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lostnfound

(16,714 posts)
138. Algebra 2, analytic geometry, literature, all science except labs, Mr Bechtel's history class
Tue Nov 5, 2024, 07:32 AM
Nov 5

Last edited Tue Nov 5, 2024, 06:53 PM - Edit history (1)

Mr Bechtel was a funny, wiry, wry fomer-dog-handler who survived Vietnam who accepted additions to his plant collection in lieu of demerits.
He told us the truth, made history exciting, and took an interest in each one of us. He’d give a conspiratorial nod before he’d tell us some reality (like about being a dog handler in Vietnam) and he’d mutter something like ‘that’s about as far as i can go and keep my job’ at our catholic high school.
He seemed puzzled that I chose engineering but suggested i take a look at LeHigh.
I did not normally like history (usually nothing but dates and wars, wasn’t it then?), but I loved his class, and his words have stuck clearly in my mind for 45 years. I suspect the interest in history that developed later had its origins there.

Recommendations

1 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Art, concert choir, theater, German language, English, history. LiberalLoner Nov 4 #1
Thank you LiberalLoner, Great list of subjects debm55 Nov 4 #2
German - impressive MaryMagdaline Nov 4 #59
I was fascinated with the language. Took three years in High School. Never was fluent though, LiberalLoner Nov 4 #109
Geometry, History and Civics anciano Nov 4 #3
Thank you anciano, Very good choices debm55 Nov 4 #6
Band Basso8vb Nov 4 #4
Thank you Basso8vb Excellent debm55 Nov 4 #7
Chorus oberle Nov 4 #23
Thank you very much oberle, And congratulations on seeing your life's goal. debm55 Nov 4 #24
Band is probably the toughest job a kid can have MaryMagdaline Nov 4 #61
Thank you MaryMagdaline. debm55 Nov 4 #115
Band was my favorite class in HS and college. TomSlick Nov 4 #99
Thank you TomSlick debm55 Nov 4 #116
Geometry/Math. Scored perfect in math on the SATs. OLDMDDEM Nov 4 #5
Thank you OLDMDDEM, Did you go into a math field? debm55 Nov 4 #9
I became an accountant. OLDMDDEM Nov 4 #13
Thank you debm55 Nov 4 #16
I'm jealous! Math was tough for me MaryMagdaline Nov 4 #60
I loathed high school with the intensity of a thousand suns. Ocelot II Nov 4 #8
Thank you Ocelot II I never took choir but I did take art. Loved it debm55 Nov 4 #10
None. I hated high school CanonRay Nov 4 #11
Thank you CanonRay I know the feeling debm55 Nov 4 #17
Lunch. n/t malthaussen Nov 4 #12
Hahaha Thanks Mal. debm55 Nov 4 #18
Wood shop, Geometry, Chemistry were my favorites IbogaProject Nov 4 #14
Thank you very much IbogaProject. I liked Spanish I but just could get used to Spanish II debm55 Nov 4 #19
We in HS were dragged into going to a different school for a semester 1x wk for Typing. Uggggh! 😄 electric_blue68 Nov 4 #97
Mine was a dusty room upstairs IbogaProject Nov 4 #101
Ohhh! The one time I got excited about typing was in Art College. Got to try an IBM Selectric first time! And why.... electric_blue68 Nov 4 #104
Ah IbogaProject Nov 4 #105
Ohhh, that's pretty cool! The days of Whiteout - begone! Hated that smell! electric_blue68 Nov 4 #108
electric_blue68 Thank you . debm55 Nov 4 #114
I loved Algebra. cyndensco Nov 4 #15
l agree, though I liked Algebra II better then Algebra I debm55 Nov 4 #20
Drafting and geometry discntnt_irny_srcsm Nov 4 #21
Thank you very much. discntnt_irny_srcsm debm55 Nov 4 #25
I inherited a beautiful German made set of ink compasses w extenders, straight inkers from my mom. electric_blue68 Nov 4 #100
debm55..... Upthevibe Nov 4 #22
Thank you very much Upthevibe. debm55 Nov 4 #26
English, Journalism, Art Silver Gaia Nov 4 #27
Thank you very much. Silver Gaia. debm55 Nov 4 #30
Geometry and french.... Karadeniz Nov 4 #28
Thank you Karadeniz. Very good debm55 Nov 4 #31
All the shop classes, phy Ed, History. yourout Nov 4 #29
Thank you, youroutl I would have loved to take wood shop. Girls were not allowed. debm55 Nov 4 #33
Choir was #1 Jilly_in_VA Nov 4 #32
Thank you Jilly_in_VA Shame on that teacher. debm55 Nov 4 #34
Art was the only class I liked. Diamond_Dog Nov 4 #35
Same here. I was very good in the other classes , but I had my three favorites. debm55 Nov 4 #39
French, English Literature, History of WWI and II Vegan4life Nov 4 #36
Thank you Vegan4Life. you had a great selection to select from. debm55 Nov 4 #40
Math, history, and science duncang Nov 4 #37
Thank you duncand. Great choices. debm55 Nov 4 #41
Homeroom, study hall and lunch. Emile Nov 4 #38
Oh you HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHHHHAH. Thank you Emile debm55 Nov 4 #42
I had fun in woodshop and enjoyed typing and bookkeeping TommieMommy Nov 4 #43
Thank you TommieMommy. I so wanted to take woodshop. Not allowed. I took drafting and really liked it. debm55 Nov 4 #45
I'm surprised they let a girl take woodshop back in the 60's I also took drafting. That was interesting TommieMommy Nov 4 #62
My sis has a low retangular stained black wooden stool our dad made in woodshop! If he made it around ?1934 it's like... electric_blue68 Nov 4 #102
History and Home Ec. sinkingfeeling Nov 4 #44
Thank you very much sinkingfeeling. debm55 Nov 4 #46
art, history. pansypoo53219 Nov 4 #47
Thank you pansypoo53219 Great choices. debm55 Nov 4 #48
English Lit, Geography/Geology, History. Polly Hennessey Nov 4 #49
Thank you Polly Hennessey. I loved to diagram too. It made English fun for me. debm55 Nov 4 #50
Biology, German, and band. 3catwoman3 Nov 4 #51
Thank you very much, 3catmoman3. debm55 Nov 4 #52
None. Island Blue Nov 4 #53
I agree. I hated High School but there were certain classes I really enjoyed. Student experience for me was terrible. I debm55 Nov 4 #56
History, english and math. redstatebluegirl Nov 4 #54
Thank you redstatenbluegirl Great choices. debm55 Nov 4 #63
I was always the nerd the jocks sought out for redstatebluegirl Nov 4 #70
Same here. I should have asked for money to turtor. But was looking for a date. I was good at all subjects. Ranked 30th debm55 Nov 4 #72
Chemistry, biology and geometry rockbluff botanist Nov 4 #55
Love your choices. Did it help with you life 's career? debm55 Nov 4 #64
History, political science, English, Spanish MaryMagdaline Nov 4 #57
Thank you MaryMagdaline. Excellent choices. debm55 Nov 4 #65
Biology, social studies/history, French BaronChocula Nov 4 #58
Thank you BaronChocula. Great choices. debm55 Nov 4 #66
I excelled in life science, vocabulary and Niagara Nov 4 #67
You are so much fun. that;s why i love you. debm55 Nov 4 #68
messing with clay. AllaN01Bear Nov 4 #69
Thank you AllaN01Bear. Did you use the wheel or hand built? debm55 Nov 4 #73
both. AllaN01Bear Nov 4 #77
I could never get the wheel correct, debm55 Nov 4 #84
even when i was in colege because of my fused back , i could never do the wheel at al :( AllaN01Bear Nov 4 #86
What's tile? electric_blue68 Nov 4 #89
ceramic tile . AllaN01Bear Nov 4 #90
Oh, of course! 😄 Got it. 👍 electric_blue68 Nov 4 #103
!!!!! AllaN01Bear Nov 4 #107
Thank you so much.Bear. debm55 Nov 4 #118
I can't remember whether we had wheels. If we did they were in a corner. Not sure, bc not sure they were used in our... electric_blue68 Nov 4 #106
I'm Sure This Won't Surprise Anyone ProfessorGAC Nov 4 #71
I always thought you would like music. I knew with your background you would like science and math. debm55 Nov 4 #74
Never Had A Music Class ProfessorGAC Nov 4 #75
Are you self taught? debm55 Nov 4 #81
No, I'm Not ProfessorGAC Nov 4 #87
Thank you ProfessorGAC debm55 Nov 4 #119
Drama and Choir and English Gaytano70 Nov 4 #76
Thank you Gaytano70 debm55 Nov 4 #82
Nerd Alert!!! Chemistry, physics, biology. MMBeilis Nov 4 #78
HAHAHHAha. Thank you MMBeilis debm55 Nov 4 #120
Deb - This is one of your best. Look at all of the replies! Art, geometry and drafting (!) are all great and all..... MMBeilis Nov 5 #180
History and English JoseBalow Nov 4 #79
Mine too BlueKota Nov 4 #130
Thank you BlueKota. debm55 Nov 5 #158
Thank you JoseBalow debm55 Nov 5 #156
My favorite were a couple of Anatomy & Physiology courses MichMan Nov 4 #80
I took a couple of anatomy classes too. We did the shark, fetal pig and the cat. I hated to do the cat.At that time, I debm55 Nov 4 #83
Thank you MichMan debm55 Nov 4 #121
Algebra for me. MiKenMi33 Nov 4 #85
Thank you MikenMi33 debm55 Nov 5 #157
Science and English. nt Laffy Kat Nov 4 #88
Thank you Laffy Kat. debm55 Nov 5 #159
Art and science, especially biology n/t TexasBushwhacker Nov 4 #91
Thsnk you very much, TexasBushwhacher. debm55 Nov 5 #160
Science and history. Elessar Zappa Nov 4 #92
Thank you Elessar Zappa debm55 Nov 5 #161
Mostly Science, particularly Chemistry Trailrider1951 Nov 4 #93
Thank you Trailrider1951 for your post. debm55 Nov 5 #162
History followed by biology n/t sarge43 Nov 4 #94
Thank you very much sarge43 debm55 Nov 5 #163
Art Classes. History. Student Demonstrations. electric_blue68 Nov 4 #95
Thank you for that great post, electric_blue68 It was great reading. debm55 Nov 5 #165
Ty electric_blue68 Nov 5 #171
Was Drafting an elective? electric_blue68 Nov 4 #96
I n my school it was only if you were not in that tract. My HS was set up along the lines of a college. debm55 Nov 5 #166
Math arkielib Nov 4 #98
Thank you very much arkielib. debm55 Nov 5 #168
English grammar synni Nov 4 #110
Thank you , synni debm55 Nov 4 #112
History, English, Latin and... Captain Zero Nov 4 #111
Thank you very much Captain Zero debm55 Nov 5 #169
English and Spanish Bristlecone Nov 4 #113
Thank you very much Bristlecone. debm55 Nov 5 #167
English - my Teachers were sooo good at their jobs. Algebra was actually fun and so was Choir. dai13sy Nov 4 #117
Thank you dai13y.Great/ debm55 Nov 4 #124
I absolutely loved Geometry. qwlauren35 Nov 4 #122
Thank you, wish you luck. debm55 Nov 4 #123
Smoking weed, skipping school and getting suspended ismnotwasm Nov 4 #125
Thank you ismnotwash. debm55 Nov 5 #154
Do you mean besides "girls "? Enter stage left Nov 4 #126
HAHAHAHHAHha. Thank you Enter stage left. debm55 Nov 5 #153
English Literature. n/t whathehell Nov 4 #127
Thank you very much. whatthehell. debm55 Nov 5 #151
You're welcome, Deb whathehell Nov 5 #164
All science and math classes WestMichRad Nov 4 #128
Thank you WestMichRad. That is very true. debm55 Nov 5 #150
History and English BlueKota Nov 4 #129
Thank you bery much BlueKota. debm55 Nov 5 #149
History. LoisB Nov 4 #131
Thank you LoisB. debm55 Nov 5 #148
The same as yours Figarosmom Nov 4 #132
Wow. Very, very like me. I made my own clothing too. I worked for the Defense Department using AutoCAD for two years. debm55 Nov 5 #147
English and orchestra northoftheborder Nov 4 #133
Thank you very much northoftheborder. debm55 Nov 5 #146
English and Home Ec. madaboutharry Nov 4 #134
Thank you very much. madaboutharry. I always wanted to knit. I had Home Ec in 7,8,and 9 grade, It was an elective in HS debm55 Nov 5 #145
Literature, English, and history radical noodle Nov 4 #135
Terrific choices. Thank you radical noodle. debm55 Nov 5 #144
Math, physics, and Spanish TlalocW Nov 5 #136
Thank you very much, TialocW, You are very smart debm55 Nov 5 #143
Drafting Rigpa108 Nov 5 #137
Thank you Rippa 108. I really enjoyed it. It has changed in many ways. I used the AutoCAD when I took off two years from debm55 Nov 5 #142
Algebra 2, analytic geometry, literature, all science except labs, Mr Bechtel's history class lostnfound Nov 5 #138
thank you losnfound, Whay a beautiful post about Mr Bechtel, Thank you for sharing you HS classes you enjoyed, debm55 Nov 5 #139
English, Art, Drama Mad_Dem_X Nov 5 #140
Thank you Mad_Dem_X I hated PE also. debm55 Nov 5 #141
I'm lousy at ALL sports! Mad_Dem_X Nov 5 #174
I'm an outlier Aviation Pro Nov 5 #152
Thank you very much, Aviation Pro. debm55 Nov 5 #155
History exboyfil Nov 5 #170
Thank you exboyfil It's because you are talented and a good student debm55 Nov 5 #172
History, Drama, Literature, Social Studies. (n/t) OldBaldy1701E Nov 5 #173
History Sequoia Nov 5 #175
History and Journalism greymattermom Nov 5 #176
Art, Music, and English Onthefly Nov 5 #177
Band with marching band RickHworth Nov 5 #178
Art, Theatre Arts, English Wicked Blue Nov 5 #179
English, History and Theater hedda_foil Nov 5 #181
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