"Of all the kids I've known before, who walked in and out my door..."(Willy Nelsonish)

As I believe I've spoken about it before, I was invited to the 50th Class Reunion of the graduating class at North Shore H.S. in 1958. The reunion is to be held in September at the Swan Club in Glen Head, L.I. I would like to attend but I simply do not have the energy to fly again. However, I did write a letter and e-mailed it to the committee chairman, Peggy Roberts. I asked that it be read at the celebration and I include it here as a matter of record.

Dear North Shore HS Class of 1958:

I am so terribly sorry that I am unable to be with you to celebrate this beautiful event. Just think…50 years! That’s definitely an accomplishment, and I suspect that most of you are in your 6os and have worked hard at your chosen professions and have raised beautiful families. And do I ever remember you guys! After all, I spent four years with you, and you have definitely left an indelible mark on my psyche. Naturally, time has run its course on me as well, and though I cannot recall all your names, I do remember Betsy Krumrine, Allyson Rose, John Sege (those two and Mrs. Comfort combined to write the school’s alma mater). Then there was Carole Schutzman, Henry Goldman who was given a free train ride to Glen Head from Washington D.C. one year, Al Weyhretter, Peggy Gremelsbacker, shy Dennis Jamieson, Georgie Coyle, Peggy Roberts…red of hair, and Alex Terentiev, just to name a few…

I have led a good life since your graduation. I stayed at North Shore until 1982 when I retired and moved to Florida. Prior to that, I had taken a sabbatical leave, bought an Around-the-World airline ticket from SAS and traveled around the world for a year. When I returned, I married Rhoda after a divorce from my first wife. Rhoda and I just celebrated our 25th Anniversary. I raised four children who also graduated from North Shore. Robin, my eldest daughter retired from the US Marine Corps as a Lt. Colonel. Her husband, Richard Higgins, was a Marine Corps Colonel who was captured by the Hezbollah in Jordan in 1988 and was murdered by them. There is now a guided missile destroyer with his name on it, the USS Higgins. We are proud of that. My other three children also are now leading distinguished careers and you can read all about them and my whole life in my book, “MEMOIRS of a TAIL GUNNER”. ( Just go to Google, type in “Norman Ross, ‘Memoirs.’”)

You never knew I flew 60 combat missions in WWII and was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses and 11 Air Medals. These days no one knows what they are. However, these medals were only recently awarded. But I’m happy to apprise you of that right now that I am 84 years old. Back then I didn’t see what the war had to do with Shakespeare. I can’t get around very well, anymore. Difficult walking, but I do have a scooter. If I could scoot to the Swan Club from Florida I would. I can think of no greater pleasure that I could have than to reacquaint myself with the wonderful class of 1958.

With fondest love,
Dr. Norman Ross

Now it's time for me to pack for our mini vacation to Key West, so I'll have to skip a few days of blogging. But I will document the trip when I get back. And as a matter of documentation I am going to include comments, letters, and e-mails I have received from former students. They might not mean much to those who read these blogs, but the blogs are someday going to be published in a book, and I'd like my grandchildren to know what people have thought of their grandfather, and if we had been closer, perhaps I might have influenced them in some positive ways as well.

DR ROSS ALWAYS MADE A BORING DAY INTERESTING WHEN IT WAS TIME FOR HIS CLASS. HE MADE US UNDERSTAND THINGS LIKE NO OTHER COULD!

Teachers often influence us in ways we don't appreciate at the time. Do you recognize this question you posed to your students in 1970 or 1971, Dr. Ross: "What is a spoon?" Do you have any idea of the powerful message this conveyed to one impressionable (albeit seemingly uninterested) student?

You inspired, in me, a fascination with language (and a lifetime of angst)...
Who else would launch a class by asking us to answer, "What is a spoon?" He inspired us look at language and communication in a non-threatening, fun way. But I'm forever cursed, always wondering how I could have said something better. Usually it's after-the-fact that I realize I've botched my intended message again. Oh, why didn't I attend more classes???

B. Smith '71

"I have bought golden opinions from all sorts of people." (Macbeth)

I'm really getting tired of August. I hate August. I really don't understand the purpose of this month. It wouldn't bother me if we just dropped August from the calendar and went from July to September. August is just named for some old Roman emperor who, when living, was a pain in the butt. It seems that every August either Rhoda gets sick or I get sick, or we both get sick. The month just crawls by like a crab at the bottom of the sea. In Florida, August is simply filled with daily rain, or temperatures in the 90s...or we get hurricanes and tornadoes. I keep remembering Henry Higgins' suggestion to Eliza that in "Hartford hurricanes hardly happen." Of course, I don't know that August is any better in Hartford then it is here. Consequently, RH+ and I are going to get out of here on Tuesday and take a leisurely drive down to Key West. A "Mini" vacation. Perhaps while we are there a hurricane or a tidal wave will happen, and won't that be exciting. Its name will have to start with a "G" because we've already had a "Fay". Maybe George or Gertrude or Gary or Greco or Gallago??

I've been getting emails from my students who graduated in 1958 from high school and they are have a 50th Anniversary Reunion in September. Unfortunately I'll be unable to go, but I did write a letter which I hope they will read at this affair. I'm attaching a couple of the emails here for your reading pleasure

I got another email out of the blue today from Ellin Bliss, a student of mine in 1958. In the letter she said that I made a difference in her life. I keep getting these kinds of emails from former students. It's really hard to understand how or why I made a difference. At the time I was teaching them, it didn't seem as if they were listening. I also got an email from Wendy Martin who now is a Professor of English. I'm very proud of these people.

I've been reading your blog, and I'd like to think you remember me: Ellin BLISS Jaeger. You were the teacher who made a difference in my life. And I smile when I see your quotes from Shakespeare in your Blog. For the 5th year, my husband Klaus and I will be going to Canada to attend the Shakespeare Festival in Stratford (and the Shaw Festival in Niagara on the Lake, not so fond of Shaw but they do many other plays as well, also not only Shakespeare at Stratford).
I am retired (almost) after working as a Social Worker in Home Nursing and Hospice for 29 years and a few years in mental health. I'd like to tell you my story of the 50 yrs since we've been in touch, but not today. Suffice it to say: I remember an awful incident where tapes you were using for your dissertation were vandalized and I remember your tattoo! I am not going to the reunion either but am finding it interesting learning about my classmates. My sadness is the one friend I kept in touch with over the years, Nancy Horton, (our class Salutatorian) died a few years after several years of a debilitating illness. Also you will be interested in knowing that Wendy Martin is a college prof and a published author and editor. Google her.
I'd like to read your Memoir. (I think you must have been 30 when you first taught us 54 years ago?)

Dear Norman Ross,
What a special pleasure it is to hear from you and to know that you are doing well and that you have written so many books! Of course, I am sure many of your former students have thanked you for the powerful background you gave us in literature; you have been an inspiration to generations -- certainly, to me.
I still remember your comments about the need to improve the punctuation in one of my papers: " it is like pouring vinegar into fine wine!" Trust me, my punctuation is much improved since then!
You will be much missed at the Reunion -- I do hope that our paths will cross before too very long. In the meantime, thank you for inspiring me to follow the path of literature!

Yrs. Wendy
Wendy Martin
Vice Provost
Transdisciplinary Studies
Chair
Department of English
Claremont Graduate University

I'm being overwhelmed by these 60+ year old people. I don't remember a single teacher of mine whom I can say inspired me or who made a difference in my life, and so these letters are a mystery to me but they are bringing me a lot of joy and satisfaction that my teaching years meant something. But it wasn’t I that was the source of their inspirations; it was Beowulf and Chaucer and Keats, Shelley, Byron, Wordsworth, Shakespeare, and on and on. All a teacher has to do with these great authors is to open their worlds to students by showing them your love for literature. Most of all, the teacher should feel just the kind of ardent, personal passion that inevitably drives an artist to work. And passion -- or, more specifically, intensity -- was the recurring motif of my career. Once when reading about the witches’ cauldron in Macbeth, I set fire to the paper in the wastebasket. Again when discussing “A Streetcar Named Desire” and the “torn shirt” school of acting, I ripped my shirt to shreds. Of course I had to answer to this when I got home. My wife was less than inspired.