James High

I had Mr. Archer for French class during my junior year. He was indeed unforgetable ! However , what I remember quite vividly was the yardstick he wielded and the way he used it to point out things he was trying to get across. Especially when he would SLAP! it on his desk and ask "Mr. High and Mr. Larmee , am I boring you with all this ? Please share with us what is so much more interesting !" or some other attention gathering words to that effect . Unfortuneatly , it was not a singular occasion nor an effective enough "wake up call" and summer school French awaited .

Heather Scarlett (Hurley)

That reminds me of John Burgin.  I can't find him.  His aunt, who raised him, hadn't heard from him in several years.  I called her before the last reunion.  He lived in Shelby Co., KY at one point and was no longer with the Louisville Police.  Anyone know where to find him?

Richard Dicter

I haven't been able to find the right John Burgin yet Heather. I suspect a lot of people might pay to watch 15 min of J.Tandy & Rod speaking French. I know if J. Tandy were to do a book on his travels with GiGi it could be a best seller. Jim you've taken some fantastic trips/cruises.

James Nimocks

I remember vividly a "fire evacuation" drill , maybe 8th grade, when the principal (?Mr Farmer?) announced over the PA system, in his best rural Kentucky accent, "Far, far,far". We were laughing so hard we could barely stand up!

Ellinor Henderson

It was Mr. Baxter, Jim.  I have been laughing over this for 50 years!!!!!  I can remember bomb threats wherein we would all go out and sit on the bleachers.  Some brave and sneaky guys would skulk up to Pryors and get french fries.  In first grade, we would hide under our desks from A-bombs  that were supposed to be coming from Russia!!!!  Like a little wooden desk would protect ya!!!  Much more fun to sit on bleachers and, if very lucky, miss math class!!!!!

John Koon

I agree.  It was Mr. Baxter!  He was a nice guy, but where did he learn to talk? 

Why do I remember this fifty some years later?

Glen Anderson

Are you sure the "Far, Far" announcement when the fire alarm wasn't working for the scheduled fire drill was Mr. Baxter?  For all of these years I have thought it was Mr. Duncan, who was still, I believe, Assistant Principal at the time.

Rod Larmee

Back to Howard Archer for a moment....

Oddly, I have a recollection of Mr. Archer every week; in fact, every time someone asks, "How you doin?"        My reply is invariably "Ginger peachy! How about you?" Mr. A. used that term a lot, at least when I had him for homeroom and was fumbling through French. Somehow the reply stuck with me, and it has led to many interesting conversations. George Carlin also used the phrase, commenting, "It's not often that you get both ginger and peachy on the same day." John, I was shopping in Charleston, S.C. a couple of years ago, being helped by a statuesque redhead. When I got to the "ginger peachy... How about you" part of the conversation, she struck a pose, turned on the big smile, and replied, "We'll, Ah'm always 'ginger peachy,' 'cause mah name is Ginger, and Ah was born and raised in the Peach State!" Made my day (but that doesn't take a lot nowadays.) Of course I stop by the store every time I'm in Charleston! It's an unusual but good  reply, and sure beats 'hangin' in there...' Try it sometime. Thanks, Mr. Archer.

Ellinor Henderson

Trust me, it was Mr. Baxter. Duncan was always the principal. Baxter and Draut were associates or assistants.

Susan Rumble (Snively)

Ah, Mr. Archer. He went to Virginia Military Institute--as he often reminded us--and would sometimes walk around the classroom carrying a curtain rod as a kind of baton. On Fridays, he would say, "It's Friday today, kiddies. That means it's fish-day. Fish is brain food. Eat hearty, kiddies." Actually, I liked him. Underneath the ironic smile was a real decency and kindness.

Didn't Mr. Baxter always begin the after-lunch announcements by blowing into the microphone? That always cracked me up.

I once attempted to get Mr. Duncan, the principal, to buy a copy of The Introspect--lit mag. He looked quite skeptical. Can't remember whether he bought one--still less, if he read the thing.

Ellinor Henderson

We called him, "Drunkin Duncan", but only because it rhymed.  I think Mr. Baxter must have been from Green Co., they have a real drawl down there!!!

Edward Gillingham

Like Rod, I had Mr Archer for homeroom both years I attended Waggener.  However I also worked with him after school at the Howard Johnson's Motel on Shelbyville Rd.  My Senior year he signed most of my excuses to get out of school early.  I came into the room late one morning so he said that I had to stay after school the next day.  He knew I had to work and I had to go home and eat and change before going to work.  So the next afternoon I showed up in his class room with a cooler with my dinner and dresser for work.  I sit down and started eating.  He took one look at me and told me to get out and he would see me later on at work.

Jane Haaga (Kraft)

Mr. Archer.  He threw me out of class at least 3 times.  The last time was on our last day of school senior year because I was wearing culottes.  Remember those?  I remember him marching around class using a wooden pointer as a weapon.  I was sure he was going to smack me with it after asking me to speak French, not that I could have or did.....would rather have been hit than try to speak French.  Ah yes the ruby red lips comment...heard that pointed in my direction enough.

And Ellie you're right Duncan was the principal.  Who was the part-time coach who taught history and talked about the "Yellow Pearl".

James High

Jane , could that have been Coach Jim Gray (or "Gut "Gray as Rod and I used to refer to him--behind his back and at some distance , of course ! ) Sounds like something he'd use . He could be quite funny in a CYNICAL sort of way , which I naturally appreciated . Other possibilities : Mr. O'Dell or Mr. Day whom we collectively referred to as "Hey , Ö'Day ! " after either had passed us down the hallway. Luckily , they never did figure out who who was doing the hollorin' which was a good thing since  both those guys were interchaneably IMMENSE and the point of it all ! One or both of them were asst. coaches , probably Mr. Day.

James Nimocks

I seem to recall that Mr Odell taught an American history class and regaled us with stories about how the American colonists revolted against "The Bird-ish". Also the use of televisions for EDUCATION when we all knew they were solely for ENTERTAINMENT. To be fair Mr Odell could be entertaining though I'm not sure he meant to be.

Jane Haaga (Kraft)

I think it was O'Dell because I remember the TV in the classroom.

Perri Kaplan (Krom)

I think the teacher I remember best is Mr Martin (physics) who told us all the time how he had fought the Japanese during the war. I cut his class all the time.  I actually got an A in his class because all his tests were from the workbook and so we all bought two of them and only turned one in for him to rip the tests out of. I also remember playing bingo in his class using words he said.  Lots if fun.  

Lee Boylan

I didn't have Mr. Archer but a friend, probably Niles, liked to quote him saying, "I went to VMI: built on a bluff and based on the same principle."

Mr. Baxter's daughter was a year or two ahead of us, I think. The Chit-Chat would poll seniors with unimportant questions. One was, What was your most embarrassing moment? She answered "Hearing 'Far, Far, Far' on the loudspeakers."

Brady Brown

Mr. Martin, seems I remember his popular nickname among some was a less than flattering name, a species of bird, which to a juvenile eye, he bore some resemblance. Even a soft "gobble-gobble" could be occasionally heard emanating from his classroom, only when his backed was turned or if he happened to step out of class for a minute.

John Koon

Ah yes.  Mr. Martin.  "Turkey" Martin he was to us students.  (The name derived I believe from loose skin on his neck.) When he would get frustrated with the class, I recall that he would hold his arms out at right angles to his body, then say to all within hearing distance, "OK folks, drive in the nails." How did he get away with such a sacrilegious statement in the 1950s? I also remember that the Mona Lisa painting was in the news for some reason during the year; he posted a news article about the painting on his bulletin board. How many folks remember what someone thumbtacked to the Mona Lisa's nose???

Thomas A. Hess

I don't remember what was on Mona Lisa's nose, but I do remember the Wave Motion Machine that took up the desk at the front of the classroom.  Not sure how long that lasted before the machine wouldn't wave anymore "Gobble Gobble Gobble".

James Nimocks

My major recollection of Mr C Perry Martin was his query "Are you with me, class?" Other than first grade I believe that was the only time I was disciplined by staying after class.

Marty Speer (Wyle)

Of course I remember what was on Mona Lisa's nose!  As the only girl in 6th Period Physics, I distinctly remember it was a condom. I also remember someone writing " There is nothing more frightening than ignorance in action" on the blackboard. A quote from Goethe's Dr. Faustus.

John Koon

You are exactly right, Marty.  You win the prize (whatever that might be).

Lee Boylan

Wasn't it Mr. Martin who would ask, out of the blue, "What's the difference between stress and strain?"

In Speed School Freshman Physics, the professor emphasized the equation F=ma and we spent lab time solving problems using that one formula. One day Bill DeHaven pointed out a photo in the 63 Lair of Mr. Martin at the board upon which was written, among other stuff, "F=ma." Neither of us remembered him saying anything about it.