From sixth grade to Beacon Hill

It's been a long journey for Anne Wass -- from teaching sixth-graders in Hanover for more than three decades to winning election this spring as president of the 100,000 -member Massachusetts Teachers Association , the largest teachers' union in New England.

The 57-year-old Marshfield resident, who is warmly remembered by former students as an inspiring teacher, is now charting the course of a politically powerful and sometimes controversial union.

On a recent afternoon, Wass was busy moving into her new office on Beacon Hill, almost literally in the shadow of the State House, where she hopes to use the union's considerable muscle to improve conditions for teachers and other members. She was elected to a two- year term in May after serving four years as vice president.

Being a teacher or union leader was not on Wass's career list as she was growing up in Albany, N.Y. Although both parents had school-related jobs -- her mother was a teacher and her father a truant officer -- she originally dreamed of becoming a doctor.

But even as a first-grader, she loved to play school, and years later -- while she was at Emmanuel College -- the idea of teaching as a profession took root. Wass switched from her major in biology to English , with a minor in elementary education . She planned to teach high school students ``who would love the great books."

Her first teaching assignment was a sixth-grade classroom in Hanover, and she never looked back.

``I fell in love with sixth grade and never went to the lower grades and never moved to high school," she says. ``Sixth grade keeps you hopping. You never get bored teaching sixth grade."

Wass stayed in the job for 30 years, collecting memories along the way. ``The best part," she says, ``is being around children all day and having a part in developing their minds and character."

A few years ago, she received a letter from a high school student who has since graduated with honors. The woman -- smart, but very shy -- remembered that Wass would pull her aside and tell her she could do great things someday. Wass was the first to tell her that, the woman wrote.

``It was worth a million dollars to me. I keep it in my memory box," she said.

But teaching has its downsides, too. She hated getting up at 5:30 a.m. And while she enjoyed reading what children wrote in their papers, she disliked the enormous amount of time it took to correct papers.

``Emotionally, I found the kids never left you. At 10 o'clock, I'd be thinking about the kid who had a hard day at school. It's not as easy as some people think."

Through most of the years, she was active at the local union level, serving as local president, and on various committees at the state level.

Wass was chairwoman of the negotiating committee when Hanover teachers went on strike for two weeks in 1988 . The problems boiled down to a lack of respect, she said. A major issue was getting prep time during the school day for elementary teachers, as other teachers had.

Wass says the union's objective can be expressed in one simple sentence: ``A great public school for every child is a basic right."

Her more immediate goals for her members sound simple, too, although achieving them won't be easy: more respect for teachers, more money from the state for local districts -- and a Democrat sitting in the governor's seat.

``We've spent the last 16 years under Republican governors and it's killing us," she said. It's time for the teachers to have a seat at the legislative table, she said.

The union represents more than teachers. It also represents teachers' aides, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, and even teachers at state colleges.

Wass takes over an organization famed for its clout on Beacon Hill. Thomas M. Finneran , the former speaker of the state House of Representatives who is now the president of the Mass Biotechnology Council and who dealt with the union for years, said the people who work for the organization are exceptionally well informed and articulate their positions well to legislators.

The MTA participates actively in shaping legislation and knows when to compromise, he said. For instance, during the Education Reform Act of 1993 , the teachers were not happy with all the bill's measures, particularly with MCAS exams. But they eventually backed the bill, and it was a ``huge win" for the union because the state committed to spending billions over a long time period on local school systems.

On the other hand, some conservatives and liberals have not been happy with what they see as the union's opposition to charter schools, which many people see as a worthwhile experiment, he said.

Wass said the union opposes them because they take money that should be going to public schools.

Those who know Wass -- who is now a grandmother -- have no doubt of her commitment to teaching. Years after leaving her classroom, former students remember her with great respect.

``She's my hero," said Tim Sullivan , a legislative agent with the AFL-CIO , who was taught by her in the early 1990s . ``She's the reason I love to read." Wass gave ``great writing assignments," which allowed him to express himself in new ways, he said.

Robert J. Nyman , now a state representative who still lives in Hanover , was in her first class in 1971. Nyman -- who was also the sixth-grade class president -- called her a tremendous motivator who helped him get involved in public life.

Nearly three decades ago, when he was just 18, Nyman was elected to the School Committee . At that time, Wass was an official with the local union. He remembers receiving a touching note from her that said that no matter what professional differences they had, she hoped they remained friends.

``She's just a wonderful teacher and motivator," he said.

Matt Carroll can be reached at mcarroll@globe.com.