Rogers60

And here's to those who either guided and taught us or amused and tormented us: the faculty and staff of John R. Rogers High School. It seemed, at the time, that many of them were as old as our grandparents. And here we are...Rogers seniors once again but in a different and longer context than 1959-60. Review the staff photos in The Treasure Chest. Why, they look like us! The perspectives change with age.

 

We all have memories of individual teachers we spent hours with. But all of us certainly have a collective memory of the faculty lounge that was created in the hallway that replaced the former cafeteria. Remember walking by as a teacher would emerge, and the smoke would pour out? Remember before the lounge when the smokers, and that seemed like most of them, took their puffs in the boiler room behind the band room?

 

A synopsis of a few of the memorables:

 

Our principal, Jess Purdy: Seemed to always be in a hurry, entering or emerging from the main office. Occasionally spoke at assemblies.

 

Paul MacGowan: For a vice principal, he seemed to enjoy his job and got along with kids. Always wore tweed jackets and had a crew cut...style of the era, but usually for us, not "them."

 

John Jelinek: Always seen in the hallways, seemed friendly, but if he really wanted to chat with you, you were probably in trouble. Another one of the crewcuts. Wasn't that a singing group of the time?

 

Mrs. Pence: The most patient and dedicated teacher of Spanish. Seemed to really like her calling in life.

 

Larry Coleman: Was a coach and talked like one...raspy voice. To make sure you seemed to understand what he had just said, would ask "Okay?" a lot.