Forte, Imogene

Working Couples, Second Time Around…Mid-life career changes can be stressful. For one couple it should have been double trouble. It has been anything but.

Changing careers in mid-life is probably number three on the stress scale, right behind death and divorce. Though, stereotypically, it’s the husband’s career that’s in flux, the change can be just as stressful for the wife. For Imogene and Henry Forte, it was a double whammy. Both left successful careers to pursue together a new life in the educational publishing field. But, instead of being stressed out, they’re having a ball.

“Second-time-around careers are wonderful,” Imogene declares. “It gives you a new lease on life.” Their careers were totally separate. Imogene was a college professor; Henry a structural engineer. It was the age-old business adage, “Find a need and fill it,” that lured the couple into their new venture.

Imogene had been an associate professor at Peabody for sixteen years, conducting classes in reading and language arts. “I became frustrated over the lack of practical yet creative books to help me teach,” she says. “So with two of my co-teachers, I began writing books to use in my classes. They were so successful that other teachers wanted them, and eventually, we sold them in the college bookstore. That led to more books, more contracts, and more orders.”

Then, another adage, “If you want something done well, do it yourself,” came into play. “Other publishers offered to publish our books,” Imogene says, “but the problem was that we had no control over the final product. In order to get the quality we wanted, we decided we would have to do it ourselves.”

Imogene was reluctant to abandon entirely the thing she loved most, teaching, so she got the approval of Peabody’s president to go on a half-time schedule. The rest of the time she devoted to her writing. Her innovative books proved to be a big hit in the educational market, popular not only with teachers but also parents looking for creative reading outlets for their children.

“Eventually, it became obvious that I had no choice. The company needed me full time. It was at this point that Henry and I had a talk,” she laughs. engineering,” he says. “But the book company kept growing so fast Imogene couldn’t do it all. Besides, I was beginning to get hooked on the publishing world and the new experiences we were enjoying.”

Henry was no more anxious to give up his career than she was. He could proudly point to buildings and bridges across the state that he had either designed or had a part in constructing. “I had never considered a career other than engineering.” At that point the Fortes made a momentous decision. She would give up teaching, he would give up engineering, and the two of them would work together on the growing Incentive Publications. “It turned out to be a

great decision,” Imogene says. “Henry took over all of the financial and operational chores, and I was free to pursue the creative side.”

The partnership proved to be lucrative. Today, Incentive publishes more than sixty royaltied authors and a number of free-lance writers. Its books are distributed across the United States, Canada, and Australia. The Fortes were aboard American Airlines’ inaugural flight last May from Nashville to London, where they closed a distribution deal with a British publisher. “I still miss the campus,” Imogene confesses, “but I also love the expanded audience we now have.”

From the beginning, Imogene and Henry agreed that it would be better if they did not have too much togetherness. They would drive their own cars to work, avoid lunching together, and never bring the business home with them. “That was the plan,” Imogene chuckles. “The reality is that we live and breathe the company from morning to night, on the way to work, over lunch, over dinner, even in the hot tub.”

The togetherness extends to extensive business-related travel to conventions, sales and marketing meetings, as well as visits with distributors. But even here, the Fortes manage to work in a little fun. “We have close friends in the business all over the country,” Henry says. “We also get away for some good vacation trips,” Imogene adds. “We especially love trains and have been on almost all of the Canadian trains, plus European trains, including the Orient Express.” A drawback to spending so much time on the road is that they often miss weddings and funerals, as well as time with their children and grandchildren. And Henry’s hunting and fishing and golf games have had to take a backseat to the business trips.

But the satisfaction the Fortes get from their second-time-around career far outweighs the sacrifices. The feeling that the books they publish are helping to enhance education, the thrill of guiding an unknown author into print, and the pride of bring the works of recognized authorities to the educational marketplace make the long hours and hard work worth it. “Running a book publishing company has certainly changed our lifestyle, but we wouldn’t change a thing,” Imogene says.

And why should they? Their decision to make a mid-life career change has proved to be a wise one. Last year, Incentive Publications celebrated twenty-five years in business, and, early this year, the Fortes celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary.

May 9, 2005, 5:12 PM Nashville Tennessean Obituary

Imogene Forte, who devoted her career to improving education as a teacher, school administrator, and successful businesswoman, died May 8. She was seventy-nine. As an educator, Forte taught in Nashville public schools, was a supervising teacher of the former Peabody Demonstration School, and in 1961 was invited to become the first director of Nashville‘s Oak Hill School. An alumna of George Peabody College for Teachers, now Peabody College at Vanderbilt University, Forte later served on the Peabody faculty as an associate professor of education.

“Imogene was one of Peabody‘s most dedicated and energetic alumni and former faculty members,” Camilla P. Benbow, Patricia and Rodes Hart Dean of Education and Human Development at Peabody, said. “Her contributions to this college and to education generally are truly remarkable. Her work has literally benefited children the world over. We will miss her greatly.”

After academe, Forte moved into the private sector, becoming the first vice president and director of curriculum and training for Children‘s World, a national educational childcare corporation. In 1969, she founded Incentive Publications, Inc., a Nashville-based company that publishes supplementary educational materials for teachers, students and parents. She served as president until her death. Forte wrote or co-wrote many of Incentive‘s publications, including the acclaimed “The Definitive Middle School Guide: A Handbook for Success” and a fifty-two-book series on basic skills for kindergarten through eighth grade with an accompanying online assessment program.

Born Imogene Cherry in Clay County, Tennessee, she met her husband-to-be Henry Forte, at age fifteen. They married in 1945 and settled in Nashville following the war. Forte earned her bachelor degree from Peabody in1955 and a master‘s degree in elementary education in 1960. One of Peabody‘s most enthusiastic supporters, she was a member of the Peabody Alumni Board, where she served as president from 1998 to 1999. In 2000, Peabody named Forte a Distinguished Alumna. Her community affiliations also included service on the board of Watkins Institute, now Watkins College of Art and Design.

In addition to her husband, Henry S. Forte, she is survived by a daughter, Cherrie Farnette; grandchildren, Jennifer Caver (Giles) and Michael Forte Farnette; great-grandchildren, Henry, William, and Sarah Jean Caver; sister, Eddie Rose Bartley (Kenneth) of Tompkinsville, Ky.; sister-in-law, Theresa Embry; and brothers-in-law, Bernard, Emmett and Don Forte.

Visitation will be held at Marshall Donnelly-Combs Funeral Home, 201 25th Ave. North, on Tuesday, May 10, from 4 to 8 p.m. Funeral rites will take place at 10 a.m., Wednesday, May 11, at the Otter Creek Church of Christ, 5253 Granny White Pike. Interment will follow at 3 p.m. at Fitzgerald Cemetery, Celina, Tenn.

Media contact: Melanie Catania (615) 322-NEWS melanie.moran@vanderbilt.edu May. 9, 2005, 5:12 PM

Comments by Carolyn Wilson at Imogene Forte’s funeral, May 9, 2005

A Love Story

Literature and history are replete with beautiful love stories. One of the most tender has not yet been written, except in the hearts of those who lived it, but the love story of Imogene and Henry Forte begs to be told. In a time when marriage is not always held in honor, and when enduring relationships carry a high risk factor, the love of this man and woman, which spanned over sixty years, is notable and inspiring.

Imogene loved to tell the story of young Henry Forte coming to Celina, Tennessee, at age nineteen and meeting sixteen-year-old Imogene Cherry. Imogene told her father she was going to marry this man, and Mr. Cherry commented he was not the handsomest of men, but if that was what she wanted, so be it. Imogene in her youthful wisdom saw character in Henry that she admired and valued, and from that admiration and mutual regard for one another, the building blocks were laid for a life together. They realized early the commitment two people must make to a marriage, and that an enduring love depends on a caring that responds to not getting what someone promises us, but giving what someone needs.

There were hard years of army bases, a difficult and risky pregnancy which happily produced Cherrie, getting the educations and degrees and hard, hard work. As is often the case, these times break you or bond you and that bonding permeated their life together. It is often observed that as we grow in love, we come to think alike, look alike, share the pleasures and the pain, and find accord. We hear far too much of the trauma and pain of love and little of the tranquility and happiness it brings to us, but Imogene and Henry always celebrated that happiness to the fullest.

One year on the occasion of Imogene’s birthday, I gave her a book, as was my custom. I had not read the book though it had been recommended to me, and after I bought it, I realized it was overly sentimental and maudlin and not something either of us really cared to read. But I gave it to her anyway because the theme was one of the extraordinary devotion of a man caring for his wife with Alzheimer’s. Imogene told me later that Henry had looked at the book, read a line in a promo which quoted the male character stating that he had loved one woman all of his life. Henry told her that all of his life he had loved one woman. I responded that was why I bought that book—that kind of devotion was their story.

About ten years ago, the FOCUS magazine published a feature on Imogene and Henry highlighting the creation and success of their business. When Incentive Publications began, Henry was going to help Imogene “get started,” and he took leave from a successful engineering career of his own. They worked together in this business over thirty years. I once told Henry that I could not imagine many men sacrificing their own careers. Henry is a very secure man. Henry’s comment was that he had probably built enough bridges in his life. Over the last few years of Imogene’s illness, she constantly expressed to me the blessings of working together in this venture as wife and husband. She said she would not necessarily recommend this to everyone, but they have shared as few people have opportunity-- a pride in a business they built together, a marriage that models for others, and shared relationships with friends and colleagues. The care and devotion to one another during the last few years is only one example of this extraordinary commitment.

Imogene and Henry’s wedding anniversary was at the beginning of the new year. This past year, their sixtieth, they went out to dinner, came back by their business headquarters, sat in the parking lot reflecting on the years of creating and the success and blessings they enjoyed in this venture, only to be called before the sun rose on a new day with the

news that their business was destroyed by fire. It was a devastating blow, but one they met with the strength and hope and optimism that has been characteristic of their life together.

The early American poet Anne Bradstreet penned this tribute to her husband sometime after 1650. In this 21st century, it still seems appropriate and fitting.

If ever two were one, then surely we. If ever man were loved by wife, then thee: If ever wife was happy in a man, Compare with me, ye women, if you can. I prize thy love more than whole mines of gold Or all the riches that east doth hold. My love is such that rivers cannot quench, Nor ought but love from thee, give recompense. Thy love is such I can no way repay. The heavens reward thee manifold, I pray. Then while we live, in love let’s so persevere, That when we live no more, we may live ever.

About Imogene Forte (from a Google search)

Imogene Forte is a published author of children's books and young adult books. Some of the published credits of Imogene Forte include Box Bonanza (Fun Things to Make and Do), Holidays & Special Days (Fun Things to Make and Do), The Early Learning Teacher's Plan Book Plus!, and The Homeschooler's Plan Book Plus!: Planning and Record-Keeping Pages Plus Hundreds of Great Ideas for Classroom Management, Brain-Stretchers, Student (Plan Book Plus).

Nashville Banner, Tuesday, November 7, 1995

Lipscomb to honor three in the creative arts, by Sue McClure Banner Book Editor

David Lipscomb University wants to underscore the importance of the creative arts in the community. To do this, it has created a new honor—the Avalon Award for Creative Excellence….Recipients of the first Avalon Awards are civil War scholar James Lee McDonough, Nashville educator Imogene Forte, and Children’s television producer and animator Jim Jinkins….

(excerpts about Imogene) Imogene Forte taught reading and language arts courses, as well as elementary school organization, and creative learning for sixteen years at George Peabody College for Teachers at Vanderbilt University. She also directed the Peabody in Athens, Greece, program and the annual Peabody Reading Conference.

The former director of Oak Hill Country Day School, Forte has also served as a consultant, instructor, and workshop director to numerous school systems and businesses throughout the U.S. She is also a past president and director of curriculum and training for Children’s World….

Presentation of the Avalon Award

Imogene Forte is president and chief executive officer of Incentive Publications, Inc., a Nashville-based publishing firm which specializes in educational material for children and young people.

Her professional associations include membership in International Reading Association, the National Association for the education of Young Children, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the National Council

of Teachers of English, the Women’s National Book Association, the National Middle School Association, Delta Kappa Gamma, Kappa Delta Pi, and Phi Delta Kappa. She is a LIFE member of the National Education Association.

Among many professional activities…She is a charter member of the Committee of 100, a leading national businesswomen’s association. She is a member of the National School Supply and equipment Association, which she has served as chair of the Instructional Materials Group, Director at Large, and member of the Executive and Nominating committees. This association honored Mrs. Forte in 1992 by presenting her the Dave McCurrah Award for Distinguished Service. She is a trustee of Watkins Institute and College of Art and Design, which she has served a chair of the Educational Affairs Committee, and member of the Executive Committee. She is also a member of the Peabody College Alumni Board.

Mrs. Forte has served as vice president and director of Curriculum and Training for Children’s World, a nationwide educational day care corporation. She was headmistress of Oak Hill Country Day School, a private pre-school and elementary school. She was director of Project CREATE, which is an acronym for “Creative Reading Approach to Teacher Education,” a project funded by the U. S. Department of Education. But it was her work with George Peabody College for Teachers at Vanderbilt University that launched Mrs. Forte and her husband, Henry, into publishing. For sixteen years, Mrs. Forte taught courses in reading and language arts, elementary school organization, and creative learning. She directed and lectured in the Peabody in Athens, Greece, program. She also directed the annual Peabody Reading Conference for nine consecutive years.

It was in her Peabody work that she realized the need for better educational materials for teacher, for parents, and for children. In response, she is now author or co-author of more than 150 books, in addition to articles, curriculum guides and instructional and multi-media materials. She also works with authors, editors, artists, and distributors in the United States, Canada, England, and Australia to develop and disseminate research-based materials for parents, teachers, and children.

Mrs. Forte has devoted her life to helping children learn to utilize their creative instincts and develop patterns of creative thinking and certainly meets Thoreau’s test that Dr. Loyd mentioned. She is “affecting the quality of the day.” I am happy to present to Imogene Forte the Avalon Award for Creative Excellence.

Excerpts of Carolyn Wilson’s comments written for the Nashville Edition, WNBA Newsletter

On May 8, Mother’s Day, a distinguished educator, former WNBA member, and friend to many of us, lost her battle with cancer. Imogene Cherry Forte had devoted a large portion of her career and her life to the improvement of education, as a teacher, school administrator, and successful business woman.

After receiving her degrees from Peabody, Imogene taught both in Metro schools and as a supervising teacher at the Peabody Demonstration School. She was the first director of the Oak Hill School and later joined the faculty of Peabody. She had an impressive record of professional service as a director of Children’s World and a member of the board of Watkins Institute. She founded Incentive Publications, a publishing company specializing in supplementary educational materials for teachers, students, and parents, and personally authored or co-authored more than two hundred books, articles, and curriculum guides in the educational field.

She served as President of the Peabody College of Vanderbilt; University Alumni Board and in 2000 received the Distinguished Alumna Award from the body. She was twice honored with the Peabody Roundtable Award and in 1995 was one of the first recipients of the Lipscomb University Avalon Award for Creative Excellence….

The world of books and education is richer for the life of Imogene Cherry Forte. All who knew her were inspired by her courageous and positive outlook on life, and by the strength of character and hope with which she faced death. We will all miss her.

Comments from Sandra Collins

Without question, Imogene Forte was the finest classroom teacher I ever witnessed—male or female. She held a class of women spellbound and took my breath away. She was excited about the creation of the Wayne Reed Center and offered us all kinds of free materials and books. In 1986 Jerry took our family on a six-weeks-plus trip through sixteen national parks and many, many ferry rides that took us to Alaska. On one long stretch, we were sitting on a bench across from a Canadian gentleman who was reading a book about children’s education. He hardly looked up. When he did, we talked and said we were from Nashville. His eyes widened and he smiled. “I am reading a book by a Nashville writer named Imogene Forte.” A conversation followed. Her books are available still on Amazon.com. At the funeral we were given bookmarks. Mine is quite faded. On the back is the following:

“The time has come, it once was said, /To think of many things…/Of mysteries, mazes, and puzzles; /Of curious ponderings; /And if your mind will let you, /Like a butterfly on the wing….” Lewis Carroll

“If you have read Alice in Wonderland, those lines will sound familiar. They are borrowed from Lewis Carroll (and changed a little) to remind us how similar our world is to Alice’s Wonderland if we just open our minds to it—not rushing through our many adventures but taking time to experience and enjoy them.” Imogene Forte

Imogene was a real, present-day Alice whose curiosity, courage, and conviction were a match for any maze or mystery, and like a butterfly on wing, she is now soaring—“adventuring” in mystery beyond earthly understanding, yet firmly and safely grounded in the most magnificent Power in the universe!

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Even there, Your hand will guide me. Where can I flee from Your presence? Your right hand will hold me fast. Psalm 139 If I rise on wings of the dawn, If I settle on the far side of the sea,