Richmond High School - Shield Yearbook (Richmond, CA)

Page 9 text:

Dedication Generally we associate genius with the arts or with letters and science, but rarely with teaching. Yet teaching is an art and has its geniuses. The geniuses of teaching, needless to say, do not grow on trees, and thrice lucky are they who have had such a teacher. But such unusual luck is not un- known at Richmond Union High School, for we have one of these natural-born, superlative teachers in Mrs. Dorothy Gemmer. For thirty-eight years Mrs. Gemmer has taught us French, Spanish, and Art Appreciation. But the fulness of her teach- ing power, like a great flood, overflows the boundaries of mere language and art, and engulfs everything that holds interest for man. Thus, she has stimulated us to search for beauty and the meaning of ideas, to read history, to examine the issues of government, politics and society, and most wonderfully, to create in ourselves a living, lively system of values. Because Mrs. Gemmer is a warm, happy, level-headed person, brimful of charm, she has probably heard as many tales of woe, elation, and all the states in between, as any practitioner of psychology. And she has not just listened to these tales, but whenever it seemed necessary, has helped many a nameless pupil to surmount the difficulties which blocked his path, whether it be to college or some other goal. The matchless excellence of Mrs. Gemmer's teaching typi- fies her life as a whole. A thousand things engage her. For example, she takes care of her husband, Will, like a king; treats her son, Bill, like a prince; looks after her home like a palace. Her garden blazes with color, her dinners are banquets, her conversations are sheer delight. Further, she knits like lightning, plays bridge like Goren, and reads a book a night. In her spare time she studies Italian. She is also a great voyager. Paris is her city, and French, so the Parisians think, her native tongue. Actually, Mrs. Gemmer is a native of San Francisco, where she attended elementary school. Her high school days were spent in Santa Cruz. Later, at the University of California she received her A.B. and M.A. degrees in History. (French was then only a sideline.) Her first job was at the high school in Sebastapol, California, where, juggler-like, she taught Civics, Economics, History, Spanish and French. After two years of this, in 1921, she came to R.U.H.S. to teach Spanish. But not for long. The fates conspired to drop advanced French into her lap. Then one day while she was vacationing in Spain, she thought it her duty to make a fly- ing visit to Paris. After all, she was now teaching advanced French. So she went to Paris and has never recovered. Like a happy bee in a hollyhock, she remains perpetually inebriated with the elegant Gallic spirit. © This proved to be yet more luck for us. For we find that we glory in such personal things as the pure French style of her utterance, her wit, her manner, and her impeccably soignee grooming. All this, mind you, in addition to her intuitive, spontaneous teaching which not a single one of her pupils can ever forget. Need any more reasons be given why we, the June Class of 1959, dedicate our Shield to this most extraordinary teacher and well-loved friend, who has chosen to bid R.U.H.S. adieu this very June when we also shall say goodbye?