Photo/RFH yearbook
What would Teacher Appreciation Day be without a little ode to those who unwittingly set a writer on her twisted path to write — about them?
They are the English teachers at RFH. Back in the 1970s, they comprised quite the crew of educators. They taught us how to communicate more effectively. They chided us for using improper grammar. They expected better when they knew we were capable of it. They grabbed onto the small details that mattered in stringing a sentence together effectively.
They toiled over our papers and poetry, respecting our creativity while honing the skill they knew was somewhere in there to get our point across.
They taught us how to write what we knew, what we know.
And we know that whether the teaching style was stern, eccentric, laid back or gutsy with a thrust of chutzpah, each had his or her own piece in our learning jigsaw. It all fit.
So, this is the RFH alum writer’s ode to those whose nuggets of knowledge fit neatly in many a puzzled high schooler’s mind.
Pen this: Who was the stern one? The most eccentric? Laid back? Gutsy? Which RFH English teacher motivated you most? Most important lesson learned?
A couple of these English teachers were actors and singers as well. Sometimes that goes with the writer’s territory. Mimi Hughes was one of them. Lloyd Gross was another. RIP to both.
Bob Berberich, who died at a young age, was known to have an innovative teaching style. He held “court” with many young aspiring writers. He is not pictured here.
So many stories, so much time … gone by.
Write on, RFH English teachers!
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