02/01/08

Freshman Catherine Sailler was having a bad day, but when she went to lunch, her mood changed. Her mood swing was caused by Norma Sconce, better known as Norma the Cafeteria Lady.

Watch an audio slideshow featuring Norma.<a href="http://www.bakeru.edu/orangeline/0708slideshows/norma" target="_blank">Watch an audio slideshow featuring Norma.</a> Watch an audio slideshow featuring Norma.

“She’s really sweet and genuine and remembers our names,” Sailler said.

Norma greets all of Baker’s students with a smile and asks how their day is going.

“I love seeing the students,” Sconce said. “It puts a smile to my face.”

After growing up in Baldwin City, she moved to New Mexico with her family. Sconce returned to Baldwin City in 1985. In 1991, she started working at one of the libraries at the University of Kansas. After six years, Sconce said she dreaded traveling to Lawrence in the winters and wanted to stay in Baldwin City. Her son worked in the cafeteria at Baker and told her to talk to Director of Food Service Darrell Bowersox. Since 1997, she’s been Norma the Cafeteria Lady.

Sconce’s co-workers believe students like her because she represents a mother figure.

“She has the pleasant mom qualities students miss when they are away from their (mothers),” co-worker Diane Ikenberry said.

“Norma has this all-around friendliness to her,” co-worker Debby Duncan said. “She makes the effort to get to know all the students. She also has a warm quality to her.”

Students often wonder how Sconce remembers everyone’s name.

“I look at the cards thoroughly,” she said. “Everyone has something distinctive that helps me remember. With girls, their hair is the same. They seem to look alike, but if you talk to me, I’ll remember.”

Co-workers enjoy the personality Sconce brings to the staff.

“She’s a fresh breeze because it’s always busy in the kitchen,” Ikenberry said. “Working with the same people can be tense, but when she’s around, she brings something different to work.”

Duncan said Sconce is very responsible, positive and caring to the students and her co-workers.

“She’s interested in what workers and students are doing and she’s reliable,” Duncan said.

During lunch and dinner, Sconce listens closely as students respond to her questions while handing her their student ID cards.

But Sconce does more than that. Before and after lunch she fills and prepares the deli tray and puts the bread away. She also removes the empty glass carts and stacks more glasses into the carts. As the students leave the cafeteria, Norma the Cafeteria Lady smiles, says goodbye and prepares for dinner. After dinner, she cleans, folds laundry, sweeps the floors and gets ready for the next day.

“I look forward to work every day because I love seeing the students,” she said.