Nearly half of all new teachers leave the job within five years. What is killing their spirit? How can they be convinced to stay? This article attempts to answer such questions in presenting one person's account of why she left the teaching profession. Statistical data relating to teacher employment and turnover; reasons for leaving among public-school teachers who changed jobs; reasons for leaving among public-school teachers who left teaching; and reduction in attrition of first-year teachers based on level of teacher preparation are also provided. (Contains 7 graphs.)