Well Wishes JACK SMITH
MATH TEACHER JACK SMITH RETIRES AFTER 45 YEARS Middle School history teacher Wiz Montaigne Applegate ’79 read the following tribute to Jack Smith at the end-of-year faculty and staff reception in June. Jack still has every single grade book going back to 1976. Imagine—fresh out of Franklin & Marshall with a mere two months of student teaching under his belt ... Jack began his rookie year teaching not one, but two of the Math Chair’s children! A current colleague and former student Mary Hobbs Taylor ’09 shares, “In the classroom, one of the most impressive facets of ‘Mr. Smith’s’ teaching was that he would never move on from a concept until every single student in that room understood. Not only could he coherently present any material, from differentials to integrals to Lagrange Error Bounds, but he could also present it in five different ways to cater to all learning needs. Even when a student would give the fake ‘I understand’ nod, Mr. Smith would persist and work through another practice problem to ensure clarity for that student.” Today we gather to honor the Multa Bene Facta contributions of Jack Smith, featuring many layers. “Ask Jack”—it’s the usual response for any historical question posed here around school. “Ask Jack” is typically followed by a “Where’s Jack?” “Ask Jack. Where’s Jack?” Jack—in his Classroom “If I remember correctly” (A Jackism) Jack has taught in many classrooms. It’s no surprise that he can pretty much tell you where each room was, what the room number was and the years he taught there. “Here’s what I can tell you” (another Jackism). His memory is encyclopedic. If I remember correctly, Jack has taught every course in the Math Department—back in the day it was Alg, Geo, Calc, Stat, Trig. AP this, BC that ... today’s courses have fancier names! “Well hold on now” There were some years where Jack taught five sections, and there were a number of years as Department Chair when Jack taught four. 44
Tower Hill Bulletin
Fall 2021
This Kitchel Award winner purposefully made sure he didn’t teach any of his own children before their senior year. He taught all three Calc BC. “Here’s what I can tell you” To illustrate how fair he is ... Before his daughter Laurie’s senior year, Jack told her that if she ever needed any extra help, she had to go and see him in his office at school and that he wouldn’t help her at home. Jalyn Miller ’22 sums it up: “Mr. Smith helped me understand things I never thought I would understand.” Ask Jack. Where’s Jack? Jack in his office 10th grade HCA 9th and 10th grade dean Math Department Chair for 25 years And lifelong registrar That’s my recollection If I remember correctly... A long time ago, Day 1s and Day 6s were always Mondays; Fridays were always Day 5 or Day 10. Classes met at the same time every day for the same amount of time and most classes met either eight or
