Shirley Windward
is the co-
founder of our school. Her unbounded spirit and strong values permeate the culture of our community. These qualities ring true in her story. What motivated Shirley to start Windward? She started it with a man, Carl Parsons, that had worked at Paul Revere with her, that caught her interest because he was the Head of the English Department and the same age as her oldest son. The teachers went on strike in 1970 because the public school system was cutting their pay, even though the public school system had plenty to give. ‘We were on strike for five weeks,’ said Shirley. During this period Carl and Shirley began small after school hours classes for the children that were still knowledge hungry. Finally, Carl proposed the idea: ‘Why don't we just start a school’ he asked. Shirley simply responded With ‘Why not?’ When Shirley severed herself from the public school system, she received twelve thousand dollars, as was the policy when a teacher left the public school system. However, instead of keeping her hard-earned money, Shirley invested it. That twelve thousand dollars was the beginning of Windward. What were your expectations? 'I thought we were going to have a little alternative school’ but Windward began to grow, She explained that she had originally wanted to make a place where kids would really feel at home. She also wanted it to be a place without too much stress since she understands that adolescents have enough to deal with as it is. The first Windward was a small site on the corner of Sepulveda and Palms ‘where there is now a TV store, I think,’ says Shirley. Apparently, Windward has had three different homes. The second place was where St John's hospital now is. Eventually, Windward ended up right on Palms in between Barrington and Sawtelle, its current site. Shirley explains that she had had a lot of help investing in the school in the beginning. 'Eli Brode helped as well as Allen Schaefer from Penn State'. Both were very important influences; Eli Brode was very famous at the time and Al Schaefer worked at a very well known college. The school started out with sixty students, there are now four hundred and seventy-five. Is Windward what you had originally anticipated? 'No' Shirley sighs, It is much bigger than she had ever expected 'But I'm very flexible', Shirley retaliates. She also explains that although it is not exactly what she had originally expected she likes it, 'If you allow for growth.' she says 'You will end up with a beautiful garden. If a school is like a garden then you're safe.' Of what are you most proud? ‘Every time I come through here, I am proud of the way the students look' She also loves the way 'everything [at the school] blends. It is not ostentatious but it is beautifully put together.' Shirley then continues in saying 'I like to make ceramics…you create them and then give them away for at r people to enjoy' just like the students at Windward our minds are sculpted and we become educated and then we ore released into the world to exercise our fresh minds. Would she have done anything differently? She replied no and that, ’It’s already done...You can’t just hurt things.' She says she would not go back and change things because playing with the past could hinder the magnificent outcome. What did she do before Windward? Shirley taught for almost ten years at Paul Revere Middle School. She took time out to get a masters In English from UCLA. In the 1930s and lost but certainly not least she raised two sons.
What is her background? Born in Washington DC, Shirley actually grew up in Wisconsin. She was raised during The great depression so ‘I grew up simply, but I was fortunate because my father had a job.’ Shirley attended Madison University in Wisconsin, where she received her bachelor's degree in education. Her college days were some of her best even from the beginning because she ‘was excited because the college was just so fresh,' She met her husband. Irwin (lrv for short) at college 'He was a big football player.' smiles Shirley. They soon eloped, like her parents in New York. Well, I eloped there by myself he left before I did and I had to meet him there' she giggles. They were twenty-three when they married. Soon after they were married however, Irv had to leave for WWII. He was in the navy for four years. In fact Shirley's first son was born the day after Irv left. Shirley was only twenty-five. Where were she born? 'I was born during the great flu epidemic in 1919 in Washington D.C.’ She then explains that one of her favorite people died that year: Olive Schreiner who was one of the first feminists from South Africa, and she wrote the book The Story of the African Farm. What was her family like? Shirley describes her family as ‘very solid citizens.' Her mother was from Swiss origin and father was from German origin both from Wisconsin. They were actually high school sweethearts and eloped in Washington D.C. Her mother was the first in her family to get a degree and her father was the second in his family do so. Shirley’s mother actually worked for a German translator who then turned out to be a spy. What did she want to do when she grew up? Originally, Shirley wonted to be a story-teller. She still says that it is her 'prime function in life' However, she became a few things. ‘I turned out to be a poet' she says, which is basically a creative storyteller. She also become a teacher so she could educate while felling her stories, 'I also like to do things with my hands' she explains. She is a very talented piano player, although she admits she cannot play much anymore, so she is drawn to ceramics. Does she have any children? Shirley has two sons Stephen 60 who Shirley admits was 'a cute baby' and Rolphe 57, who taught at Windward for about 10 years. She does not have any grand children but she has 'about 800 godchildren.' Which is a bit of an exaggeration, but sill enough godchildren to keep her busy. What are some of her favorite things to do? Shirley loves to travel. Unfortunately Irv, who is eighty-eight now, cannot travel much anymore but from time to time they vacation in Colorado Springs to visit Shirley’s sister. Shirley then grins and says ‘It would be easier to tell you the places I have not been’ which includes Russia, Japan, Norway, and South America not to mention a few others that she de not list. She has been to places like Canada, Mexico, England, Scotland, Greece, Australia, New Zealand, India, and many, many more. Along with all of the exotic places she has been, Shirley can speak and/or recognize various languages such as French, Italian, and Spanish (The Romance languages as she refers to them), German, and while she was in India she picked up Nepalese. Shirley has eclectic tastes in music. While she loves c1assical music and opera she mentioned such names as Jim Morrison and John Lennon as two artists that she loves. In addition, Shirley has a bit of a wild side and admitted that she was a big fan of the modern Icelandic singer Bjork. However, she confirmed that even though she likes just about everything ‘I’m not too fond of punk.’ At the end of the interview, Shirley grinned and said, ‘In conclusion, I am a happy woman.’