User talk:DanInKtown

The early 1950s were a completely different time. New Utrecht's large, excellent faculty mostly was made up of 2nd and 3rd generation American teachers, whose ethnicity reflected the Bensonhurst and Boro Park neighborhoods that then were in New Utrecht's district. Sprinkled among the faculty were some teachers from families who were in America many generations longer. Two of the sprinkled-in teachers helped to lay the foundation of my career as an engineer.

Mrs. Gloria Adams, my Geometry teacher was one of two African American teachers then at New Utrecht. My debt to Mrs. Adams' skill as a teacher is obvious. Less obvious, but a greater debt, is how Mrs. Adams' example proved that some things I had been taught by my family were lies. (The second African American teacher at New Utrecht taught girls' Health Education and I never met her.)

Miss Alice C. Grant was an exceptional teacher, but my career's debt to her is less obvious. To my knowledge, at various times Miss Grant chaired New Utrecht's Latin, Hebrew, and German Departments. Miss Grant also taught Elementary Algebra. Many years later, when I took a graduate Computer Concepts course, I discovered that the first engineering courses I had ever taken were Miss Grant's second and third year Latin courses.

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