I have been blessed with some GREAT teachers. I have said many times the best teacher ever was Mrs. Eggiman, my 5th and 6th grade teacher. I thought today I would talk about a few others.
Dr. Tim Rademaker, SEMO.....his Coaching Strategies class was my all time favorite class..... (if you don't count Coaching Baseball taught by Coach Palmer Muench)
Dr. Charles Sharp, SEMO, I had him for a few classes....probably Chinese history was a favorite (because of who I sat next to.....)
Dr Skelton, SEMO......American History.....but the fact he let me BULLY a student or two (Oh, my God.....it was crazy.....and I didn't so much BULLY people as I pointed out they were stupid......) "....in other words......." IYKYK.
Why are we talking about teachers today? Because I recently realized we lost a favorite teacher, Sam Kursar. Mr. Kursar taught American History my freshman year in high school, he did things in his classroom that would get you on the news these days.
Studying the 1920's he taught about American Gangsters, by playing a role playing game. Every student was assigned a role, he picked the roles based on what he thought about your skill level.
Hmm, I was assigned the role of a Mafia HITMAN....... even as a 14 year old freshman my natural talents where showing thru.......
How did the game end? I arrived at school one morning about 6:30 am, the janitor Gary Beardsley unlocked Mr. Kursar's room and I placed a "bomb" under every chair in his classroom set to go off at a certain time.
The "bombs" then destroyed the rival mafia members....and a few innocent people as well. Hmmm, I was a natural.
If you had Mr. Kursar, by all means share a memory or two. He is probably the reason I became a history teacher....that and the fact I sucked at math.
Mr. Kursar began life in New York City, and some how found his way to a little town in Missouri to share his love of history. I loved his lectures....he didn't love when I called him on misinformation.....
RIP Mr. Kursar......the fact you told how Hawaii became a state incorrectly doesn't really matter - just so long as you and I know I was right and you were wrong.......
