Throwback Thursday: Teacher Edition – Michael Withers

This Throwback Thursday features beloved history teacher, Mr. Withers, as he shares his greatest memories of high school.

What high school did you attend?

I attended Del Oro High School in Loomis, CA.

What clique/group of friends did you fit into?

I guess I fit into an anti-establishment type of group. In fact, I had a continuing column in our school newspaper (back when they were actually published on paper), in which I often challenged stereotypes and the hypocrisy of cliques. My friends tended to be excellent students (more than me) with a wide range of interests.

What was your most memorable thing you have done with your friends?

One great memory was that several of my friends were also on newspaper staff and we won several awards at a regional competition judged by professional journalists. Outside of school, we had great times boating/water skiing at a nearby lake.

What type of music did you listen to and what are the 5 essential songs of your high school career?

I listened to a wide range of music , but in keeping with my world view at the time I liked songs such as “Kodachrome” by Paul Simon, “B*tch is Back” by Elton John, “Evil Woman” by ELO, Jesus Christ Superstar cast album…there are a lot more depended on my mood.

What did you aspire to be and why?

I wanted to go into writing as I felt I had a knack for it and was encouraged by peers (I was not encouraged by my father though, who paid my college tuition), but I always loved history and thought it might be fun to teach.

What was your favorite article of clothing and why?

Clothing? Nothing memorable here, except I tended to avoid fads. Clothing was mostly hideous at the time!

Favorite subject? What type of student were you? How did you used to study for important things (if you did studied)?

Favorite subjects were history and journalism (and one English class because of the teacher), though for some reason I loved chemistry—I even was a teaching assistant. I was a pretty dedicated student; however, it took me a while to figure out how to really study successfully. My grades were pretty low until the end of my junior year. Writing and organizing notes for tests, as well as participating in small study groups really paid off.

What was prom like? Did you enjoy it? How did you ask your date to prom?

Prom was a lot of fun, basically because we snuck a buddy in who didn’t have a date and no one discovered it. I went with my girlfriend.Actually, asking her to the Homecoming dance in the fall was the nerve-wrecking challenge.