That's a great list,
CaliNative! I never knew about John Williams(!!), of whom I am a
huge fan.
I just checked this list:
Notable alumni
... and realized that I personally knew two of the people on it:
Brent Fischer, from whom I took music lessons, and porn star
Christy Canyon (who I knew by her real name, Missy Bardizbanian). I
kind of knew
Molly Ringwald (I actually knew her brother, Kelly), and while I used to see her at NHHS all the time, she's not on that list for some reason.
I attended NHHS in the eighties, and most of the names on your list don't ring a bell with me. However, I
clearly remember
Mr. Kazanznak, who I had for homeroom.
I'll admit, I came to be not particularly fond of him. He had a previous student named
Kirk, who apparently was a real troublemaker. I guess I physically resembled Kirk, as it quickly became apparent that Mr. Kazanznak actually thought that I
was Kirk.
From the very first day I entered his classroom, Mr. Kazanznak would make it a point to harass and embarrass me in front of the entire homeroom class - all because he thought I was some guy named Kirk.
He'd say things to me like
“How are you going to screw up my class today, Kirk?” Sometimes he would greet me with
“I know it's asking a lot, but try not to be a total jackass today, Kirk!” And when he'd give us a stack of papers to take one and pass the others back, he'd say
“You think your simple mind can handle such a complex task, Kirk?” And then the entire class would laugh at me.
I told him
over and over again that I was
NOT Kirk, but it never stuck. He'd mumble
“oh yeah, sorry” - and three days later he'd start up with the “Kirk” insults again.
I was a shy, quiet student who never made a peep, so I could never understand how Mr. Kazanznak could repeatedly mistake me for some loud rabble rouser/class disrupter.
I complained about this to my counselor so many times that she finally switched me to another homeroom. Believe me, I rejoiced at her decision - it's not easy being in a class where the teacher routinely makes a public mockery out of you because he thinks you're somebody else.
My apologies for not having a more pleasant memory of the man,
CaliNative. I know it sounds like I'm carrying a chip on my shoulder but honestly, I haven't even thought of this stuff for ten or twenty years.
I attended Walter Reed, it was such a beautiful school. Lots of good memories there, too!
And I'm still best friends with a guy I met there in eighth grade!