McCollum High School - Wrangler Yearbook (San Antonio, TX)

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Those Who Teach Lesson plans in by Friday . . . grade 5th periodas papers . . . I can't let that boy in 3rd period fall asleep again ...So many things to do . . . Isnlt it 3:30 yet? . . . Do I remember saying I wanted to be a teacher? . . . Maybe I had a reason . . . Wait,he,s gettingit . . . he understands . . . he knows what I mean! . . . I taught him something he didn't know before! . . . Yes, I remember saying I wanted to be a teacher! . . . I am a teacher!

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Close-up of the Principal Mr. Pat Shannon was born in Tilden, Texas. He at- tended Southwest Texas State College in San Marcos. Through the years he received positions in several area high schools and became principal of McCollum in 1967. His most notable years until that time were the nine spent as coach at Thomas Jefferson High School. While he was there, seventy-four boys received football scholarships and more boys from Jefferson were playing major college football than from any other high school in the country. Other successes in his coaching career included nine football district championships, a two-time All-Ameri- can, a number one Pro draft choice, and more boys playing in the Texas High School All-Star game than any other San Antonio coach. Mr. Shannon is active in community affairs. He is president of Phi Delta Kappa, national honorary edu- cation fraternity, retains membership in all his profes- sional associations, is a Mason and a member of Perfect Union No. 10 AF 84 Am, Scottish Rite Consistory, Alzafar Shrine. Mr. Shannon is a man of strong convictions. He knows exactly what he believes in and why. His con- victions and his firm stand on matters of school policy and discipline, are not always easy and not always pop- ular, so he frequently finds himself on the Hring line. He's youthful. . . he's vital . . . he's an exceptionally strong administrator. Some of the thinking that makes up the man that is William Patrick Shannon is revealed in the following interview, taped in November. Repre- senting the Wrangler is Jeanette Gonzalez. Jeanette: We know you were a successful football coach before you became principal, and it takes more than luck to win games and turn out top ranking collegiate and pro play- ers. What was your formula? Mr. Shannon: Thank you for remembering my days as a foot- ball coach. It was without question the most important thing in my life for many many years. I've often called it the jea- lous woman in my life. It completely dominated me. I loved what I was doing, let absolutely nothing interfere with it, had a great desire to succeed, and, of course, had great people to work with. It is difficult to put this down in a few words. I think we could probably visit about it for days. As a start, let me say that whatever success we may have en- joyed resulted from a team effort from our coaches and players alike. It was a we and Hour endeavor Cnot I and my J. We made every effort to become as knowledge- able in the field as it was possible to be. It was most impor- tant to us, and our boys never questioned this, and as are- sult, to some degree, it became important to them. We kept what we were doing simple and purposeful. We played the best teams in the state of Texas because we felt that we gould never be the best without having competed against the est. Jeanette: Does this same formula apply to leading a high school? What is your philosophy of education? Mr. Shannon: Yes, I think it does. I've never had any desire to be the second best principal in the country. I've always had great respect for the successful man who knows what he wants to do and does it. Being first has been an obsession in my life, and I enjoy what I'm doing. I miss, of course, the good things about coaching, but not the losing. However, being principal is becoming most enjoyable and rewarding. It's another race to run. You ask my philosophy of education. It's very simple. I believe the basic responsibility of all parents is to get their children to the point where the child can get along without the parent. Inasmuch as the child stays in school most of his or her waking hours for 12 years. I feel the school must assume a large share of that responsi- bility. I feel that it hurts anyone far more to get something undeserved than it does to have something taken away. I also feel thata person is largely as good as he is forced to be, and just as sorry as he is allowed to be. Hopefully, this has given you an idea of my philosophy ofeducation. I believe in earning what you get. I also believe that the academics are by no means the only important thing we teach in school. For example: You can take the National Merit finalist who respects neither his father nor his mother, nor the rights of others,nor the laws of the land, and he is a fail- ure any way you slice him up. So I feel there are many things, not in the textbooks, which we are obligated to teach our young people. Jeanette: We understood that in Lead, South Dakota you participated in a discussion in which you brought out the point that everyone should stand behind America wheth- er right or wrong, Would you like to comment on this discussion?