I must confess I have very few memories of any of my Mac teachers, but I'm sure there are classmates who have vivid teacher memories and stories. Why don't you share some of those? I know the choir folks loved Mrs. Flood and the band members held Mr. Pearson in high regard. I thought Coach Bill Moseley was easy to get to know and Sidney King gave a lot of rein to the Student Council. 

Is there anyone who did not experience Mr. Katzer at Garner?  Served as a Science Teacher....and more infamously as the Bus Driver whom we swore in muffled tones was trained by Hitler's SS.  Katzer, with his military bearing, geometrically perfect flatop and features, ran his classroom with a rigor that would have traumatized today's 13 year olds.  You could hear a pin drop in his classroom...and god forbid you failed to turn in a homework assignment or nodded off during his dry lectures.  He would pace the classroom with a long ruler that he used as a swagger stick....slapping it down on a slacker's desk or an offending body part to command attention.  I pulled a solid "C" in his class while sweating bullets and sitting at the position of attention in those butt clutching pressed wood desks.  Katzer was a proud Navy Veteran and he made it clear we were in for a dose of military discipline....like it or not.  Even though we were raised by "the greatest generation",  most of us still found Katzer a bit more disciplined than our fathers who fought at Guadalcanal or with Patton's 3rd Army and who had also survived The Great Depression.  I actually had a hard time focusing on science or the ride home on the silent bus (no talking or note passing allowed)  because I was taking mental notes on whomever Katzer was bearing down on in his quest for perfect behavior.  I have this memory of him stridently pulling on his leather driving gloves on the bus, like he was preparing for battle, then later abruptly stopping the bus,  and aggressively ejecting offenders to his spartan rules....one would find themselves walking home from whatever spot on the route he had committed the infraction.   He had informers (usually homely girls)  posted at intervals along the length of the bus who would write down the names of offenders.  I myself was ejected for a week once for laughing  after being provoked by Tony who had made an obscene gesture towards a female classmate.   I believe Katzer permanently banned Degges and Sealy after they disrespectfully began a fistfight the moment their feet hit the pavement stepping off his bus.  The only person I ever saw Katzer show any kindness to whatsoever was a dropout loner (who's name I can't recall) who had joined the Navy, then been discharged after about 2 years, returning to Garner to restart his attempt to get a H.S. diploma.  He looked about 19 years old, and was a full dress "hood" with ducks and all...he rode our bus and always sat right behind our notorious driver.  The upside is without guys like Katzer we would have no war stories to tell our grandkids when we are sitting around the fireside.  Post Script:  Some 40 years later Deb and I  hired a 40-something man named Katzer to mow our pasture.  I said..."by any chance"...he said "yes, he's my uncle".  "You poor man" I replied. Turns out good old Mr. Katzer is alive and well in his late 80s living on (and working) 200 acres near Blanco that he bought for back taxes.  He's reportedly still quite ornery.......  still walloping people into line....still taking names......still demanding perfection.....................

I have few memories of High School teachers. However, I do remember many of my Elementary School teachers and I do remember an incident in Middle school. Do any of you remember when Mrs. Watson had a heart attack during Spanish class--or, were any of you there? I was in that class that day--she began to get light headed and asked for someone to go to the office for help. I remember one of the guys tore out of there and ran to the office. It was very scary--the ambulance came and we watched as she was taken away. I remember praying for her all of that day. I was particularly touched by this as she went to my church--she was Ted Watsons (class of 70) mother and one of my mothers best friends.

Ms. Tankersley was a jewel.

On the serious side, I thought Mr Tietz was a good Geometry teacher (I also liked Geometry), Coach Martin was pretty cool in Chemistry and Mrs Ryan was ok in English as best I remember. The rest is kind of a blur...I was pretty well prepared in Math for college, but not so much for language arts...

I don't EVEN want to get started on Tankersley--but, I will. We were supposed to march in some parade downtown and I was scheduled to work--at Frost Bros--my first job. My Dad wrote a very nice note to her explaining that I would not be in the parade as this was my first week of working. I believe it was at the end of the school year and I had gotten this job for the summer. I knew the note was not going to be well taken. However, I did not expect the response I got. She just looked at me with those terrifying eyes--she looked like she was going to explode! She crumpled that note up and threw it in my face. It was not just a toss--I remember it hurt. My Dad was there to greet her bright and early the next morning--I have no idea what he said to her--I actually asked him not to go see her as she would just take her wrath out on me that much more. I guess his southern charm worked as she never said another word to me about that parade.

Yes, remember fondly all my math teachers:  Mr.Keils, Mr. Frantzen, Mrs. Hogue.  Mrs. Hogue taught Trig. and Analytic Geometry....always said we were her favorite class.  They taught me so well I breezed through all my college and grad. school math with straight As.   Didn't get along so well with the English department, but never was my favorite subject!   Went to summer school and had Coach Terry for health, fell asleep most days.  Took government that summer also, can't remember the teacher's name...he was lots of fun.    Mr. Katzer was my bus driver also and when I had him for science in 9th grade, I was so traumatized....... somehow got transferred to Mr. Veltman.   Mr. Milligan was amazing....learned how to type in his class.  Miss McCarty was our swim sponsor, since we only had 1 coach for 4 high schools.  She was wonderful and kept us in shape in the off season. 

Although I don't have many memories of teachers, I do remember our 7th grade Texas History/Geography class (but can't recall the teacher's name--somebody help me out) b/c we studied Texas History one semester and Texas Geography the other. The year was highlighted by the 7th grade trip to Austin to visit the Capitol, UT Campus, Zilker Park, etc. I also remember that everyone had to do the same project: get a Texas Highway map and color/mark the various regions of Texas, list the principal products of each region and note other cultural tidbits of Texana. That was the first time I heard the phrase "Llano Estacado"-- and I thought it was the coolest name EVER!

Ken...I can't quite yank out the name of the 7th grade Texas History Teacher.  I know I had Miss Devlin for history in the 8th grade....and I believe Mrs Spears for 9th grade history.....but the Texas History Teacher's name was flushed out along with other brain cells when I ingested bathtubs of beer in High School.

I do recall the trip to Austin that you mentioned.  Most memorable was that our bus drove right up to, I believe, the Texas Governor's Mansion and Governor Connally came out and shook all of our hands.  As I recall he had one arm in a sling and he was still recovering from his gunshot wounds suffered during JFK's assassination.  I have this picture of him in my mind bending over to shake hands with every single kid on that bus.  Texas was still a "farm state" then...a rural state...not so many damn people, and we still had some southern hospitality and manners.   I doubt if today's Texas governors offer that kind of personal touch.

Maybe that 7th grade Texas History Teacher was Mrs Brooks...??

I do remember Mrs Brooks....she was one of the kinder older teachers.  I was in her class on November 22nd 1963 when JFK was assassinated.  Mr Lee (with his everpresent cigar in his mouth) bluntly announced it over the PA system saying "the President had been shot in the head and chest and Governor Connally had been shot in the chest in Dallas".  Stunned,   Mrs Brooks simply said..."there doesn't seem to be any point to continue with class".  We sat in silence for a couple of minutes and then the class bell rang.  When we went into the halls there was chaos.  Girls were crying and everybody was in an uproar.  I was standing next to Tony Degges when Janice Kennedy came up and hugged Tony while crying saying something about "poor Jackie".  Then the next day we all sat in front of our black and white TVs and watched Jack Ruby shoot Lee Harvey Oswald dead in real time.  Texas History just got wilder.

Hi Roger,

Not only did I have good ol' Mr. Katzer for Science, I also had him for drivers ed!!  He used to whack us on the knuckles with his....I think it was a drum stick.....when we "killed" it.  It was the column 3-speed shift in those old cars.  I was terrifed of him!

Judy 

Who was that history teacher that used to jump out of the closes and scream "the Indians are coming"  ......was her name Brown?

Foggy memories on that one.....

judy 

Mr Berry....anybody remember him?  What a stud.  He created a sensation when he arrived at Garner...young, handsome, and cool.  Reportedly had a good looking wife. Had been a football player at Mac.  He was so popular with the kids I think it gave the administration and his teaching peers "the willies".  He taught us literature.  I recall him reading Romeo and Juliet aloud and having each of us read parts.  He also dissected popular songs such as Barry McGuire's "Eve of Destruction".. saying that Barry's voice sounded like he was "gargling gravel".   I sat next to Craig Christofferson in his class....and I believe Thad Z.  Rusty Bartel was in the class and he seemed obsessed with Mr Berry....at one point following him home on his infamous scooter to find out where he lived.  This was before stalking was invented.  I always wondered how Mr Berry's educational career and life played out.

Anyone else remember having to solve in front of the entire class one of Mr. Keils geometry problems?  That constant threat of having to take center stage at the blackboard always made me pay attention.  Good thing Lasswell was somewhere else cracking up other students at that hour.

Vice Principal Curtis Drawhorn.  He wasn't a Teacher..but he was on the other side.  He had a face that reminded you of Richard Nixon with a flattop and a strut that was somehow both arrogant and feminine at the same time.  With his "Blues Brothers" suit of that era he patroled the halls and lunchroom as if his appearance would deter crime and instill fear in pubescent boys plotting havoc.   As alluded to in earlier posts I visited him often (and I believe I do recall seeing Chester Slimp in the on-deck circle there .....if not it was his double...hate to be accused of "Slimp profiling").  Once when the Snyder, Straus & Barnes "Ring" was under investigation for a caper that Drawhorn could not prove he looked me hard in the eye and pronounced he would "always have an element of doubt about me".  I left his office wondering about his use of the word "element"...it was a different usage than I had learned in Herr Katzer's classroom.  I was more interested in this than in the fact that Drawhorn would be staying up late at night figuring out ways to expel me.   Sometimes when I was being paraded into his office for licks (clutching the parental permission slip which I had signed myself) in lieu of suspension, Drawhorn would call over his shoulder to his Secretary to fetch him not 2..but 3 Aspirin...as if I was such a pain in the ass that  he needed to exceed the dosage recommended by competent medical authority.  Of course there was a lick ritual that Drawhorn employed for maximum theatrical effect.  He would first give you a choice of paddles (one with holes vs the solid models).  Ted Williams would have had a tough time choosing the "wood" options here.  After you had chosen your "poison" he would dramatically remove his jacket as if the exertion required that extra range of motion.  Then he would have you bend over (pants up...Curtis was more civilized in that regard) and he really put his heart and soul into his exaggerated swing...like he was Mickey Mantle hitting a Denny McClain "meatball".  Of course we boys had a code that would not permit us to say that Drawhorn caused us any real pain ...that would not be a manly thing to do.   I remember us boys ridiculing our nemesis....calling him "Drawbutt" and making fun of his strut and what we thought was a sissified manner and first name.  Of course we were immature dipsticks.  Junior High was a place where some kids went temporarily insane....it's no wonder adults conspired to change the name to "middle school" to try and take us down a notch.

Roger--I hope you write a memoir some day. You have a gift!

Mary Cole

Thanks Mary ...But I'm not a real writer like you....I'm just skipping school and having fun......

Roger, I am reading all these stories and it sure brings back memories. Mr Katzer lived down the street from me. We used to egg  his house every holloween. Between him and Mr. Berry I put my nose in more circles. I remember when I ask Berry to go to home Ec. He said why Mayer why don't you stand up and tell the class. Istoodup and said I had started and needed to go. If he caught you chewing gum we sat on that chair and put your nose in that circle.O well I loved the front of the room.

 Yes, I was a basket case that day. So loved the Kennedy's, since we shared the famous name.!?? I was so sad for those little kids, John and Caroline. I think I was in Stanton class that day.

Judi Clark Willingham wrote:

Mary Cole wrote:

Playing with and re-looking these forums today - and cant pass up the classic Teacher Memory, Mr Teitz..   That guy was a gentleman and one smart fellow.  He took me aside after Algebra class one day and told me I was so close to getting it - and he wanted to help me.  He wanted to know what I was interested in - that sorta stuff.  Somehow, I took the lesson, and worked at it a bit and became a fine math student thereafter.  Thank goodness - as I needed to be strong in at least some area - to prop up my overall lame performance.  Of course, I have applied math basics throughout my life and career as an architect - over and over again - and I think of him often enough.  Teachers do make a difference - and Teitz stands out among them all for little ole me.  I remember that he ran the automated CarWash near north downtown on Broadway in his retirement - and I'd go by and visit now and then, as I frequented that area due to the family business at 1133.  Worth a minute to memorialize his efforts for all of us kids back then.  Chester..