On the eve of Lynn Wirta’s retirement after 30 years as executive director of Small Faces Child Development Center the teachers claim they are going to make bracelets that read, “And what would Lynn do?” as a reminder that while Lynn always encouraged them to make independent decisions, the ones she made were instinctual.

On Aug. 16 ownership of the former Crown Hill School building officially passed from Seattle Publics Schools to Small Faces, and Wirta retired. Small Faces currently has 150 children in the program and a staff of 30. Multiply the children by 30, then divide for multiple years in attendance - the result is still in the thousands for Wirta's tenure.

After 30 years at Small Faces, Wirta is easily on her second generation of families, with several of her staff alumni themselves. Former teacher and now full-time administrator Kathy Brockman has also been with Small Faces since 1979. Teacher Laura Chandler has been at Small Faces for 21 years. Between the two, there is serious institutional memory.

Small Faces has always been more than a childcare facility; it has been master tenant of Crown Hill School since 1998 and now its owner. For the last two years, along with the Crown Hill Project, they have been frantically fundraising and applying for grants in order to purchase the building and provided space for programs that flourish there in addition to Small Faces.

With the farewell dinner still in the offing, Wirta was unafraid of what might be in store for her, even though she had not been allowed to see the invitation. Her only two requests were nametags and “no gifts,” to her personally, although $5,000 would allow Scott Summers to create another mural in the series.

It’s more than 10 years since my daughter was at Small Faces, but Wirta still greets me by name as if it was yesterday. Even then, at the mid-point of her directorship, I was amazed by her day-to-day energy.

Small Faces was always filled with artists and children trooping off on field trips, walking to and from elementary schools. Her staff always had multiple talents. The children were equally talented; it was impossible to bypass weekly cookie sales, staffed by 5 year olds who would snap open a paper bag and make change exquisitely.

Wirta claims she owes her energy to her New England roots. Her father was a wallpaper hanger who would rest just long enough to eat dinner and then go to his workshop to build something, like that summer’s camper. Her mother taught third grade her entire adult life; at her memorial there was a handwritten class list for every year that she taught in the small Maine town.

Wirta's husband, Sonny, was from a neighboring town in Maine. When they came out in 1978 for what was supposed to be a one-year Boeing contract, they were the black sheep for straying so far.

The plan was for Wirta not to work that year; that plan didn’t last more than two weeks. She couldn’t resist returning to school in September; she’d always been either a student or teacher.

Wirta started working with the after school program for K-6 in 1979 when Small Faces was in a church on 14th Avenue Northwest. By 1985 she was named director.

Wirta recently had lunch with the “founding mothers.” The rumors about the association with Moody Blues and Rod Stewart are true. The center is named for the 1960’s band Small Faces that became The Faces when Rod Stewart joined as lead vocalist.

Back in 1979 Wirta quickly realized that compared to teaching fifth grade, running an after school program was pure fun, and she has enjoyed the entire ride. From every summer barbecue through every Greenwood Seafair Parade (on her 1500 Honda Goldwing Trike), and with every grant they received.

But after 30 years she says simply, “It’s time. It’s just time.”

Two years ago Wirta had a motorcycle accident that broke her leg in three places. She continued to work at home but for the first time in 28 years she was not at Small Faces five days a week, from 11a.m. 7 p.m. every day. Although she’d always encouraged her staff to be able to function without her, “There’s nothing like a motorcycle accident to make you think about a transition plan.”

Small Faces has had its triumphs as one of the first accredited facilities in the state, and its challenges, but the building is secure now and the program is in good shape.

After a very intensive search for a new director, the board hired one of three final candidates, Big Kids Lead Teacher Johnny Otto, known as Johnny O. In July, Wirta moved her chair to the side of the desk and Johnny moved to the center.

They’ve been working to download her brain into his computer. Some of his vinyl record collection is on the wall; Kathy Brockman and her 30 years of experience are just a few feet away.

The center walls are covered with murals, including one that reminds Wirta of Maine. Her husband is looking forward to having dinners together; she has always worked the second shift.

She’ll volunteer as needed and continue to play flute in the Boeing Employees Concert Band every Tuesday night. As a member of the Finnish Society she may do lunch every day of the week with Finns in various retirement homes.

Wirta participated in an Urban Institute study on how to create quality. Thirty-some pages boiled down to 1) get the best staff, 2) make sure the best staff are well-paid and can be independent.

Amidst the increasing complexities of daycare licensing and managing the building, some things were always simple. Every June Wirta had a new truckload of sand delivered to the playground where she and the staff buried pennies and fake jewels.

Every summer children dig for treasure. Wirta and Sonny didn’t have a child of their own; they had thousands.

Peggy Sturdivant can be reached atlargeinballard@yahoo.com.