From obituary (in part) dated October 17, 2003: Mr. Ralph Sherwood of Bothell died Oct. 14, 2003, at his home. He was 77. He served as a Seabee during WW II and the Korean War. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Virginia; his sons Roger, Robin and Frank; daughter Francine Tripp; 10 grandchildren; and one great grandchild.
Mr. Sherwood became a sort of father figure to me when my father passed away when I was in in Jr. High School.
I had no contact with Mr. Sherwood outside of school - and then only in gym class.
I believe that he was a positive influence for many boys over the years. It seems to me, looking back now, that they were often young men with some trouble in their life.
May God bless him!
* An after thought just came to me that will illustrate what a great man Mr. Sherwood was and how he cared for boys with issues. Most of you probably remember our "slave days" at Sammamish. It was a sort of fund raiser as I remember it. People would bid on others and they would have to carry their books, get their lunch, and any number of other things if they were a slave. If I remember correctly - it was the letterman's club that was up for purchase.
Well - unfortunately those bidding wars often turned into a sort of popularity contest with the "coolest" folks going 1st and fetching the highest prices. On down the line it went toward the least popular kids on the bidding block. Often - the least popular kids wouldn't get "purchased" by anyone in the student body at all.
That's where Mr. Sherwood comes in. He would always purchase, from his own pocket, anyone who didn't receive a good high bid or who didn't get bid on at all. They would be his "slaves" for the day - which didn't mean much hardship really. It usually translated to a few laps of the gym during P.E.
The point is that he never allowed a young man to find himself in a position where he would form an opinion about himself that was less than positive. No one was of little worth in the eyes of Mr. Sherwood. No one would be allowed to be persecuted, teased, or looked down on when Mr. Sherwood had any input into the matter.
I thought Mr. Sherwood was a great PE teacher and coach. i agree with Marvin Knox's comments about him. He taught values and discipline. He was a great American.
Mr. Sherwood always made me laugh, even when I was injured and had to deal with pain. He helped me see beyond my present circumstances. He was a good teacher because he really let you know that he genuinely liked and respected you. I smile whenever I hear his name.
I knew Mr. Sherwood before Sammamish as I delivered his morning paper at his home in Eastgate. When I attended Sammamish, he was a great PE teacher and to me, had a wry sense of humor. He would practically throw a tantrum in a PE class if you couldn't do a particular thing (climbing a rope, boxing, basketball) but he would often hide his wry smile after turning away from whomever he was riding that day.
I spent quite a bit of time outside the United States after leaving school, but on my infrequent visits to Seattle during the school year, I would try and stop by to just say "Hi" to Mr. Sherwood and a few others that shaped my life.
I returned to Seattle in 1988. I learned of Mr. Sherwood' passing from the local paper in Bothell, I was saddened to learn that I was living within a mile of his home in Bothell and didn't know it.
I can't believe anyone hasn't mentioned this with regard to Mr. Sherwood. I can still see (and sense the temporary pain) of the red outline produced by the half bat he must have made himself. For those who missed this bit of Samammish history, a spat was a whack on the bare backside in the locker room, performed in the best of manners by Mr. Sherwood himself, as a punishment for events determined by him to warrant such a decision. Everone would watch of course, thanking God it wasn't one of us bending over. But eventually, almost everyone had their turn.
Discipline was indeed a top priority with Mr. Sherwood, and his kind probably just aren't made anymore, nor, unfortunately, would they be allowed in our school culture today. I really appreciated him because he among very few authority-centered teachers woke me up to pay great attention to what was being said, and that carried with me to other classes and venues. He was of course a very nice guy playing the role at times as tough for our benefit.
As I look at the list of "in memory" teachers, it just seems so difficult to accept, since in our minds all of them are in their 30s or 40s at most. May Mr. Sherwood and all the others rest in peace.
It was a baseball bat shaved flat on both sides. Holes drilled in it for "positive effect". Some of the violations leading to a "SPAT" were: Chewing gum; too many buttons undone on your shirt; no belt; I am sure there were more infractions.
Mine was for chewing gum. To this day, I don't chew gum. The "SPAT" was usually followed by 12 laps around the football field.
I doubt that I could convice any of the politically correct types now days that a teacher could actually take a baseball bat to a student in love. But I'm here to say that it can be done - and I remember the pain with fondness to this day.
Sandra Wittmeier (Taylor)
From obituary (in part) dated October 17, 2003: Mr. Ralph Sherwood of Bothell died Oct. 14, 2003, at his home. He was 77. He served as a Seabee during WW II and the Korean War. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Virginia; his sons Roger, Robin and Frank; daughter Francine Tripp; 10 grandchildren; and one great grandchild.
Marvin Knox
Mr. Sherwood became a sort of father figure to me when my father passed away when I was in in Jr. High School.
I had no contact with Mr. Sherwood outside of school - and then only in gym class.
I believe that he was a positive influence for many boys over the years. It seems to me, looking back now, that they were often young men with some trouble in their life.
May God bless him!
* An after thought just came to me that will illustrate what a great man Mr. Sherwood was and how he cared for boys with issues. Most of you probably remember our "slave days" at Sammamish. It was a sort of fund raiser as I remember it. People would bid on others and they would have to carry their books, get their lunch, and any number of other things if they were a slave. If I remember correctly - it was the letterman's club that was up for purchase.
Well - unfortunately those bidding wars often turned into a sort of popularity contest with the "coolest" folks going 1st and fetching the highest prices. On down the line it went toward the least popular kids on the bidding block. Often - the least popular kids wouldn't get "purchased" by anyone in the student body at all.
That's where Mr. Sherwood comes in. He would always purchase, from his own pocket, anyone who didn't receive a good high bid or who didn't get bid on at all. They would be his "slaves" for the day - which didn't mean much hardship really. It usually translated to a few laps of the gym during P.E.
The point is that he never allowed a young man to find himself in a position where he would form an opinion about himself that was less than positive. No one was of little worth in the eyes of Mr. Sherwood. No one would be allowed to be persecuted, teased, or looked down on when Mr. Sherwood had any input into the matter.
That's just the kind of guy he was!
Jerry Owen (Owen)
I thought Mr. Sherwood was a great PE teacher and coach. i agree with Marvin Knox's comments about him. He taught values and discipline. He was a great American.
Jerry Owen
Jay Spaulding
Mr. Sherwood always made me laugh, even when I was injured and had to deal with pain. He helped me see beyond my present circumstances. He was a good teacher because he really let you know that he genuinely liked and respected you. I smile whenever I hear his name.
Robert Naff
I knew Mr. Sherwood before Sammamish as I delivered his morning paper at his home in Eastgate. When I attended Sammamish, he was a great PE teacher and to me, had a wry sense of humor. He would practically throw a tantrum in a PE class if you couldn't do a particular thing (climbing a rope, boxing, basketball) but he would often hide his wry smile after turning away from whomever he was riding that day.
I spent quite a bit of time outside the United States after leaving school, but on my infrequent visits to Seattle during the school year, I would try and stop by to just say "Hi" to Mr. Sherwood and a few others that shaped my life.
I returned to Seattle in 1988. I learned of Mr. Sherwood' passing from the local paper in Bothell, I was saddened to learn that I was living within a mile of his home in Bothell and didn't know it.
Art Hyland
One word: SPAT
I can't believe anyone hasn't mentioned this with regard to Mr. Sherwood. I can still see (and sense the temporary pain) of the red outline produced by the half bat he must have made himself. For those who missed this bit of Samammish history, a spat was a whack on the bare backside in the locker room, performed in the best of manners by Mr. Sherwood himself, as a punishment for events determined by him to warrant such a decision. Everone would watch of course, thanking God it wasn't one of us bending over. But eventually, almost everyone had their turn.
Discipline was indeed a top priority with Mr. Sherwood, and his kind probably just aren't made anymore, nor, unfortunately, would they be allowed in our school culture today. I really appreciated him because he among very few authority-centered teachers woke me up to pay great attention to what was being said, and that carried with me to other classes and venues. He was of course a very nice guy playing the role at times as tough for our benefit.
As I look at the list of "in memory" teachers, it just seems so difficult to accept, since in our minds all of them are in their 30s or 40s at most. May Mr. Sherwood and all the others rest in peace.
Robert Naff
"Spat", (continued)
It was a baseball bat shaved flat on both sides. Holes drilled in it for "positive effect". Some of the violations leading to a "SPAT" were: Chewing gum; too many buttons undone on your shirt; no belt; I am sure there were more infractions.
Mine was for chewing gum. To this day, I don't chew gum. The "SPAT" was usually followed by 12 laps around the football field.
Bob Naff
Marvin Knox
Ahh - the spats.
I remember them well.
I doubt that I could convice any of the politically correct types now days that a teacher could actually take a baseball bat to a student in love. But I'm here to say that it can be done - and I remember the pain with fondness to this day.