Back to High School
Recently, I had an opportunity to tour the Engineering & Technologies Academy (ETA) at my former high school - Theodore Roosevelt High School in San Antonio, Texas (TR). The occasion was a tour that the Academy’s director, Bill Sturgis, offered to the TR Brunch Bunch.
The TR Brunch Bunch is actually an organization of former teachers from TR. I never taught at TR, I was a student. But a couple of years back, the TR Brunch Bunch extended an invitation to the members of TRx to join them. TRx is made up of TR alumni, faculty (present and former) and friends, community leaders, parents and so on. Basically anyone interested in supporting and giving back to TR.
TR is currently under mega-construction - it is basically being rebuilt. ETA recently moved into their new home in Sabre Hall. I was told that it was in the general vicinity of the old “A Wing”. I vaguely recalled the A Wing, it had been a while. But, we were greeted in the parking lot by helpful ETA students who directed us to our destination.
ETA has a number of programs in areas such as Geographical Information Systems, Information Technology Applications, Tech World Manufacturing, Bio-Engineering and Bio-Technology. In our tour we learned that students completing the program are far ahead of other students entering college. ETA provides a solid foundation for students interested in engineering or technology.
Mr. Sturgis told us that some of his students actually work on computers within the school district. And that there is follow up to determine how the service was. Not only are they learning technology, but also customer service.
I was in awe of all that ETA had to offer. It was incredible the number of computers I saw. Some of which students were actually building. When I was at TR, there was a six-week period my senior year when we had a single terminal that connected to Trinity University’s computer. As far as I knew, that was the only computer on campus. If only I could have known how the world would change, I would have paid more attention to that computer.
It was a revelation to me that there were programs like this available for high school students. And it was encouraging to see such a caring faculty. The TR Brunch Bunch had taken up a collection and present Mr. Sturgis with a $500 check to be used for the ETA programs. It took Mr. Sturgis a moment to compose himself after receiving that check. It was an indication of his level of caring.
Lunch was at the Rough Rider Inn. That’s something else that wasn’t there in 1972. The Rough Rider Inn is run by Pat Porter. They have a kitchen that is very much state-of-the-art. The food was delicious and the service was wonderful. Except for Pat Porter, the rest of the restaurant ’staff’ were all students. It was clear that they were being trained in all aspects of a restaurant, not just the cooking. The food was delicious and the service was excellent.
During lunch, someone actually asked me why I had come on the tour. I suppose a student from 36 years ago seemed strange. All the former teachers had spent many more years there than the 4 years I attended. I guess he couldn’t understand why I would want to come back. I suppose it is because I have a lot of memories of that place. Some because of friends. But a lot because of what I learned.
I realized that there are 2 types of teachers that you remember. The really bad, and the really good. And of my 4 years at TR I have many more good teachers than bad that I remember. And I have good memories because of that. Much of what I’ve done since then was influenced by my years at TR.
After lunch, we went to the brand-new, still-smells-strongly-of-paint auditorium. From there they were heading to the English Department and such. I departed after the auditorium. As I was walking to my car I realized the song that had been running through my head since I got there. It was our Alma Mater:
Hail to thee, Roosevelt High,
Hail to the Red, White and the Blue.
Hail to these hallowed halls,
Alma Mater true….
It was both a nostalgic trip back in time as wells as a visit to a brand new world. Those hallowed halls still had an effect on me, even if nearly all of the halls were different than the ones I walked for four years.
So, Salute to you, TR High School - Students, Faculty & Staff. And a big salute to Bill Sturgis and Pat Porter. Bully for you!
