It was probably that very schedule that made him stride into class five minutes late every day. He would start talking before he was through the door, flip his tie over his shoulder (I guess he felt it was in the way when he was lecturing?), and begin his customary pace and talk style of teaching. Occasionally he would stop and highlight an important point by writing a single word really big on the blackboard. He would scribble out something like "revolutionary" and we would all immediately write that down in our notes knowing that somewhere down the line it would become important to know that very word.
George was an impressive figure. I can see now that he was one of those men who wasn't necessarily classically handsome but more than made up for that with charisma and confidence. His Texas accent both enthralled us and gave us more than enough fuel for good natured ridicule at his expense. He had a terrible time figuring out how to pronounce most of the smaller cities in the Northwest, all of which carry phonetically obscure Native American names. It isn't exactly intuitive to know how to pronounce Puyallup, Chehalis or Chewelah but since we had grown up with those names on the tip of our tongue we found his bungled, southern pronunciation hysterical. He took it all with great humor evidenced by a booming laugh that was the much sought after reward for a clever comment or quip in response to some historical event.
One of the best parts of George's classes, in fact any conversation with George, were his words to live by. He was brilliant at distilling the most complicated historical or economic concept down to its essence. If I were to come upon one of my classmates from those days I have no doubt I could ask them to offer up a few of George's words to live by and they would do so without trouble. He said them so many times we came to anticipate them and all he would need to do is hold out his hand to us, the audience, and we would recite them for him while he stood there beaming at the wisdom he had managed to convey to a younger generation.
What strikes me now is how many times George's words to live by have actually come into play in my own life. If not personally, I have certainly watched them lived out within present history (since we are always, at every moment, living within history- words to live by). Two favorites have been ringing in my mind quite often of late and I wonder if George himself watches the news shaking his head and wondering why nobody ever asks him.
George's words to live by:
"Never fight a war on two fronts. Especially if it is winter, and one of the fronts is Russia."
"If you see a long line at your bank, get in it."
What are some of your favorite words to live by?
6 comments:
What and interesting guy George was/is.
The longest running motto that I've had is this: Life is short. Use the good dishes.
It came about after cleaning out my mom's home in my early twenties. I discovered box after box of pretty china and crystal that I never saw out on a table during my mom's life. Why? Because in my mother's eyes, those were special things. And there was never a single day on the calendar special enough to her to risk the chance of breaking something. And then she was suddenly dead at age 56, and the china wasn't even hers anymore.
So I decided that life is short, and I would use those "good" dishes. No sense in carrying them around from apartment to apartment (and later, from house to house) if I wasn't going to use them.
15 years later I still get so much enjoyment from drinking tea out of antique cups and eating ice cream with the the really good silver. I have broken a handful of items, but the benefit far exceeds that cost of that.
Yes, George is quite a character. A smart one at that. It is my great privilege that I actually still get to see him now and then. His laugh still feels like some sort of blessing to me.
I love your example. While the story behind it is sad, I think it is wonderful how you took that lesson and actually made an active choice to live your own life differently. Maybe we will eat on the china tonight! You have inspired me! :)
I had a great AP history teacher as well. I still remember him trying to explain to us that there really were such things as "rules of war." How could something in which people ran around shooting and bombing each other have rules?
As for words to live by, my H.S. track teacher used to tell us "surround yourself with good people." I can't tell you how many times I have thought this, used this with kids I work with and my own kids. i recently saw my coach and told him that I think of him often and use these words often. I have had plans to write a post about him and these words for a while now. It is still stewing.
I realized, after hearing this at church service, that my mom would say this in not so many words... "Remember who you are."
I also now tell people, no matter how mad I am at them, that I love them before leaving because you never know what's going to come next.
George sounds like an inspirational teacher and a wonderful man. I love sayings like these but can't think of any that I "live by"
However, like Wabi, I use all my good china and glasses often because there is no point in "saving them" for a special occasion. Why not make a non-occasion we're having special?
I'm glad George is still in your life. What a treat!
April
In fact, it's not even advisable to fight a winter war in Russia even if it is your one and only front.
I am just catching up on the blogs now, after nearly two months of hoping to and never managing. I am glad the new school is working out for everyone. Though, if it's not too much trouble, can you say more about how the particular features of their approach/curriculum that we were all discussing here last spring are playing out in real life for the boys? And I am so sorry about your grandmother. Though I am glad you were there for your mom. We are dealing with the increasing severity of my grandmother's condition, and being there for my own mom is something I struggle with to some degree, since we are usually 600+ mi away...
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