7th Grade Teachers 1963-64

Huntington, New York? R.L. Simpson Junior High School? Raise your hands.

Digging through some boxes in my parents’ basement, I unearthed this Polaroid photo album I had (for some reason) compiled of most of my 7th grade teachers.

I went to Simpson from 1963 through 1965, a time when ‘junior high’ was 7th, 8th, and 9th grades. A time when we went from JFK’s assassination to Vietnam protests in front of the White House. From The Beatles coming to America to Bob Dylan releasing Highway 61 Revisited. I feel like we all knew they were incredible moments in history, but then again, what does “history” actually mean to a 12 year old.

My only indelible memories that year were from one class, 7th grade English, but they were doozies.

Miss Welsby was an exchange teacher from England, exotic for post war suburbanites. She had us pen pal with her UK students, who all wondered if we know about The Beatles? But really, a British pop band? Who cared?!

On November 22 we were sitting in Miss Welsby’s class when all of sudden the school wide PA crackled and something like a radio broadcast came on in mid-stream, a first for a system that was only used in homeroom. We listened along in horror as we heard the real time details in the aftermath of the President Kennedy assassination. Innocence torn asunder, I suppose.

This remembrance isn’t to short shrift Mr. Carcano (science), Mr. Godduhn (social studies), Miss Maertins (French), Mr. Randall (art), Miss Leslye (libarary), or Mr. Boyd (music and homeroom). A lot happened in those classes, lots of it life enhancing. But, for me at least, none as life altering as an English class that was the seedling of a life I’d lead.

Huntington Town Hall, formerly RL Simpson Jr. High, 100 Main St, Huntington, NY