George Codrea, RIP
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/01/AR2006060101988.html
Mr. Codrea was one of my favorite high school teachers. I had him for both government and economics classes. He was smart, mature, sharp and enthusiastic. He did not treat us like children. I liked him a lot. It wasn't the usual namby-pamby rote learning. We were allowed to think and to discuss.
He only casually mentioned his military service. I was unaware of just how colorful it had been. Now I wish I'd heard more from him. What an extraordinary time! (I can add two footnotes: He once was assigned to the detail guarding the presidential yacht. He talked about Truman staying up late at night with his cronies out there playing poker. The second is that somehow a discussion of dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima had come up in class. One student was arguing his disagreement with the decision, and Mr Codrea quietly said that he'd been assigned to the assault company of the assault regiment of the assault division scheduled for the invasion of the home islands of Japan. It was a virtual death sentence, one only avoided by the surrender of the emperor and his fellow criminals. Remarkable.)
As I'd said, I'd really enjoyed his classes, and a couple days after graduation I went up to the school to drop by and let him know that and thank him. We had a very nice chat. I'm so glad that I did that (and have done so with other favored teachers and profs) - it was the last time I ever saw him. A very nice guy and an excellent teacher.
Mr. Codrea was one of my favorite high school teachers. I had him for both government and economics classes. He was smart, mature, sharp and enthusiastic. He did not treat us like children. I liked him a lot. It wasn't the usual namby-pamby rote learning. We were allowed to think and to discuss.
He only casually mentioned his military service. I was unaware of just how colorful it had been. Now I wish I'd heard more from him. What an extraordinary time! (I can add two footnotes: He once was assigned to the detail guarding the presidential yacht. He talked about Truman staying up late at night with his cronies out there playing poker. The second is that somehow a discussion of dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima had come up in class. One student was arguing his disagreement with the decision, and Mr Codrea quietly said that he'd been assigned to the assault company of the assault regiment of the assault division scheduled for the invasion of the home islands of Japan. It was a virtual death sentence, one only avoided by the surrender of the emperor and his fellow criminals. Remarkable.)
As I'd said, I'd really enjoyed his classes, and a couple days after graduation I went up to the school to drop by and let him know that and thank him. We had a very nice chat. I'm so glad that I did that (and have done so with other favored teachers and profs) - it was the last time I ever saw him. A very nice guy and an excellent teacher.
posted by mendip at
3:28 PM
1 Comments:
I second that. He was a great teacher. Sometimes the conversations in class (American government) would veer into the political - while I know his views and mine were at least in some ways quite opposite, he was always open and respectful in listening to other views and expressing his own. A classy guy.
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Anonymous, at 4:19 PM
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