A few days ago on the
Internet I learned John Stockmyer had died a year ago last month. He was a history professor of mine from the
1960s. The last time I saw him was about
15 years ago at a restaurant near River Front in Kansas City not far from Maple Woods
Community College. I think it was a
departmental retirement dinner, but Mr. Stockmyer was sitting with another man
close by. Even after all those years I
still recognized him. I told my boss,
“That’s Mr. Stockmyer, my old history teacher.”
I had to pay my respects, so I went over and introduced myself as one of
his former students at Metropolitan Junior College. (I also told him I was writing a book.) He looked embarrassed by my compliments and when
I returned to my table, I heard him quietly tell his friend, “He’s one of
mine.” I get a little misty when I think
about it.
The first time I saw
John G. Stockmyer in 1969 I thought he was one of us. He had that rare gift of looking many years
younger than he actually was, especially with his boyish mischievous smile. After the bell rang he closed the door,
unbuttoned his cuffs, and rolled up his sleeves. He didn’t look like a history teacher, at least the ones I
endured at Westport High School like Dave Morton, the TV weatherman who gave me
an “I” in Colonial History which I deserved.
Nor did Mr. Stockmyer look or sound like Mr. Naismith at Metropolitan
Jr. College in Kansas City – very pleasant, but uninspiring. History to me meant just another teacher
moonlighting from coaching basketball.
Things were not going well.
In the fall semester of 1968 I had withdrawn from a five hour course,
General College Chemistry that kicked my behind in more than one way. Fortunately, the instructor, who looked and
sounded like Ben Stein (Clear Eyes), gave me a “Withdrawal Passing” grade which
left me with just 12 hours that semester and eliminated my student deferment in
1968 the year of the Tet Offensive. Mr.
Stockmyer’s Early World Civilization, also a five hour course, got me back on
track with a “B” and actually convinced me to make my major History and Art my
minor.
In thinking about it after all these years, Mr. Stockmyer was the right man at the right time for me. With his unconventional ways of teaching, he made history fun and better still, he made it doable; you could pass a seemingly boring subject. I remember the silver Greek Drachma he used to pass around on “Things and Stuff” day which was every Wednesday. With a gleam in his eye, he’d say something like, “Shriek, Shriek, Chuckle, Chuckle . . . We’re going to learn about the Pink Power of Pergamon today.” He was also known for his Time Machine which I don’t remember. He made history come alive because he incorporated all the senses, at least those that can be. From the Internet I’ve read Mr. Stockmyer was the best history teacher in the United States. For me, he certainly lit the spark and fed the flame.
