This is no April Fool's
This morning began as any other morning, I was trying to come up with an April Fool's and finally discarded it completely. I was never any good at lying anyway. Then, during Newswriting first period, Mr. Bell, an administrator, Mrs. Slabodnick, a counsler, and Mr. Vignault, also a counsler, came in, all somber faced. They announced a very dear and loved man, Mr. Loren Smith, had passed away the previous night of a heart attack.
Just a year ago, around this time, my family's close friend, Chris Geiger, passed away suddenly from a heart attack. Both men complained of fatige and their left shoulder hurting. No one realized these were signs of a heart attack. Chris left behind a ten year old son, a sixteen year old daughter, and an eighteen year old son, two ex-wives and a girlfriend.
Mr. Smith was a very dear person, invovled in drama up to his teeth, and carried a deep passion for photography, the leader of the extremely talented and active photography club. He loved his wife, and took care of his sick mother, who lived with them. Each room of his house was a different theme, and he even had a secret garden. He made sure each child in his glass enjoyed themselves, three of his walls held bookshelves covered in books, even some stacked on top. He had sayings from political figures around his room, and expetly done photographs of his students aligning the upper walls. He saw a lot of the world, more than a lot of people. He bent over backwards to make his students pass, and he refused to fail anyone. His heart was so big he never seemed to stop loving his students.
He had two microwaves in his room, which any student was allowed to use. But not at the same time, since he also had a line of computers, a projector and other electronics going he didn't want to blow the circuts of school. He often brought popcorn and told us to 'help yourselves'.
Every morning he read us the Darwin Awards and finished with "Behavior has consiquences", he made a speech going into winter break about how he loved us, and he cared for us and he prayed every night that we were safe, and we would never become a Darwin Award winner. That we would watch out for ourselves and our friends, and realize that behavior has consequences.
He was one of my favorite teachers. His class was easy, but he did that so everyone could pass and graduate. He always came to our rehersals a few days before the show and took pictures, putting them together for a slide show for his classes and handing them out to the students that were in them afterward. He helped Josh and I print out pictures of the leads in our last play to hang in the display case, and was planning on doing this again for our musical. Free of charge.
Drama always had our first cast party at his house, where he would, out of his own pocket, buy us hamburgers and hotdogs, buns and grill them for everyone. He became an honorary thespian during one of those parties due to his constant participation in our variety shows, where he sang songs each year. He had a marvelous voice. He was always so happy, and nothing seemed to get him down. On a student's eighteenth, he would pick up his bugle and blow as hard as he could, his face turning red and his cheeks puffing out, the bugle barely making a sound. Then he'd hand the student a voter's registration. He placed the future in our hands, and we have that now to look forward to.
Mr. Smith was a great teacher, who loved and loved and gave and gave. He will be sorely missed. I can speak for most his students, and definately the drama department, we love you Mr. Smith, and we'll never forget you. I pray for your family, and for your friends. You've touched a lot of people's lives, and we thank you for that. Goodbye, but not forever farewell.
Just a year ago, around this time, my family's close friend, Chris Geiger, passed away suddenly from a heart attack. Both men complained of fatige and their left shoulder hurting. No one realized these were signs of a heart attack. Chris left behind a ten year old son, a sixteen year old daughter, and an eighteen year old son, two ex-wives and a girlfriend.
Mr. Smith was a very dear person, invovled in drama up to his teeth, and carried a deep passion for photography, the leader of the extremely talented and active photography club. He loved his wife, and took care of his sick mother, who lived with them. Each room of his house was a different theme, and he even had a secret garden. He made sure each child in his glass enjoyed themselves, three of his walls held bookshelves covered in books, even some stacked on top. He had sayings from political figures around his room, and expetly done photographs of his students aligning the upper walls. He saw a lot of the world, more than a lot of people. He bent over backwards to make his students pass, and he refused to fail anyone. His heart was so big he never seemed to stop loving his students.
He had two microwaves in his room, which any student was allowed to use. But not at the same time, since he also had a line of computers, a projector and other electronics going he didn't want to blow the circuts of school. He often brought popcorn and told us to 'help yourselves'.
Every morning he read us the Darwin Awards and finished with "Behavior has consiquences", he made a speech going into winter break about how he loved us, and he cared for us and he prayed every night that we were safe, and we would never become a Darwin Award winner. That we would watch out for ourselves and our friends, and realize that behavior has consequences.
He was one of my favorite teachers. His class was easy, but he did that so everyone could pass and graduate. He always came to our rehersals a few days before the show and took pictures, putting them together for a slide show for his classes and handing them out to the students that were in them afterward. He helped Josh and I print out pictures of the leads in our last play to hang in the display case, and was planning on doing this again for our musical. Free of charge.
Drama always had our first cast party at his house, where he would, out of his own pocket, buy us hamburgers and hotdogs, buns and grill them for everyone. He became an honorary thespian during one of those parties due to his constant participation in our variety shows, where he sang songs each year. He had a marvelous voice. He was always so happy, and nothing seemed to get him down. On a student's eighteenth, he would pick up his bugle and blow as hard as he could, his face turning red and his cheeks puffing out, the bugle barely making a sound. Then he'd hand the student a voter's registration. He placed the future in our hands, and we have that now to look forward to.
Mr. Smith was a great teacher, who loved and loved and gave and gave. He will be sorely missed. I can speak for most his students, and definately the drama department, we love you Mr. Smith, and we'll never forget you. I pray for your family, and for your friends. You've touched a lot of people's lives, and we thank you for that. Goodbye, but not forever farewell.