Stand and Deliver

Most people know I teach, and that 8 of my 10 siblings also teach. Neither of our parents were teachers, per se, though my mother certainly has taught by example and Dad taught you whether asked or not.

Having just learned of the very very sad accidental shooting death of my old St. Mike's professor, Prof Reiss, it gives an opportunity to look at the influence of teachers. I have been thinking about all those students who each have individual memories and connections with a teacher like him, and who will grieve his loss.

If politicians have power, what is it that teachers have? Promise, perhaps, promise instilled in students, to hold them accountable, get them to think critically, and encourage them to continue.

Here's a little story:

Monday night, for Thomas' bday, we left Estelle with Oana our sitter and went to the movies. We took Nice's new tram to go to the cinema. On the platform, there was a Japanese tourist trying to buy his ticket from the machine. A nice French woman helped him. Thomas and I were talking, me to him in English, he to me in French, as we often do now. Suddenly, a man behind me said to me, in a clear American accent "Can I put a 2 euro coin in this machine to get my ticekts?" "Yes", I responded, and Thomas proceeded to help the man get his tickets after the Japanese/French duo cleared off, speaking to him in English. The tram simultaneously arrived, and we got on. Once I boarded I looked for the man, and saw him with his wife, struggling with luggage and other packages maneuvering in the tram car. I approached them to make sure they knew they needed to "validate" their tickets in the machine on board. Now, in the light of the tram car, the man was facing me and I saw he had a windbreaker on that said "Harpoon", Windsor, VT. "HEY!" I said. We got to talking. Turns out they had been renting an apt for a week, had come home that afternoon to find the place had been robbed. Money, jewelry, etc, stolen. They were going to a hotel. They were pretty shook up, understandably, from the experience. But turns out the guy had gone to UVM, graduated in 1964. Now retired, they live in Florida.
We arrived at their stop, and we got off one stop early to help them with their bags and show them where to go to their hotel. "Where did you say you are from again?" I said "Well, Jericho, but really my parents are from the Northeast Kingdom, do you know where that is?" "Yes, I'm originally from Massachusetts but my parents sent me to St. Johnsbury Academy in the late 50's. I graduated from there in 1960." I said "Do you remember any of your teachers?" "Of course, Prof Pierce", he said. "Great skier, great teacher".

He is referring to Cedric Pierce, my dad's best friend and best man, and for whom my brother is named. This man, Peter Weiss, was genuinely moved to know that Bruz, as Dad called him, had just passed away last year after a long battle with Parkinson's. 48 years later, this man remembers his teacher, and broke out into a big nostalgic grin when talking about him, even after being robbed in a foreign country.

I'd wager no politician has that kind of power.