Lisa Countess has always been a woman who’s not afraid to take her own path. The veteran Friends School Latin teacher didn’t learn to drive until she was 40.
“And then one day I just decided, I want to see the Grand Canyon. I’m gonna get my license,” she says. “So I got my license and I went to see the Grand Canyon.”
In a way, this is how Countess has lived her whole life. She has always loved adventure and learning. Generations of students at Friends – including me and my dad – have known her as giggly, tough, smiley, outgoing, a giver, a motorcycle rider, a dinner host, a world traveler, a dance organizer, and a graveyard explorer.
Now, after 40 years, she plans to retire at the end of this school year. And she has left a tremendous legacy.
As a kid, Countess says she “tortured” her siblings by making them play school. Of course, she was the teacher.
Growing up in Baltimore and attending Western High, she found a love for Latin because of a beloved teacher. At Georgetown, she double majored in Classics and Sociology.
Then, four decades ago, Countess started teaching at Friends. (To put it in perspective, that’s the same year Micheal Jackson first performed his infamous moonwalk.) Starting as a substitute, Countess didn’t anticipate staying at Friends.
“I teach Latin. That’s weird, you know,” she says. “I’m a black woman who’s teaching Latin. That’s weird.”
The year Countess was hired at Friends, there were four other teachers of color in the entire school. I asked if this was difficult for her, or if she experienced any hardships.
“Umm…not really, because I think the school was so incredibly primed and devoted to expanding its diverse teacher population,” she said. “I had wonderful mentors, and they worked very hard to make sure that we felt included and that we thrived here.”
Along with teaching Latin, Countess has also taught taught 9th grade History, 10th grade English, and upper-level English and History electives. All in the same room, of course – never leaving Upper School 209.
Countess’ classroom stands out from any other teacher’s, from its distinctive aroma to her striking collection of literature. After 40 years, the bookcases are packed and the file cabinets are full to the brim.
“I don’t know how I’m going to clean it out!” she exclaimed.
Over the years, she has also built up quite a collection of room decor, from Broadway playbills to photo albums dating back to the 90s.
During our interview, we began to flip through one of these albums together. As soon as we looked at the first picture, of a trip to Tunisia in 2005, a smile spread over her face. Before I knew it, stories from all over the timeline emerged.
In the 1980s, Countess used to invite her Latin classes over to her home for a Greek dinner party. My father, Read Carter ’90, was lucky enough to attend one of them. Over my years in Ms. Countess’ classes, my dad has brought this party up to me several times.
“I think I brought grape leaves, wrapped stuffed grape leaves,” he said “It was really fun.”
Over 30 years later, he remembers the food he brought? I wouldn’t be able to remember a dish I brought to a party last week. Obviously the event was unforgettable for him and his classmates.
Some of the stories Countess told me took place in other countries. She has always loved travel, and has taken her students on trips all over the globe, including Tunisia, Italy, West Africa, and Turkey.
“They’re all very special now,” Countess recalls. “As for the Italian trip [last summer], I think that this one probably was the most perfect. And since I knew it was the last one, it made it that much more.”
Countess plans to retire at the end of this school year. With her time at Friends School coming to a close, she told me she is apprehensive about retirement. Looking back, what advice would she give her younger self?
“I probably would’ve said just, you know, be more frugal, and realize that when you retire, you’re not gonna have that much of a nest egg, because there just isn’t that much in terms of salary for a teacher.”
Countess has left an enormous impact, not only on the Friends language department, but also on generations upon generations of students.
Personally, Ms. Countess is one of those teachers I’ll never forget. Her cheerful demeanor and frequent giggles never fail to make me smile, even on a bad day. Not to mention, she has taught me one of the most challenging languages to learn. I will use these skills for the rest of my life.
