The morning after I retired from the military, I started working for a company called Xeta Corporation. It is called a beltway bandit company and wrote tech manuals for the govt. I wrote one on the Mark 40 , recoverable training torpedo. (Guess that makes me the expert. I wrote maintenance steps, specs, etc. I think we have one copy of the manual somewhere around the house. naturally since it is a govt. publication, paid for by the govt., my name appears no where on it.
While doing this job, I was offered a teaching position at a local high school, General Lackey HS. I started teaching Air and Space science to 9th graders, but eventually moved over to Biology for 10th graders and even tried my hand at chemistry once, but was not totally qualified for this, so I went back to biology. While at Lackey, I coached the Soccer JV team because Frank wanted to play soccer and they had no coach. Since I had played soccer while in the boy scouts in my younger days, I deicded I would be better than no coach. As it turned out, I had several very successful years as a soccer coach. (11 winning seasons, one losing season and two 500% seasons).
Frank became the best goalie I had in all my tenure as a soccer coach. One year I moved half my team up to varsity during the year and still maintained a winning season. I also tried my hand at coaching tennis. Although I had the top girl in the county, I could never garner enough wins to have a great season.
Upon retiring from Lackey, I got bored within a month and started doing some substitute teaching at a middle school. I was getting 65 dollars a day and was working everyday, so I figured I might as well get full pay if that was going to happen. I; therefore, applied to a neighboring county for a full time teaching position. I quickly had about 6 or 7 calls and decided on a middle school called Benjamin Stoddert Middle School, in Prince George's County. I chose this school because it was new, I was impressed with the principal (who was promoted to a HS before I arrived to start teaching there). Mom was impressed because when I went for my interview there were kids outside (this is summer and school is closed for summer) trimming the bushes, raking, etc. She did not realize that these middle school kids were on work release from local jail.
This school housed 6, 7 and 8 th grade. I was hired to teach 8th grade science, but on my arrival at the school was told I would be teaching 6th grade science. Great new school, beautiful lab set up, however no books and a lack of supplies gave me the message real quick that this could be a difficult assignment. However, the school year began with about 8 rooms empty of teachers. So I grabbed the opportunity to switch to 6th grade math.(They actually had textbooks). The first day of teaching math I knew I was in for a challenge. I called one student to the chalkboard, while explaining intervals, and asked her to put her finger on the number 4. She stood there. I figured she didn't hear me. So I repeated my instruction. She continued to stand there. I came to a realization that she did could not recognize the numbers. I immediately knew my teaching math to the level required on the county exam would be a challenge. I guess I should have realized what the school would be like when my wallet was stolen on my first day (before students came to school) and the only people in the bldg. were teachers and custodial staff. when I called police to report it, I had the joy of learning they did not even come to the school to talk to me. Now having said all that, I had the real pleasure of having one of the best students I had ever had the pleasure to teach. This young lady was so good that at the end of the year, I had her jumped past 7th grade and directly to 8th grade. (Thank you Maya). We also got her a transfer to a better school.
After 4 years of this, I decided it was time to pull the plug again and become retiree first class, full time.
In 1984, I became the presiding officer of my Masonic lodge and in 1985 I began my climb to the highest male office in the state with the International Order of Job's Daughters, Associate Grand Guardian. During my 17 years with the IOJD, I ran several Bethels and managed to increase the membership in each. From May 1997 until May 1998 I had 24 Bethels throughout the state; with approximatelt 450 active girls. I was also given the keys to Alantic City by the Mayor in honor of my work with the IOJD and our relationship witht he city. We were involved with many charitable organziations and heavily supported teh Hearing Impaired Kids Endowment fund and gave free medical examx and free hearing aids to many deseving children. At this time, the Masonic fraternity was giving approxiamately 3 million a day in chartiy, 365 days a year and through their Scottish Rite organization, of which I am a 32 degree member, created language disorder labs, and financed hospitals for burned children,at no costs to the childen.
This is my picture as Worshipful Master.
About the same time, I finally got my dream car. Notice the real me, dungarees, plaid shirt, cowboy hat, and boots.
Any events from this period on, and any happenings with our children or with her and I are covered in Joanne's bioghraphy, and in a much better manner that I could write.
Additional pictures
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