I went looking through my junior high yearbooks this week. I had heard of the passing of a classmate who went to a different high school, but was in junior high with us. I knew the name but couldn’t picture his face, so I went through the yearbook.
While searching I was reminded of some of the teachers I had. One in in particular came to mind immediately – Mrs. Kellogg.
I just loved her! She was no nonsense, and yet enjoyed a little nonsense at times. I was lucky enough to have her for 7th and 8th grade for English. She was tough and I learned a lot about writing because of her. The above picture was taken on my last day of 8th grade. These were the days when no one knew what a “selfie” was. I really wish I had a photo of us together.
Mrs. Kellogg was instrumental in getting me to be proactive about working. Yeah, I was not very self-motivated at this point in my life. I remember one day we were supposed to be doing some quiet reading, and I think I was staring off out the window or something and she called my name and said, “Don’t just sit there like a Willie Lump Lump! Get your eyes on the book!” Well, Willie Lump Lump was a Red Skelton character, who I knew because my dad let us listen to old radio shows. I laughed at this and a special bond was created. I never wanted to disappoint her, and I took initiative to get my work done.
She is the teacher responsible for one of my yearly traditions. We read Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol in 7th and 8th grade. She had recorded herself reading it on tape. When we “read” it in class, we read along with her voice. I have read it every year since.
I kept in contact with her long after she retired and sadly, I lost her address in between moves. She had told me that she was working on a book. I told her I would love to read it, and then I lost the address. She passed away before I had the chance to reconnect with her. She was a fine example of a caring teacher.
“Marley was dead: to begin with” … so begins the Dickens classic A Christmas Carol. It was originally titled: A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas. It was published on this day (December 19) in 1843. The first edition was completely sold out by Christmas Eve (that’s less than a week!). By the end of 1844 thirteen editions had been released!
This was not Dickens’ first Christmas story. As a matter of fact, he had written three before writing this one. He would go on to write four more afterward. The story of the transformation of Ebenezer Scrooge, however, remains his best known holiday story.
Backstory
By mid-1843 Dickens began to suffer from financial problems. The sales of his Martin Chuzzlewit were falling off. His wife, Catherine, was pregnant with their fifth child. To make matters worse, his publishers threatened to reduce his monthly income by £50 if sales dropped further! It has been said that the publishers knew that the Chuzzlewit stories were not gaining public interest. They begged Dickens for a Christmas book.
Dickens started writing the book in October of 1843. Michael Slater, Dickens’s biographer, describes the book as being “written at white heat.” It was completed in six weeks, the final pages being written in early December. He built much of the work in his head while taking night-time walks around London.
Slater says that A Christmas Carol was “intended to open its readers’ hearts towards those struggling to survive on the lower rungs of the economic ladder and to encourage practical benevolence, but also to warn of the terrible danger to society created by the toleration of widespread ignorance and actual want among the poor.”
Since its initial publication the book has been issued in numerous hardback and paperback editions, translated into several languages and has never been out of print
1982 – English Class – Lincoln Junior High
I was familiar, of course, with the story of Scrooge. I had even seen a few movie versions of this classic ghost story. Interestingly, I had never actually read the novella. However, in 7th grade, I was blessed with one of my all time favorite teachers – Mrs. Shirley Kellogg. She was a no-nonsense teacher who could even make diagramming sentences fun.
I remember one day I got caught daydreaming and looking out the window. She saw me and asked me a question, which I obviously did not hear. I was startled by her calling my name and I must have looked scared to death. She looked at me and said, “Well just don’t sit there like a Willie Lump Lump – answer the question.” I started laughing, because I was well aware of the Red Skelton character she was referring to! Even though I didn’t have an answer, I immediately connected with her! Rest assured, I saved my daydreaming for other classes!
I digress. Back to A Christmas Carol :
I remember that we would often read from this big blue book that had the word “Literature” in the title. It was a collection of modern stories, short stories, classic stories, and poems. Charles Dickens’ tale was in this book. In elementary school, we would often read stories aloud, with each student reading a chapter. What makes my first “reading” of this story unique is that Mrs. Kellogg read it to us – not live though…it was Memorex! She had spent time recording herself reading the entire story and played it back to us on a cassette tape. This allowed us to read along while she graded papers and such. Because of this, when I read the story today, I can still hear certain lines in her voice.
Stave One
Dickens divides his tale into 5 “staves” or chapters. The story opens on a miserable Christmas Eve, seven years after the death of Scrooge’s partner in business Jacob Marley. Dickens’ opening line stresses the importance of the fact that he was dead. In fact, he stated that this “must distinctly be understood or nothing wonderful can come of the story” that follows. Dickens’ description of Scrooge is something that I can still hear in Mrs. Kellogg’s voice – “a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner!” Right from the start, we learn what a miserable man Scrooge truly is.
In this stave we are also introduced to Fred, Scrooge’s nephew. His visit only continues to illustrate Scrooge’s hate for the holiday and the season. Another main character is Bob Cratchit, Scrooge’s clerk. Dickens describes the poor working conditions and Cratchit’s measly salary. Jobs must have been scarce at the time. I say that because you have to wonder why this poor man is working for such a jerk like Scrooge. We are also introduced to two men collecting for charity, who are basically told by Scrooge to “get lost”. He tells them that he supports prisons and workhouses and those in need should go there for refuge.
Before the chapter is over, we follow Scrooge to his empty, damp, dark, and desolate home. It is there that we are introduced to his deceased business partner, Jacob Marley. It is here that we witness the beginnings of Scrooge’s transformation.
Marley’s ghost is a ghastly sight. He is wearing heavy chains and lock boxes. He tells of the misery and gloom that he suffers in the afterlife. He gives Scrooge a warning that his fate is far worse than his. This is because he has had additional years to labor on the chains he is forging. A doubtful Scrooge tells him he must be some sort of mirage or illusion. In response to this, Marley scares him into believing his presence. Marley sets the stage for what is to follow – the visits from three spirits. These visits are the only chance that Scrooge has to avoid Marley’s fate.
Stave Two – The Past
Scrooge’s second spiritual visit from the Ghost of Christmas Past. Scrooge then asks the spirit if it is the spirit of “long past”, and the spirit responds “your past”. The spirit whisks Scrooge away to Christmases where Scrooge was a boy, a young man, and a young adult. We begin to get a sense of why he is the way he is. As a boy, he spends Christmas at a boarding school. As a young man, we see him as an apprentice – an apprentice who loves Christmas. We also see him as a young adult. Here, we witness the love of his life leave him. She leaves because money has grown to be the most important thing in his life.
The older I get, the more this part of the story stays with me. Scrooge, as he witnesses all these past Christmases, is given a gift. He is allowed to see a younger self and those who he grew up with. We watch him call out the names of former school mates. He sees his beloved sister who died giving birth to his nephew. He also speaks highly of his fellow apprentice and former boss. Finally, he relives the pain of the loss of his love. These are among the many scenes that spark strong emotions with Scrooge.
Imagine, being able to go back in time to witness past Christmases! What I wouldn’t give to relive those childhood memories! I would love to see:
My grandfather’s face as I opened the cribbage board he gave me
The joy on me and my brother’s faces as we opened up the entire collection of Star War figures
The homemade Christmas ornaments mom made for our tree
My children’s first Christmases
A family pinochle game in the sun room at my grandparents
Dad putting together one of our toys with a gazillion stickers to place on it
Mom in good health, laughing at a gag gift I bought her
The adults playing guitars and the organ after having a few too many rum balls
The spread of Italian food we’d feast on every Christmas Eve
The list goes on and on. Oh to be able to hear the voices of loved ones who are no longer with us … wow. What a gift Scrooge is treated to.
Stave Three – The Present
The second spirit is the Ghost of Christmas Present. He is a jolly spirit who shows Scrooge what is to happen this Christmas. He is first given some enlightenment about his clerk as he visits their home. He learns first hand of the struggles that they face, financially and emotionally. He is shown the small feast that the entire family is to eat. It is here that Scrooge (and the reader) is introduced to the Cratchit’s lame boy, Tiny Tim.
We really see the events of the past and present working in old Scrooge here. At one point, he very uncharacteristically asks the spirit if Tiny Tim will live. The spirit informs him that if the present course remains, Tiny Tim will die. The amazing change that is beginning in Scrooge is seen clearly here. There is a glimpse of compassion and worry as he asks the question of Tiny Tim’s fate. This is followed by the hanging of his head in grief when he hears the answer.
Ever wonder what people are saying about you when you are not there? In some cases, it’s better that you not know. Scrooge visits his nephews home next and is shown the dinner that he was invited to. What he sees is the guests making fun of him. He sees his nephew telling everyone in disbelief about his uncle’s abhorrence of the holiday. The more he sees the angrier he gets. He is so angry that he tells the spirit to take him away from the scene he is watching.
As the spirit’s time grows short, Scrooge notices something. He spies what looks like a claw coming out from underneath the spirit’s robe. When asked about it, the spirit reveals two children – a boy and a girl who are anything but pretty. They were children, but they looked terrible. Scrooge asks the spirit if they belong to him. The spirit answers that they are “Man’s”. Scrooge learns that the boy is Ignorance and the girl is Want. He is then told to “Beware them both, and all their degree”. 181 years later – these words are still true! Beware ignorance and want!
There is nothing that is more embarrassing and humbling than to have your own words thrown back at you. Especially when those words are applied the way the ghost does. As the ghost’s time expires on earth, he answers Scrooge’s question about finding the children some sort of refuge. His powerful reply consists of Scrooge’s words to the men collecting for charity “Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?” With that, the spirit is gone…
Stave Four – Christmas Yet To Come
Fear can be a very good motivator. Imagine the fear that now engulfs Scrooge as he sees his final spiritual visitor! The Phantom which is described as being “draped and hooded” is now coming toward Scrooge. He is approaching ”slowly, gravely” and “silently – like a mist on the ground.” Rather than run away in a panic, Scrooge faces the spirit who speaks not a word. Words can be scary – silence can be scarier! How he realizes that he is in the presence of the ghost of the future I do not know. It must have be based on his knowledge of his previous two visitors. He confirms this by asking the spirit if that is who he is. The reply that he gets is a slow and deliberate nod.
Scrooge’s fear is no secret. As a matter of fact, he tells the ghost that he fears him. He fears him “more than any other spectre I have seen.” The change that continues in Scrooge is apparent here. He states that he knows that his “purpose is to do me good, and as I hope to live to be another man from what I was. I am prepared to bear you company”.
No surprise that the topic everyone shown to Scrooge is discussing is death. The death of one nameless man in particular. He sees business men standing on the street talking about an “old scratch” who “got his own at last”. Then he is taken to a sort of pawn shop. There three people meet up to sell stuff they took from a dead man’s home! One of the items was the shirt off the man’s dead corpse. He is then in a dark empty room where a dead man lays on a bed under a sheet. The spirit points to the head of the body – he wants Scrooge to look at the man. Scrooge says that he cannot do it. Every situation the spirit showed Scrooge was one where the man’s death brought pleasure.
Scrooge begs the spirit to show him some “tenderness connected with death”. He is taken through town to the home of his clerk, Bob Cratchit. The mood is somber there as they continue to deal with the death of Tiny Tim. There is much hurt and many tears in the house. Scrooge then has the realization that the time with the spirit is almost gone. But he has to know something. He asks to know who the man was that had died. He is taken to a church yard that is overrun with weeds and has not been tended to. The spirit stands with nothing but a hand pointing to a gravestone.
The culmination of all that he has seen is now coming to a head. Scrooge must have some sort of inkling of who is buried in this terrible place. I say this because he now becomes frantic. He asks if the things he was shown are things that “will be” or things that “may be.” He begs to know whether or not they can be changed. Upon reading his own name on the gravestone, Scrooge breaks. He begs the spirit to wipe his name from the stone. He insists that he is not the man he was and that he will live an altered life. He makes promises to honor Christmas and live by the lessons taught by all the spirits. He grabs the spirit and continues to plead, but the spirit disappears and turns into his bedpost.
Remember the classic It’s a Wonderful Life? In it George Bailey is shown what life would be like if he was never born. George is frightened by so many things that he sees. He understands just how many things would have been different if he were never born. With A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge sees things a bit differently. He sees the product of the present and future because of his life and how he currently lives it.
Stave Five – The End of It
The climax of the story – the miracle of the story – all culminates here. Scrooge is now a changed man! He awakens on Christmas day and he is filled with joy and happiness. These are emotions which have eluded him for many many years. His first order of business is to buy the prize turkey and send it to his clerk anonymously. He even splurges for a cab to send it there. He then dresses in his best and heads out.
He see’s the men who were collecting for charity the day before. He calls one of them over, apologizes for the day before and whispers a huge sum of money to them. They marvel at what is happening, and Scrooge assures them that there are many back payments included in that amount. He goes to church for the first time in years. Finally, he heads over to his nephew’s house, not knowing what will happen. Fred is surprised and welcomes him with open arms.
The one man who is unaware of the change in Scrooge is Bob Cratchit. When he arrives at work a few minutes late, Scrooge is waiting for him. This is exactly what Scrooge had hoped for. As soon as he walks in, Scrooge lays into him. He demands to know why he is coming in late. Scrooge continues his charade and stresses how he is not going to stand this behavior anymore! Quickly, he changes his demeanor and announces he is giving Bob a raise! He then vows to help his family in all ways possible.
Dickens ends by telling the reader that he was better than his word. He was a great man and second father to Tiny Tim. He explains that there were plenty of naysayers who still laughed at the transformation in Scrooge. The old man said it didn’t bother him one bit. We are told that there is no more spiritual intervention and that he “knew how to keep Christmas well”.
Closing Thoughts
I have been reading Dickens’ A Christmas Carol every year for 42 years now. Each and every year I am grateful for the start of the tradition. I was lucky enough to have had Mrs. Kellogg for English Class in 7th and 8th grade and she read it to us both years. Every holiday, I think of her fondly as I read those opening words.
I have seen almost every film and TV adaptation of this story. Honestly, it is hard for me to pick a favorite. What holds true for all of them is the amazing transformation of Ebenezer Scrooge. There is also a renewed appreciation for the Christmas season. During the holidays, just like Scrooge, people tend to give more to those in need. They tend to be kinder, and they tend to be happier. Here’s a thought – why not do this all year round?
Elvis Presley had a song on his Christmas CD which stated my feelings perfectly:
Why can’t every day be like Christmas? Why can’t that feeling go on endlessly? For if every day could be just like Christmas, what a wonderful world this would be.
The following “quiz” has been published in books and can be found all over the internet. It is attributed to the cartoonist Charles Schulz, who drew Snoopy and Charlie Brown for many years. An inquiry to the Charles Schulz Museum has proven that the quiz is NOT something he said, however, it does make an amazing point and is a good starting point for today’s blog.
Here’s the first quiz:
Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
Name the last five winners of the Miss America contest.
Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer prize.
Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
Name the last decade’s worth of World Series winners.
How did you do?
The facts are, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.
Here’s another quiz. See how you do on this one:
List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
Name half a dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you.
Easier?
The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.
Today is National Teacher Day (some call it Teacher Appreciation Day). When I look back on my life, there are many teachers that have made a difference in my life. Some of them are no longer around, and some of them, I am lucky to still be in contact with. Today, I salute some of them.
Mrs. Waters – Kindergarten.
Back when I was a kid, you didn’t have all of these levels of preschool to go through. Kindergarten was your first stop. It was the first time you were away from mom and dad. I wish I could remember more about kindergarten than I do, but what I do remember is that Mrs. Waters was one of the sweetest ladies and she was always smiling. I remember it was either Mother’s Day or Father’s Day and we had to each paint something for Mom or Dad. I had a floppy “paint shirt” which was one of my dad’s old shirts and I remember she took a picture of each student in this shirt and sent a black and white 5X7 of it home. Sadly, it is probably long gone. I remember before she took the picture she came over and fixed my hair and said, “we want mom and dad to see those beautiful brown eyes of yours”. Probably the one and only moment from kindergarten I remember. (2024 – I actually looked at the district’s website hoping to see that she was still teaching there, but didn’t have any luck finding her.)
Mrs. Cook – Second Grade.
Why is she so important? We moved in the middle of second grade. I was leaving all of my friends behind and starting new. I remember my dad taking me to school that day and we were in the office as the National Anthem was playing. I was taken down to the room and Mrs. Cook walked over to get me at the door. She brought me up in front of the class and had me introduce myself. I know this is hard to believe, especially with all the public speaking have done in the past, but I was scared to death. All these kids were looking at me. She helped me by asking me questions, letting me answer, and then asked the class if they had questions. I don’t recall if they did, but she made that whole experience so much less stressful for me.
Mrs. Gallop – Fourth Grade.
She was fun. I would have to say that my love for reading probably came from her. I remember how reading was such an important part of class. I recall her reading us “Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing”, “SuperFudge” and “James and the Giant Peach”. She was so animated as she read to us each day. She loved reading and we loved hearing her read. One of the first chapter books I got for my oldest sons was “Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing”. I remember in “James and the Giant Peach” there was a swear word. To be honest, I don’t recall what it was, but she warned us. She tried to play it off. When she read it, there was shock then giggles. Mrs. Gallop swore!!! She kept reading as animated as ever. When I took my sons to see the play at the Flint Youth Theater not too long ago, I remembered sitting around on small pieces of carpet listening to the story. (2024 – Back when I first wrote this in 2018, a fellow teacher shared this blog with Mrs. Gallop, who sent a very kind note back to me)
Mrs. Kellogg – 7th Grade.
I just loved her! She was no nonsense, and yet enjoyed a little nonsense at times. I was lucky enough to have her for 7th and 8th grade for English. She was tough and I learned a lot about writing because of her. She also was instrumental in getting me to be proactive about working. Yeah, I was not very self-motivated at this point in my life. We were supposed to be doing some quiet reading, and I think I was staring off out the window or something and she called my name and said, “Don’t just sit there like a Willie Lump Lump! Get your eyes on the book!” Well, Willie Lump Lump was a Red Skelton character, who I knew because my dad let us listen to old radio shows. I laughed at this and a special bond was created. I never wanted to disappoint her, and I took initiative to get my work done.
She is also responsible for a yearly tradition for me. We read Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol in 7th and 8th grade. I have read it every year since. I kept in contact with her long after she retired and sadly, I lost her address in between moves. She passed away before I had the chance to reconnect with her. She was a fine example of a caring teacher. (2024 – after writing this blog, I connected with her daughter who shared some stories about her mom. Sadly, I found out that her daughter passed away shortly after that from cancer)
Mr. Harvey – 9th Grade.
I was probably the worst algebra student. I got sick and missed about two weeks of school. When I returned I had no clue what we were doing. I tanked quizzes and tests and we were closing in on the finals. He asked me to stay after class and asked what was up. I told him that I was just lost. He told me he was worried that I was not going to pass the class. He offered to stay after school with me to reteach some of the things I was confused about. Needless to say, there was a lot I was confused about and he realized it right away. He asked why I didn’t ask for help. He worked with me and I squeaked by with a D. Not a proud moment, but it would have been an E for sure if he hadn’t gone out of his way to help.
Mr. Benefield – 9th Grade.
Remember that scene in Stripes when John Candy says as a kid he “swallowed a lot of aggression … along with a lot of pizzas”? That was me. Gym class was not my favorite because I was overweight and never felt like I could do what everyone else was doing. Mr. B was fair. He knew when I was slacking and all he had to say was my name and I would kick it up a notch. Gym class was not like your other classes where there were 25 kids – there were double that or more in gym. If he was calling me out – it wasn’t because he was being mean, it was because he knew I wasn’t giving all that HE knew I was capable of. Side note – he was one of the best damn football coaches our school has ever had! (2024 – we are friends on Facebook and I know by the posts to his page that I’m not the only one who thought he was a great teacher.)
Mr. Balos – 12th Grade.
Ok, I had him for a senior elective class called Life in America, and it wasn’t a very hard class, but I still learned a lot from him. First of all, he taught us the importance of history. Granted this was entertainment history, but it was still history. Second, he knew that hard work had to be balanced with a little fun. He always wrapped up class five minutes before the bell and told us a “story”. These “stories” were jokes older than he was. While there were many kids who either groaned or stared off dumbfounded because they didn’t get the punch line … I was always laughing like hell. He once said “A bad joke is ALWAYS worth sharing”. It is – throughout life, some of the most awkward situations I have been in were always made a bit less stressful because I told one of his “stories”. I also learned a lot about golf from him and I can hear him every time I get on the tee … “the ball is seven feet long”. (2024 – Mr. Balos passed away in 2015. I don’t recall what year we did this, but he actually dressed up in his tuxedo and we video taped a set of his stories. He stood in his classroom doing his “standup” for a handful of lucky audience members. I posted the video to YouTube a couple years ago. Here is the link:)
Mr. Yanoulaki – 12th Grade.
As I stated already, I sucked at math. I was lucky enough to have Mr. Y for math in 12th grade. I want to say that the class was called “Math for Life” or “Math for Everyday Living” or something like that. It was the class I felt everyone should have. In it we talked about figuring out gas mileage, how to balance a checkbook, learning to calculate volume and measurements, how to calculate percentages, and a whole lot of other things that I use every day. He was very energetic – it was like he had ADD. He was always moving from the time he walked in to class until class was over. Many people tried to take advantage of him and make fun of him, but I really thought he was great. He was such a genuine man. He knew when people were toying with him and often just ignored them. Sometimes people would push him a bit too far and it would make him angry. Respect is something that many of my classmates did not have. He could be very fun, but when it was time to work – that’s what we needed to do. It was when someone decided to try to get him talking about something off topic that he’d get mad. He did not have any issues having someone removed from class because of things like this. I think many just pushed him so they WOULD get kicked out. (In 2018, I wrote )I have remained in touch with him after all these years and he is still doing well and as energetic and healthy as ever. His nephew is my chiropractor and we’re hoping to get together for coffee one day soon. (2024 – While I did get to converse with him on the phone a time or two after writing this blog, I found out that he passed away last year. I hadn’t heard about it until months later. I wish I could have attended his funeral and paid my respects.)
Mr. Shaner 9th-12th Grade.
Mr. Shaner was my band director. If you are looking for my stance on Music Education in schools – here it is. “I LEARNED MORE TO PREPARE ME FOR LIFE FROM BAND CLASS THAN ANY OTHER CLASS IN SCHOOL”. There. I said it. I learned the importance of preparation. I learned the importance of punctuality. I learned the importance of practice. I learned the importance of team work. I learned the importance of organization. I learned the importance of patience. All of my time management skills came directly from band class. I learned about discipline and work ethic. I learned the importance of cooperation and respect. The list goes on and on. The lessons that I took from band class in itself can be an entire blog.
I recall one day in 9th grade, I was running late for school. I grabbed a pair of khaki pants from a basket that was in the laundry room. I walked into school and TS said “Hey, man, you know an iron can get those wrinkles out of your slacks”. Now some people might think this was mean. I didn’t take it that way. Instead, it made me aware of little things like looking good. It was a simple nudge to take an extra minute to dress right.
It was not odd for him to call someone in the office and ask if everything was ok if they looked like something was bothering them. Sometimes he would get wind of a situation someone was dealing with and he would be aware that there was a lesson in it for everyone. He would just tell some story in class with the lesson at the end and it did two things – it helped the person in the situation AND it helped the rest of us in case that situation ever popped up in our lives.
I remember one time Steve and I were goofing off during a rehearsal. It was the day before festival, so it was not the time to be fooling around. He stopped the band and asked us what was so funny. Because we did not have an answer he pointed to the door and said “I’ll see you after rehearsal”. We sat at the end of the hall and pondered how much trouble we were going to get into not only with him but with our folks. He sent Kelly, the band president down to the end of the hall to get us. He looked at us dead in the eye and said “I did not want you to go with us to festival tomorrow, but the band as a whole voted and said you should come”. He proceeded with the rehearsal. The following day, I was the first to arrive in the band room. He greeted me with a smile and I was completely confused. He was SO angry the day before. I asked if he had a second and he said to follow him to his office. He sat down and looked at me, like he had no idea why I was there. I apologized for my behavior the previous day and told him it would never happen again. He stared at me for a few seconds and got up quickly (which scared the hell out of me). He extended his hand and said, “It takes a lot of guts to admit when you are wrong. It takes a real man to apologize. Thank you for taking responsibility for your actions. I have a lot of respect for you.” He took it a step further and made sure the entire band knew what happened. He said he thought that they should know that I cared enough about them to apologize for my actions. Talk about respect? I have the utmost respect for that man and all of the lessons I still carry with me to this day. I am glad that we have remained in contact all these years later. He was a major influence in my life and in the lives of many students. (2024 – Often, he and I would e-mail life updates to each other. In the last e-mail he sent me, he stated that he was going to drop me a letter in the mail. That letter never came. In the middle of the pandemic, he was hospitalized (not with Covid) and was sent home with Hospice care. He passed a couple days before Christmas. To say I was devastated is an understatement. He was much more than a teacher to me – he was a friend. I wrote a blog after his passing [link below]. I truly miss him a lot!)
It would not be fair for me to write about teachers if I did not mention these three ladies. They were the instructors in college for my sleep program. Each of them taught differently and with different styles, but they still got the information to me. You know that saying “Learning can be fun”? They made it fun. But wait…it was college. I was late to the college party as I didn’t go until I was over 40. Everything I had seen about college had big classes with serious teachers who took no BS. While we learned, we laughed. There were plenty of funny stories and we learned from them. And each one of them cared for their students. Never once was I turned away if I had a question about something we learned in class. If I didn’t understand, they would go over it and over it until I DID understand. Sure there were other classes I had to take in college, but these classes and these three wonderful ladies – who I also call my friends – helped me to walk across a stage with a college degree … something I NEVER thought I was capable of doing.
2024 Addition
As I scrolled through my Facebook friends this afternoon, I realized just how many of my classmates went on to become teachers themselves. They obviously had a few teachers that made a difference to them, too. Every one of those friends are great teachers! I know this because I know them and I know their personalities. I have no doubt that they go the extra mile (just like so many of the teachers we had in school) for their students!
One group of teachers who I neglected to mention, probably because I was solely thinking of “teachers” as being exclusive to the classroom, is the Bible Teachers/Pastors that have helped me and taught me so much about my faith. I am grateful to each of them and even though many of them are in different states, I am glad to be able to catch many of their messages and teachings via Facebook or the internet. Thank you to Pastor Jordan, Pastor Ross, Pastor Reid, Pastor Bruscha, Pastor Ressor, Pastor Atwood, Pastor Keable, Pastor Farber, and the other great teachers who have helped in my study of God’s Word.
There are many more teachers I can mention (and knowing me, probably will in future blogs), I want to say thanks to each and every teacher who was a part of my school years. You made a difference. You should be applauded and commended for the work you do. The many hours of your own time that you spent grading papers. The extra time you took to help that one student who was struggling. The money that you spent out of your own pocket to get something for your class. You may never know the influence that you had on a student, but I am here to tell you on their behalf that you did make an impact and to thank you.
If you are a teacher in the classroom setting today, whether it is grade school, high school, or college. YOU matter. YOU are helping tomorrow’s scientists dream. You are helping feed the doctors of tomorrow wisdom. You are shaping our future. I thank you! If you are a Bible teacher – Thank you for your teaching. Thank you for spreading the message. Keep pressing toward the mark.
Various Ramblings of a Nostalgic Italian 