When I first knew Miss Alice Martin
She was 35 and starting
To be seen as having let her chance in life go by
Is the little town where I was growing
Not much of her life was known
But rumour said she'd love a man who left her high and dry
Well it's only the explanation they could see for her migration
From the English schools where she's spent most of her life
But mother looked at her so sad because of kids she'd never had
And all the things she missed because she wasn't some man's wife.
But there was nothing sad about Miss Martin
Her smile lit up the classroom and her laughter filled the air
She taught us more than grammar in that little country school
Miss Martin taught us life and love and care.
Our lessons we've learned thoroughly
We could all add and write and read
She didn't stand for nonsense though her sense of fun and strong
We'll sing the song that children sing
And she would play her mandolin
It seemed to us the must have known a hundred million songs.
And there was nothing sad about Miss Martin
Her smile lit up the classroom her laughter filled the air
She taught us more than grammar in that little country school
Miss Martin taught us life and love and care.
My classroom days are long now gone
I've grown up and settled down
And ready do I see my hometown anymore
Miss Martin still lives there there's silver through her auburn hair
And you can still hear her mandolin outside her cottage door.
And there was nothing sad about Miss Martin
Her smile lit up the classroom and her laughter filled the air
She taught us more than grammar in that little country school
Miss Martin taught us life and love and care
Miss Martin taught us life and love and care.