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My High School English Teacher
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My High School English Teacher


Jul 14, 2019, 5:20 PM

Lightbulbbill's thread reminded me of this story. This one goes back to the late 1930's in a little town in North Florida;

Miss BD was the English teacher in our high school as well as the assistant principal. She was a delightful person but had never married. It was also a coincidence that she was our next door neighbor. It was known fact by my teachers and parents that I was not putting forth my best efforts in the class room. I know those of you reading my story were not guilty of such a crime. It seemed my efforts were devoted to other worldly things which I will not enumerate.

One day Miss BD called me to her office for a conference. My first thought was, "what did I do now"? Maybe she was going to let me know of some misdeed before she had a chance to talk to my Dad. Well, the conference was not about something I had done, it was about something I had not done. Miss BD told me in plain English she was disappointed in my lack of effort. "You can do much better and I hope you will devote more time to your studies". I will admit I did devote more effort in the area of academics but it was somewhat a half-hearted attempt. We had to take a standardized test, similar to the SAT, and the entire student body and faculty staff were in disbelief, Old Joe21 had the highest score. I was not the valedictorian of my class by a long shot but did manage to earn my diploma.

I was then off to the University of Florida and my lack of effort on the academic side was still there, although I was well within passing territory. I dropped out of school and worked until drafted during WW2. After my discharge, I returned to the University of Florida and with an entirely attitude toward academics. The charge Miss BD gave me had finally struck home. Study, study, study and keep at it !!!!. When I received my degree in 1949 it was with highest honors. During that time it was if Miss BD was by my side urging me on.

I don't remember the exact year but believe it was probably 1954, shortly before coming to Clemson in 1955. I had to go to the Alachua County Courthouse in Gainesville and when I came out there was Miss BD. There was a bench under a shade tree so we made our way to the bench to sit down for a few minutes. Miss BD had now been retired for a few years. Our talk covered topics of years past, rehashing school topics and light chatter. Finally, I asked her if she remembered our conference when I was in high school. She said she definitely did. I then brought her up to date and told her, her words didn't really sink in until I returned to the university after the war. When I old her it seemed as though she was sitting beside me urging me on, I saw a tear come to her eye along with a big smile on her face. I don't know who was the happiest, Miss BD for learning she had made an impact on one of her students or me, for being able to thank her for her encouragement.

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Re: My High School English Teacher


Jul 14, 2019, 5:55 PM

Mine in senior year was a mean spirited old widow lady who had it in for me. I had her for home room and English too. She once told my wife she would give her a B if she didnt quit talking to me at school. And she did give her that B grade the next report period. Now my wife who wasnt even my girlfriend then was very annoyed as she was a straight A student. We were close friends in HS but didnt start dating till after graduating. Well one kid and three grandkids later we're still together. Never did know what her problem was other than she was one of those old school types who didnt seem to want anyone to have any fun.

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Re: My High School English Teacher


Jul 14, 2019, 6:28 PM

I attended a boarding school from 7-12th. Mine was 8th grade. Never married. Still isn’t married. I saw her a few years ago and she remembered me well. She still wouldn’t admit she did not care for me then though she treated me oddly different than the others. She wasn’t a fan of sarcasm... Go figure.

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Re: My High School English Teacher


Jul 15, 2019, 6:53 AM [ in reply to Re: My High School English Teacher ]

did she tell her to stop talking to you in school, or in her class?

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Joe - I don’t care which Ghost Writer wrote this post...


Jul 14, 2019, 6:57 PM

..... it is a great great article!! -:)

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If people were as good as their obituary - and products were as good as advertised - this would truly be a wonderful world !!


Re: Joe - I don’t care which Ghost Writer wrote this post...


Jul 14, 2019, 9:22 PM

Mine was fresh out of Clemson and a cheerleader and players wife. Rodney Rogers who was the kicker in 1962 was her brother-in-law. She taught math and physics. Well first day of school my junior year another football player and I went into what we thought was our home rome and sitting in a student desk was this beautiful female so of course we started hitting on her and she let us know in her best teacher's voice that she was a new teacher and we were in the wrong room. The next year I had to take physics. She remembered me and my life was terrible until i went in and told her I had been accepted into Clemson. I made all A's after that. At Clemson I was a football manager because at 140 pounds I was way too small to play. That fall (1962) Rodney Rogers kicked a field goal to beat the coots.She was coming on the field to see him, saw me ran up gave me a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. All the other managers and some of the players asked me who was that..my reply "My high school Physics Teacher". Made my day!

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Sad day


Jul 14, 2019, 10:12 PM

Today we had to take our 14-15 year old(he was a rescue) beautiful Black Lab to the Vet to send him off to the happy hunting grounds. He gave us almost twelve years of love , happiness and fun. He loved to travel with us and was so happy to get in the car today it broke my heart that he didn't know what was in store.

A saying i like is " Try to be the person your dog thinks you are". Humphrey, buddy, I will try to meet your standards to the best of my ability.

What a bummer, spent last week in mountains with whole family to celebrate my 90th BD on the fourth and come home to face this horrible decision. Humphrey was with us and soaked up lots of love from kids, grandkids and great grandkids. In a way a fitting send off.

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Re: Sad day


Jul 14, 2019, 11:47 PM

It's a late response and few will find it, but I had to post regarding the love and loss of a dear friend - peace, brother.

Old Dog

Toward the last in the morning she could not
get up, even when I rattled her pan.
I helped her into the yard, but she stumbled
and fell. I knew it was time.

The last night a mist drifted over the fields.
In the morning she would not raise her head–
the far, clear mountains we had walked
surged back to mind.

We looked a slow bargain: our days together
were the ones we had already had.
I gave her something the vet had given,
and patted her still, a good last friend.

– William Stafford

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