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03/09/26 11:21 AM

#2243

David Alexander Merrill

Hi Holly!
In the sciences we had AP Physics and Chemistry. There probably was AP Mathematics as well.
Does anyone remember the workbook we used in Chemistry written by George Sackheim? It was excellent, clear and concise. In the 1970s my wife was taking a chemistry intro course at UIC and Mr Sackheim was the instructor! I went with her one day to class and was impressed by the respect shown by the students. When he entered the room, all chatter ceased and he received everyone's full attention. He certainly knew how to keep a class engaged.
My best to all,
Dave

03/09/26 03:22 PM

#2244

Paul Richard Hain

Good for you, Holly. Your teacher story was great! Keep teaching those young minds the lessons you learned all these years. There is a youthfulness expressed in your remarks that I wish young teachers aspire to be like as "senior" teachers themselves.. I made it 43 years in education, so you have me beat! Congratulations!

03/10/26 09:55 PM

#2245

Holly Semiloff (Ciotti)

43 years -- indeed. I'm in year 42; I didn't start teaching until I was 39.

Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I caught wind of a half-baked senior saying, "Me and my mom went to Bloomingdale's last week" and I muttered, "Dang, I guess I can't retire yet; those precious ignoramouses are putting objective case pronouns in subject position."

Alas, something to fret about besides drones (but pardon me for droning on and on.)

Remember sentence diagramming?

holly

03/10/26 11:22 PM

#2246

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

I do remember diagramming sentences, Holly.
I admire your energy and the joy you experience with high school students.
Age is just a number; you're younger than our president.
Take heed, 80 is just a bend in the road.

A wise African said: "The opposite of poverty is not wealth, it's dignity."
You do not diminish your students' dignity. You know what it is to give and to receive.

03/13/26 09:19 PM

#2247

Paul Richard Hain

Don;t let them get away with that, Holly. Good catch!

Janice I like the "bend in the road" analogy.

03/14/26 08:11 AM

#2248

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

Hey teach!
You misspelled my name.

03/19/26 03:26 PM

#2249

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

Finland tops the list for happiness -
five years in a row -
followed by the other Scandinavian countries.

03/22/26 03:45 PM

#2250

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

Cherry blossoms in DC.

Spring has sprung.

Cubs and Brewers: Thursday, Opening Day

03/24/26 02:07 AM

#2251

Jack Edmund Bookwalter

To all those who participated in our class's production of "The Music Man", is anyone besides myself having deja vu with current events? Character Harold Hill is a traveling huckster with an overblown ego who created and identified serious "problems" that the townspeople had been oblivious to before. "WE GOT TROUBLE! RIGHT HERE IN RIVER CITY!! WITH A CAPITAL "T" AND THAT RYMES WITH "P" AND THAT STANDS FOR "POOL"!! His efforts landed him lucrative sales contracts for his musical instruments. Even after he was exposed as a fraud, he is still beloved by the tiwnspeople.
Hmmm...Sound familiar? Just saying...
Methinks composer/playwrite Meredith Wilson had a good command of the foibles of human nature.

03/24/26 11:35 AM

#2252

Nancy Doyle (Sudlow)

Any comments, Lee Miller?

03/26/26 11:32 PM

#2253

Alan A. Alop

Partial translation of prior post of JK: "marksist"--a third-grader's phonetic attempt at "Marxist". "Pewing" -- an addled but close try for "spewing."

Full translation of prior post: Janice (sic) (should be Janis) I am confident (he has no idea actually; he is simply trying to sound amicable before he brings down the hammer) that you are nice old lady (something pernicious in the use of "nice old lady"; I don't think he really believes Janis is nice) but you need to get a life ("get a life" seems rather contemptuous, doesn't it?) other than this solilist (no such word Jack but we know what you meant--or do we?) , marksist dogma (the quaint suggestion that the "nice old lady" is a Commie) that you are pewing (evidently the Commie posts too much for the taste of JK--or maybe the nice old Communist lady is sitting in a chuch pew too often). Jack

03/27/26 01:27 PM

#2254

Holly Semiloff (Ciotti)

Fab, Alan, fab.

Holly-still-teaching-high-school-English-Ciotti (Semiloff)

03/27/26 06:11 PM

#2255

Jack Edmund Bookwalter

Not to belabor the point (OK, I AM belaboring the point) but to get back to The Music Man: I remember Lee Miller playing the Harold Hill role so adroitly that I'm surprised Lee didn't use those skills and run for public office at some point (er, maybe he did??). BTW, I learned the word "adroit" in Mr Abrams English class and still enjoy throwing in a sentence whenever I can 😄

03/27/26 08:34 PM

#2256

Ronald I. Zager

Jack (Bookwalter), Do you think that Jack (Kristof) took Mr. Abrams' English class?

03/27/26 09:08 PM

#2257

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

To belabor the point of my age:

I admit to being happy not to be hiking the Appalachian Trail as two of my grandchildren will this summer, but I've been carded to verify my eligibiliy for the senior discount when out with friends and acquaintances. Life can turn on a dime, but my current driver's license is valid 'til 2034. I am known to pew (as be seated for services) in the church my husband serves. Seven grandchildren (ages 15-27) keep me young and on my toes.

Janis

03/28/26 12:35 PM

#2258

Marvin Irving Blusteln

Interesting comment from Jack(Krist)of.

03/29/26 02:09 AM

#2259

Jack Edmund Bookwalter

Answer to Ron Zager's question: "Perhaps in a different dimension??" 🤔

04/01/26 04:25 PM

#2260

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

Why is everyone so tired today?
Because we just finished a long,
31 day March.

04/01/26 08:17 PM

#2261

Theodore John Forsberg (Forsberg)

You go girl. What a great post for the !st day of April;

04/04/26 08:55 AM

#2262

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

GO ILLINI !!!

04/04/26 02:46 PM

#2263

Nancy Doyle (Sudlow)

Fingers crossed for Illini!

04/09/26 10:13 AM

#2264

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

Nothing like the camaraderie of four friends
traveling 'round the moon & back
in a cramped capsule with a broken toilet.

05/02/26 09:41 PM

#2265

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

Pope Leo, when asked about his stance on migration said:
"I would change the question and ask:

"What does the Global North do to support the Global South where young people are in a situation where they find no future?"
The pope acknowledged nations' rights to regulate their borders, but challenged the Global North to address the root causes of migration from the Global South and called for humane treatment of migrants.

05/10/26 07:08 AM

#2266

Janis Kliphardt (Emery)

Holly, this is for you.

Varsity! Varsity!
   U rah rah! Wisconsin,
   Praise to thee we sing!
   Praise to thee our Alma Mater,
   U rah rah! Wisconsin!

05/11/26 01:56 PM

#2267

Holly Semiloff (Ciotti)

Oh for petesake -- Wisconsin??? Like I remember that place? Mostly I recall very cold weather, hot chocolate in the ratskellar, and Vietnam War protests.

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