Mr. Jackson was the only teacher who told me never to take any more math classes -- ever -- after watching me and my closeted dyscalculia struggle through Algebra II and Geometry. I'm grateful for that to this very day. I think of him when I hear myself say: "Okay, let's kill two stones with one bird."

He wasn't my favorite teacher, but he was by far the best in the sense that he told me the truth about my "disability" with numbers. I think he'd be very pleased that I a) took his advice; b) successfully managed the inventory and payroll of a $1,000,000 store without ever using Math. (That's why God made excel); and c) came to realise that a hard-earned failure is worth far more in this world than the easiest success.

I wish that I'd gotten to thank him.

Lisa

Mr. Jackson was my favorite teacher by far. I was blessed to have him all four years. He gave me my introduction to computers which led me to become a computer programmer.

The things that I remember are: "killing two rocks with one bird" and "going fishing". Whenever he was going to be gone, he always said that he was going fishing. One time, I helped him carry some boxes out to his car and his trunk was full of fishing gear. When I commented on it, he said, "That's nothing. You should see what I have on the boat." All along I had just assumed that "going fishing" was just a way of telling us to mind our own business. I'm sure that it was, at least partly anyway.

One day as class was about to start, for some reason the class just wouldn't settle down and got louder and louder. Finally, Mr. Jackson yelled "SHUT UP". It was the only time that I ever saw him lose his cool. It made quite an impression on all of us but we certainly deserved it.

Kevin May
Class of 81

Mr.Jackson retired to the Lake Tenkiller area where he can fish whenever the mood strikes. Parents saw him this past winter in town and they caught up with one another. He stays very active with local activities. Mom said he might have said something about having a webpage.
LaNell Whatley '79 (my dad taught with Mr.J from the late 60s to mid 80s)

First of all, Kevin May, how have you been? Gotten sloshed with any underage girls in Hong Kong lately? (ok that was a lonnnngggg time ago) I would have to say that my favorite teacher was Mike Kimrey. Although I loved all the teachers in the English wing....I admired her so much that anything that she said to me made a huge impact. She told me once that I had "charisma" and I about fainted. She always shot straight with me, including telling me when I was sliding. Wise woman.