My Favorites at Mountain View Elementary, Clark Junior High and East High

by Becky


Favorite Anchorage Teachers … where to start?

When it was brand new, Mountain View Elementary gave me a great start and I remember all my teachers there very well. Possibly my favorite was Mr. (Howard?) Barr, who had been in the military and still carried himself that way. I had a wonderful time studying the Civil War in his class--a hobby of mine, still.

At Orah Dee Clark, I loved Mrs. Lily Neilson's English class and can still remember her reading Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, giving all the characters different voices. SO great!

At East High, I loved the music teachers: Mr. Kirk Muse and Mr. James Everly.

But also those who insisted that I work hard. (I came from the “do only enough work to get an A or maybe a B” school of thought.)

Mrs. Joan Baxter taught English Lit and for her, I DID work. And it paid off with higher grades (imagine it). So in one sense she is probably my most unforgettable teacher at East High School.

However, Mr. Everly fostered my musical abilities, even allowed me to be his Student Director and let me direct the “pit orchestra” for the musical, “Where's the Mayor?” in my senior year.

I'd say many of my teachers in Anchorage schools were memorable; it's hard to say which was my favorite. Mr. Everly, maybe.

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Jun 20, 2026
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starstarstarstarstar 		My Favorites
by: Mark

So many I liked to be honest but to pick out a few.

Mr. Lyford, Ms. Woods and Ms. Wilson of Lake Otis elementary.

Coach Morgan 8th grade and Ms Fridley Art Class at Wendler Jr High.

Coach White and Ms. Ross Riflery, Home Economics teacher at East high School.

Mr. Nelson, Firefighting and Mr. Guard, Graphic Arts and Printing at the Career Center.

Others along the way I found very likeable and I respected them.
Jun 20, 2026
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starstarstarstarstar 		So Many Really Good Teachers
by: Sharon

I had so many really good teachers in Anchorage.

But the most memorable for me was my first teacher in Alaska: Mr Waldrop at Denali Elementary for sixth grade. He read aloud to us after recess, everything from Winnie the Pooh to Robert Service. And he made sure my adjustment to a new school and a new state was easy and fun!

At Clark Jr High, I (and everybody else!) LOVED Mr. Hamilton, Sr. Not everybody loved Mr. Schumway as much (he was quite stern), but there was a small group of us who adored him, once we got to know him enough to stop being scared of him.

And at East High, Mr. Everly (band) and Mr. Muse (choir) taught me so much about music, which brought and continues to bring great joy into my life.
Jun 20, 2026
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starstarstarstarstar 		Ms. Simpson at Woodland
by: Kim

Ms. Simpson, Woodland Elementary 1968 and 1969.

She loved her class so much she taught sixth grade to have them again. Train trips, sleepovers in the gym, bowling, field trips, she was the best!
Jun 20, 2026
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starstarstarstarstar 		My Teachers at Dimond and Bartlett
by: Tammy

Mrs. Robbie Hickok at Dimond High and Mrs. Betty MacDonald at Bartlett.
Jun 20, 2026
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starstarstarstarstar 		My Rabbit Creek Teachers
by: Rebecca

Third grade with Mrs. Courtnage, at Rabbit creek elementary.

She read us The Hobbit after lunch every day, wrote us notes home that we got in the mail. A Slingerland teacher and just kindness all around.

The teacher that did the MOST for my was 1st grade, Hazel Smith at RC. She identified my dyslexia and I can still remember the feeling of my brain all of a sudden making sense… truly a gift.
Jun 20, 2026
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starstarstarstarstar 		Here's My List
by: Aeneas

At Service Hanshew (when it was both)

Mr. Todd-swimming

Mrs. Morris-AP US history

Mr. McGee-English

Mr. Chambers-Algebra

Mr. Terrell-band (he was a tough one that not a lot of people liked, but he inspired me to be a music teacher).

Plus

Mrs. Yanosheck 4th grade Rabbit Creek elementary school
Jun 20, 2026
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starstarstarstarstar 		Favorites at North Star
by: Becky

Mrs. Gilbertson 4th grade old North Star, Mrs. Stout 5th North Star.
Jun 20, 2026
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starstarstarstarstar 		My Anchorage Favorites
by: Terry

Special shout out for Mrs. Fountain at Rabbit Creek Elementary.

Ms. Wyatt, Ms. Lish, & Mr. Whittaker at Wonder Park Elementary.

Mrs. Dean, English, Mr. Ash, Science at Clark Jr. High.

Coach Doggett, PE., Mr. Shackleford, English at East High School.
Jun 20, 2026
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starstarstarstarstar 		At Service High School and Wendler
by: Tom

So many at Service H.S.

Ms Russell (Vicki Russell) my H.S. debate coach, Mrs. Morris, who taught Modern European History and ignited my love of it, Mrs. Kassube, who helped me figure out that I could be good at geometry and just adequate at algebra.

And Mrs. Ellzy (sp?) at Wendler for French 1, and Mrs. Collins at Service for French 2 and 3. Mrs. Collins was tough as nails, but she did indeed make sure that, by the end of the week, I could conjugate "être" in all tenses!
Jun 20, 2026
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starstarstarstarstar 		At Clark Junior High
by: Dennis

While attending Ora Dee Clark School, I had a few favorites.

I was a band guy, and Mr. Kelly was the band director then.

But as for teachers, Mrs. Von Rohr, for algebra and Mr. Whitner (sp?).

Ahh, good memories.
Jun 20, 2026
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starstarstarstarstar 		When There was Only One Jr. High and Senior High
by: Edi

Two of my favorite teachers were math teachers. Mr. Hardin in junior high and Ms Rougier in high school. I went on to major in math in college.

Mr. Granville was a junior high school principal who also taught classes in Alaska Geography and History. He always included humor in his classes.

One other favorite was a language teacher, Mrs. Dahl, in whose classes I studied Spanish, which I also continued to study in college.

When I was in school there was only one Anchorage Junior High/Senior High School. It was downtown on 6th Ave.

Part of the time the junior high schoolers went to school in shifts. The senior high schoolers went when they had classes scheduled.

They tried to set up our class schedule so that we had a free period near to noon so we could eat lunch.

But, one semester I ate half of my lunch at 10:00 and the other half after I finished at 2:00.
Jun 20, 2026
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starstarstarstarstar 		So Many Wonderful Teachers
by: Randy

So many wonderful teachers from the days that the first Williwaw opened (1960 first grade) up through graduation at East High in 1972.

Far too many to mention. All I know is that they created the most memorable education this old man could have. We had some great teachers.
Jun 20, 2026
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starstarstarstarstar 		Here Are Some of My Favorites
by: Gene

Two teachers stand out in my memory.

Mrs. Olson taught English in the old Jr. High building downtown and I had her for 7th and 8th grade English.

Then, when I was a freshman at the (then new) high school on Romig Hill, I had Mrs. Olson again as my English teacher. She was a very good English teacher, but what I remember most about her was her penchant for taking nips from a bottle she hid in her desk drawer, and the crazy hair colors she'd wear on various occasions. She was always a sight to behold!

Perhaps the one teacher who had the biggest impact on my life was Jack McGuin. He wasthe band director I learned from, first at the downtown Jr. High where he was my teacher in 7th and 8th grades, and then through all four years of high school band at the school on Romig Hill.

I excelled as a trumpet player, and sat first chair in the section beginning with my sophomore year. I also played in the school orchestra and was principal trumpet in the Anchorage Symphony.

One whole section of my memoir, An Alaskan Childhood, is devoted to memories of Mr. McGuin. Under his tutelage, I earned a full music scholarship to college and went on to be a lead trumpet instrumentalist in Navy unit bands.

These two wonderful leaders pointed me towards music and authorship, and to them, I am eternally grateful.

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