 38 students my first year,” she said.
She had expected to teach third grade. “I didn’t know about 6-year-olds,” she said. “But I was fascinated by them.”
She remembers one day when she was substitute teaching for another teacher. She said a little boy looked up at her and said, ‘I’m the meanest kid in this school.’
"I leaned over and said, ‘Good, because I love mean little boys.’ I didn’t have any trouble with him that entire day.”
Minnie married Paul Tavasci. “He started the Clarkdale Dairy,” she said. He also hauled cattle.
The couple had three children, Paul, Pat and Irene. Her son, Pat, still hauls cattle out of Buckeye. [2012]
Minnie said that she remembers the women in town played bridge, and she had been told that she would have to join the bridge club.
“I went one time,” Minnie said. “It was all of the smelter big wigs.” She didn’t feel comfortable and never went back.

She is extremely proud of the Clarkdale school system.
"We’ve always had a good reputation of having a real good school system in Clarkdale,” she said. “I’d like to see that remain.
“Some of the things I treasure the most is seeing the kids I taught,” Minnie said. “They come up and give me a hug.”

submitted by Michael Lindner a former Student