Bring Back Ben and Bob
A Sign of the Times
Regardless of
whether or not a baby boomer was a true hippie, you can bet they were exposed
to some far-out thinking back in the late sixties and early seventies.
Television, the movies and the newspapers covered controversial issues like
Viet Nam war protestors, equal rights marches and draft card burners daily.
Males
wearing their hair long, sporting huge bell-bottoms and side burns as long as a
horse’s leg were definitely the “in thing” - so were flannel shirts, beards and
US Army jackets. Women burned their bras
in public and the free love movement on the west coast was in full swing.
America’s young
adults celebrated man’s landing on the moon, but also protested at Kent State University
in Ohio when four co-eds were shot and killed (by the Ohio National Guard)
because of alleged violent actions of dissent.
Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young saw to it that the day
would never be forgotten. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCS-g3HwXdc
Regardless
of one’s attempt to stay neutral during this contentious time, it was almost
impossible not to be a tad anti-establishment. And if you trusted anyone over
30, you were basically a fool.
I won’t get
into how many of the above characteristics fit me or my persona in 1974. Let’s
just say I was smart enough to modify my looks and mannerisms for my job
interviews (even though it was the summer following my graduation from college
and yes, I was a product of the times).
An Interview with The Man
I was
fortunate to schedule a couple of different interviews and receive a few employment
offers. However, memories of my first
meeting with Doctor Benjamin F. Van Horn, Superintendent of Schools in the
Northern Bedford County School District, will always remain with me. I was
so frightened by his interrogation, the effects of his cross-examination almost
did NOT stay with me. If not for a huge chug of Kaopectate in the car after the
grilling, I may have had an accident on the way home. Pardon my language but
the man (a former Captain in the US Army) scared the crap out of me.
Dr. Ben F. Van Horn
A half decent impression
The answers
given during my interview must have struck the correct chord with Doc because I
received a call a few days later indicating I was his selection as the new
junior high science teacher, head track coach and assistant football coach. Almost immediately I started to hear stories
about Doc as I met more and more colleagues employed in the district at the
time. For instance …..
The time the
current Spanish teacher tried opening the faculty room door during school hours
one day. The door was locked and a sign hanging on the hall side of the door
stated, “Faculty Room Closed Today – Interviewing New Spanish Teacher”.
Or the time
the track coach I eventually replaced made an appointment to talk to Doc Van
Horn about possibly resigning as the coach, but retaining his teaching
position. Not only did Mike McCahan depart that meeting still employed as the
head track coach, but he was ordered to get a haircut too.
Or the time
I left a large stack of papers on the window sill in my room after dismissal. I
also forgot to close the window and a gust of wind tossed the pile like
confetti all over the floor. I heard an announcement over the P.A. system from
Doc himself as I was leaving the building, “Mr. Potchak, please report back to
your room if you’re still in the building. There’s some cleaning that needs
done up there.”
You don’t know what you’ve got till
it’s gone
Second in
command in the district at the time was Robert St. Clair, High School
Principal. He handled his duties pretty much the same way – a no nonsense
approach. There were times we felt badly for reporting students to the office
for fear of the punishment they might receive.
Both students and teachers knew Saint meant business.
Robert St. Clair
Little was
left for discussion with both Doc and Saint – you knew where you stood from the
get-go. At times faculty and staff
discussions would involve dreams of the day when Ben and Bob might retire and
we looked forward to experiencing new leadership in the school district.
Beware of
the old adage…. “You just might get what you wish for.”
It’s not
that the next administration was unqualified or incompetent. In fact, the new men
at the helm continued to run the district in a very effective and professional manner.
But, not long after the departure of Doc and Saint, I was one of the faculty
members forming mental designs of tee shirts, proclaiming, “Bring Back Ben and
Bob.”
The teachers
knew full-well that the two retired administrators would never return to their
jobs, but we missed the era as much as we missed the men. They were the first to have faith in this old
teacher and coach and I remain grateful to both today.
On occasions
when I meet former colleagues, we’ll invariably begin to reminisce. More often than not those tee shirt designs
and logos will be brought up in the conversation, and smiles and fond memories always
follow.
Interested readers will find another story about Bob St.Clair’s passing
by clicking this link: http://www.pospeek.com/2012/12/remembering-bob-st-clair.html
