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

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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?

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Close Llp . . . Mr. Shannon: Yes, I would like to stand on that statement. I saidl was for America right or wrong, and l believe that. My mother loved me when I was good and when I was bad. But when I was bad she corrected me. I've talked to no one who has found a place in which he preferred to live over America. If he does find a place, then I would be more than happy to help him pack. I feel that there are some things wrong with America, but I think America is by far the greatest place in the world to live. The many freedoms that we enjoy were brought about by the democratic process which is sometimes slow, tedious, and uncomfortable. But the quickest way to lose these freedoms is to change laws quickly and arbitrarily. Yes, I will repeat, I am for America RIGHT OR WRONG. Jeanette: When you find yourself in the middle of con- troversy, such as in South Dakota, is there one main idea or thought that helps you get through these periods? Mr. Shannon: It is a mental agility drill for meg itis a contest, it's competition. I had reasons for and belief in every state- mentl made.I felt perfectly comfortable in Lead, 1500 miles from home. I've been in competition before, and it didn't bother me at all. I felt that I had strong topics, strong sub- jects and strong principles.l felt completely confident that I could give my views and explain why and, quite immodestly, I would say I enjoyed it. Defending whatl truly believe in, regardless of the price, has always been most gratifying to ine. Jeanette: As a result of the Bellamy Award, McCollum will receive national attention on October of 1971. What are some suggestions for living up to the Bellamy criteria? Mr. Shannon: Let me remind you that we demanded and stressed excellence long before we were honored with the Bellamy Award. We will never use the Bellamy Award as a whipping boy or a reason for being the best. We had every intention of striving to make McCollum High School the best school in the country four years ago-long before we had heard about the Bellamy Award. We hope to continue our desire and stress for excellence and cxartainly be deserving of the Bellamy Award. Jeanette: Would you like to state your views on the 18 year old vote and how high schools help prepare young people for the voting responsibility? Mr. Shannon: Quite frankly I am opposed to giving the l8 year olds the right to vote. I do not think that they are emotionally prepared to handle the responsibilities of voting at this point. They have not made a political contribution to our country at this age. They have not earned the right to de- termine which course our country should follow. I feel their parents and grandparents have made so many great contribu- tions to our country and are in a better position to do so. You ask what our schools do to help our people become more mature and more reliable and more able to determine what our country needs and does not need. There is certianly a teaching responsibility in getting them more involved in what our country is doing, helping them realize that change for change's sake is not the answer. Certainly a stress toward Americanism and pride in America would be a step in that direction.I hope you understand my viewpoint. I do not feel that 18 year olds are mature enough to handle voting. Jeanette: Student unrest has become a major probleln in many high schools and in colleges all over the country. It has reached major proportions to the extent of riots, strikes and killings. If you were a college president, how v. .rld you Work on solving this problem? Mr. Shannon: We're certainly presumptuous to place me in the position of a college president and it is real easy for some- one to sit in the stands and say what he would do if he were the quarterback on the field. I think no one has the right to 18 administrators keep anyone else from obtaining an education and certainly anarchy on college campuses has done just that. I do not think that we have had a riot, strike, burning or killing on our college campuses that has not been caused by a college president who didn't fall short in masculinity and courage. I think if he had taken a courageous stand, violence would not have occurred. I would certainly take a hard stand on those who might dissent. The right to dissent is no greater than the right to conform. I would not tolerate, certainly, someone's taking over the president's office or burning buildings ifl could prevent it. Jeanette: How do you feel about draft card burning? Mr. Shannon: I think it should be a felony offense. There should be a possibility of revoking citizenship. Jeanette: In your career as a coach and principal is there any incident other than the Bellamy Award that has given you a special sense of achievement? Mr. Shannon: Certainly my thirty years in the teaching and coaching profession has given me much personal satisfaction and many high moments. The Bellamy Award has been one of those and one that I cannot and would not take personal credit for, because it has been a team effort all the way. It certainly has been one experience I will always treasure. But I would remind you that this has been a combined team ef- fort and I want everyone to understand that. Jeanette: What character traits do you most admire in others? Mr. Shannon: The first quality that I always look for in people is loyalty. I would place loyalty above all others. I look for that in choosing the people that we're going to work with at McCollum. l would expect that of any friend. There are many admirable qualities but most important, in my opinion, are loyalty. honesty, compassion, dedication, character and depth. Jeanette: Drug abuse is a national problem. Some authorities say that drug users are simply trying to escape the pressures of society. What is your advice to people who want to escape, by whatever means, from the hectic prob- lems that are in the 20th century world? Mr. Shannon: You said that some authorities feel that drug users are simply trying to escape from the pressures of so- ciety.I think that is a normal reaction. We all need to escape or attempt to escape. Different things work for different peopleg certainly religion has helped, as has self-esteem and the realization that your first responsibility is to yourself and secondly to those lives you've touched. l do not think anyone could salvage me, but I think that people could help me salvage myself. I think all the psychiatry in the world would be of no consequence if the person being counseled did not have a desire to change his status or his state of exis- tence. So, I do not think it's a condemnation to want to es- cape the pressures of society because we all suffer from that desire. I'm sure we all agree that drugs are a damaging method of escape. Jeanette: Grooming standards at McCollum are high. People who have an opportunity to view students in other schools and all over the city say that McCollum students are the best looking young men and women they have ever seen. Does grooming affect education? If so, how? Mr. Shannon: ln my opinion it certainly does. There is a high correlation between the way we dress and the way we act. I have yet to find the poorly groomed person who has good self-discipline. Self-discipline is certainly fundamental to suc- cess. I think we owe it to the young people who attend Mc- Collum High School to see that they present a wholesome,