History Class
Geometry Class
English Class
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SHS Memories povided 10/09/2017
- First allow me to say for those of you who may not know, I was NOT a good student. I never failed a class, but it was always an option on report card day.
- My homeroom teacher was Ms. Eakin whom I understand later was convicted of fraud and sent to prison. I recall morning pledge to the flag and daily Bible readings. How times have changed.
- I was “lucky” enough to have Ms. Rice for history in the 7th, 9th, and 11th, grade. As you know she was all of 4.5 feet tall, less than 100 lbs., but ruled her class like a seasoned Marine drill instructor. “Little Big Horn” and “Little Roundtop” held little interest to me. My grades reflected same. Martha Fuqua and Gail Deloizer were in one of my classes with Rice. Both always impeccably dressed and Martha was perhaps the smartest person in the class.
- Mr. Elkins was my 11th grade English teacher. He had the ability to grow a “5 o-clock shadow” before 9 AM. I was scared to death of him but I did make good grades in his class.
- Another English teacher I recall was Ms. Salin. It was months before I learned the meaning of the term "local color".
- Again this teenage boy found it difficult to generate interest in the torrid love affair of some Russian woman with an Army officer in the mid-19th century. You remember Anna Karenina? Neither did I care what Robert Browning was thinking in 1850 England.
- I was always talking when I should have been listening. Recall Mrs. Hail tossing Judy Litzelswope and me from class for talking. I felt bad for Judy since it seemed pretty traumatic for her. I was a season veteran having been ejected from class many times before for the same offense.
- I tried to learn Algebra and Geometry from Ms. Sloan. I could never compete with the likes of Bill Miller, Charlie Killinger, Barbra Eastwood and others. I still recall Joe Martin easily quoting a dozen postulates in logical order necessary to prove a new Geometric theorem. I could only shake my head in respectful amazement
- I did enjoy Mr. Bagian’s Chemistry and Physics classes. At Christmas we were allowed to set up a ping pong table and cover the windows in the door to prove Newton’s third law, “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction”. He made learning fun.
- Never had Ms. Stark but reports from other students almost made me afraid to pass her in the hall. Enjoyed Mr. Ducan for Senior English. What a colorful guy in his white suits and black umbrella.
- I’m convinced our education at Shawnee High would rival that of many college graduates today. Thank God we had teachers who cared.