Eddie Whitlock's Blog: Reader and Writer - Posts Tagged "school"

For some reason, I thought of one of my high school teachers this morning, someone I hadn't thought of in quite a while.

My father insisted that I take Business Math and Business Law in high school. Both were lower level classes, designed for folks who weren't likely to go to college. Too bad. I learned a lot from both classes that would help any person transition into adulthood.

The teacher for these classes was a fellow named Henry Maddox.

Mr. Maddox was too old to be teaching, I think. I say that now as someone who is 53 and has come to realize that teaching is a high-energy job. I don't know what had happened to Mr. Maddox to make him have to be a classroom teacher at his age.

He was a good teacher, though. I remember that he struggled to find someone in our class who could read aloud. Since I could, he called on me a lot. He would laugh when I did my fake news anchor voice.

I didn't really give him another thought after the classes were over.

My grandmother lived in Senoia, Georgia. She told me that Mr. Maddox had been the mayor there at some point. I think she told me that when she told me that he had committed suicide.

He had driven to his parents' grave site in Senoia and killed himself.

I found myself thinking about him this morning though I don't know why. He was a bald old man with thick glasses and a sweater and not a lot of energy, but he did what he needed to do for as long as he could.

I guess that's what we all do.