Teachers & Adminstrators


click here for Teacher Roster

OUR FAVORITE TEACHERS & MENTORS - read what class members say about our Teachers.   
Click Here for "Memories of our Favorite Teachers"    and excerpts from The Hoofprint. 

The AHHS Class of '76 has done a nice job on their site, with AHHS Faculty photos

Teachers, BIOs, Obits:  http://ahhs71.com/teachers.html  (this is our OLD site, not updated)
       

 

       
Ms. Mary Zuschlag and Mr. Johnny Eng began their teaching careers in the Fall of 1967,
the same year we entered AHHS as incoming Freshmen


Mr. Robert Comer, Biology, was named as one of the top five teachers in Texas in the Teacher of the Year contest.  He was nominated by the Teachers and Administrators of the entire school district on the basis of his moral character, his dedication to his work and students, and the dignity he has brought to his profession. 


Mr. Riggs, Mrs. Nixon, Mr. Mickey, Mr. Peters, Mr. Buckley ~ Science Teachers 1968


Ms Linda Wise, Business; Student Council Sponsor

after retiring, Ms Wise went into Law practice


1968 Biology: Mrs. Waneta Bowman, Mrs. Caroline Carpenter, and Mr. Robert H. Comer. B.S., M.Ed.


Ms. Rhetta Hamilton (later Tatsch) ~ Math/Trig ~ 2006 Obituary

        
Mrs. Peggy McCaskill (now Foerster), English      Mr. Paul Foerster, Math
'71 Seniors voted Mr Foerster as FAVORITE TEACHER"

     
Left: Ann Tibbets ~ English ~ 2002 Obituary
Right: Countess Nixon ~ Science ~ 2005 Obituary


1968, Math Dept ~ Mr Ortiz and Mr DeBill

    
Ms Conway, English      Mr Ortiz, Math     Ms Doughty, Spanish


Mr Richard Cranford, Fine Arts, School Band

our beloved Foreign Language Teachers, Olmos 1968
Mrs. Montellano, Mrs. Saenz, Mrs Harding, Mrs. Sturdevant, Ms Baetz


Mr Ellerbee, Business/Distributive Education (DE) ~ (deceased)


Mrs Durham, English

Note, this page is a work in progress. 

Scan and email photos of your favorite Teachers to Toni
(please scan in large resolution) 

View more info & photos on our old and more current web sites:
(still in process of merging the old & newer sites)
CURRENT Site:   Teacher Roster  http://www.ahhs71.org/Teacher-Roster.htm
OLD web site, NOT UPDATED as of 2010 Teachers BIOs & Obituaries


Memories of our Favorite Teachers:

Toni Schmid:   I have always thought fondly of Mrs Hamilton, Trigonometry Teacher.   I had been an average and fairly unmotivated student when it came to Geometry and Algebra I and II.    For some reason, Mrs. Hamilton and I connected and I loved her class, loved Trig ... go figure!  and earned an A both semesters.  I was always grateful to Mrs. H for her encouragement and support.

    
Ms. Rhetta Hamilton (later Tatsch) ~ Math Department, Trigonometry


Charlie Beck:  Mr. Paul Allan Foerster.  Most influential teacher:  Mr. Foerster, who did not teach me to love math, but from whom I learned to love math, and from whom I also learned how to teach. I don't believe that people should change something about themselves for no better reason than that someone else wants them to. However, we sometimes choose to make a change in ourselves because of what we see in someone else. In this context, exactly four persons come to my mind. Because of my knowing these four and seeing something about them that I admired, I chose to make changes in myself. Mr. Foerster was the first of the four; my wife is the fourth.

    
Mr. Paul Allan Foerster, Math          Charlie Beck, 1970


Gordon Stevenson, 2002:    Since the 30th reunion I have thought a lot about many of my teachers, all of which played important roles in my life. But one person stands out because a very brief comment and a wonderful smile. Mrs. Nixon (biology) -- It was one of those beautiful spring afternoons --windows open and a slight breeze coming into the classroom. I was standing at the window a few minutes before class was over (probably thinking about what I would rather be doing). Mrs. Nixon had a Jade plant sitting on the ledge and I began to look at it very closely noticing the order and symmetry in the branches and the leaves as Mrs. Nixon walked up. She asked me what I was looking at and I told her about the jade plants precise pattern. She said with such a wonderful smile "you know Gordon, one only has to look to see order in all of nature and life -- most people never take enough time to study a plant or a problem to see the logic and order that is really there, many times you will have to look hard but the order is there – it’s up to you to find it. You will be way ahead in life if you open your eyes to the order in your environment!"
       It's interesting how one comment after class can have so much impact on your life - I began to think about the jade plant whenever I was confronted with a problem or task. Few days go by that I do not flash back to that afternoon in Mrs. Nixon's class and the jade plant to help me look and see what many times is obvious but overlooked by most who never had a teacher that encouraged them to look and see not just look. Not too many years ago I read about physicists and chaos theory explained - guess they had Mrs. Nixon for biology too!    Thank you Mrs. Nixon.

   
Mrs. Countess Nixon, Science Dept, Biology


Laurie Murray, 2001:  Mr. Ellerbee.   Over brunch with Toni Schmid on Sunday, I opened up her Olmos and came upon the photo of Mr. Ellerbee.  I was taken aback by the emotion I felt when I looked at his picture.  I had many great teachers, many great educators, but the love and gratitude that I hold in my heart for Mr. Ellerbee is tremendously deep.
     
Mr. Ellerbee taught Distributive Education.  My brothers had been in D.E. – loved and admired Mr. Ellerbee – and for various reasons advised me of the benefits of having a job and working during my junior and senior year.  Mr. Ellerbee helped me to get me my first job – a great job - in the advertising department of Montgomery Wards. 
     Mr. Ellerbee had been a boxer, a prizefighter in his younger years – fought under the name of Jack Delaney.  I seem to remember that his last fight was against Max Baer.  When he left his prizefighting career he began his very successful and lucrative career in sales.  He was the salesman of all salesmen – a winner always.  It was due to a heart problem that he retired early and chose to teach D.E.
     It seemed that many of us who were in D.E. had problems or challenges in our lives - challenges in addition to those that come with teenage, high school years.  Mine was the upheaval and trauma that occurred in my family with the serious illness of my father.  
     
What Mr. Ellerbee gave to his students was self-confidence – the tools, and the skills to help us believe in ourselves.  (The hours of Dale Carnegie tapes – ugh!)  He was a fighter from the get go and he fought for the self-confidence and success of his students. His belief in us was so strong, so determined and so tremendous that you had no choice but to believe in yourself.  I know that in a boxing match someone wins and someone is defeated.  I never did figure out how he could have been knocked out in the ring but was never defeated.  He won every fight.  The judges just saw things differently.
     
I wish everyone could have seen him in action at our statewide D.E. competitions.  We were entered in public speaking, sales presentation, advertising design and other categories.  Mr. Ellerbee spent countless hours working with us in preparation and countless hours in behind the scenes lobbying.  In the final outcome of these competitions, it really didn’t matter what the judges said, his students were the best of the best – won the competitions hands down - and you would never convince him otherwise.  (If we didn’t come home with a trophy, it was just another case of one more inept judge.)
     
I’m not sure what year it was that Mr. Ellerbee died – in the late 70s.  I telephoned him to settle an issue under debate – I have no idea what the issue was – but it was agreed that he would know the answer.  I hadn’t spoken to him in quite awhile. A woman answered the phone and told me that he had just died of a heart attack.    Oh what I’d give to hear his voice and laughter again, to see his smile and to get one of his hugs.  I pray he knows what he meant in my life.   

    
Mr Ellerbee, Business/Distributive Education (DE) 


Toni Schmid:  Mr. Williams  I was new to Texas and to AHJS in 1966. Debbie Bates and I both transferred into AHJS mid-year 7th grade, 1966 spring semester. I remember our Texas History Teacher, Mr. Williams being "such a Texan!."  I was also in his Geography Class. He was a very kind, sweet man, I enjoyed his class, and looked forward to it, as I was overwhelmed by being a new school, and my first public school!
In 1968, Mr. Williams was involved with Hemisphere '68, and he had some of our Texas flag artwork on display at the Institute of Texas Cultures at Hemisphere. We were blesed to have him in our lives.


Mr. Larry Williams, Lt Col. (Ret)  ~ 2004 Memorial & Obituary ~ WWII and Korean War Veteran.  He taught 7th grade Texas History at Alamo Heights Jr. School during the regular school year, taught World History at Alamo Heights high school during the summer, and American History in night school at San Antonio College.


Kathy Dreyfus, 2021 - My favorite teacher had to be Mary Zuschlag. She could really relate to us, and I felt I got to know her as a person. She was lots of fun, knew her subject matter well, and was very genuine. She took us on a memorable trip to Los Mochis, Mexico.
     English was my favorite subject, and I remember Mrs. Durham very fondly. She was devoted to her students and fostered a love of literature. I am a pretty avid reader, and I can give her credit for that.

    



Please Send your Teachers memories to Toni to be posted here CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT


 

Seniors Elect Math Teacher as Favorite
Excerpts from Senior Issue 1971 Hoof Print

"Seniors Select Favorite Teachers" - Excerpts from Senior Issue 1971 Hoof Print
http://ahhs71.com/oldsite/t_hoofprintfav.html

Almost half of the faculty (48 to be exact) were named by some senior as his favorite teacher. Although the distribution of FT selections was widespread, the reason for senior choices was not. The one characteristic most often named was "…can communicate with students."

Heading the list of favorites of the senior class this year was Mr. Paul Foerster.

Deborah Williams selected Mr. Foerster as her favorite because "He was able to relate algebra to the real world and to me." "Because of the help he gave me," was the reason Bob Johnson gave for selecting the trig teacher. Charles beck, Robert Comer, Polly McClanahan, David Ramos, Susan Soderstrom, Richard Woolley and Terry Wang were others who selected Mr. Foerster as their favorite member of the faculty. Debbie Hendrick summed it up as she wrote, "He is a good teacher."

Miss Caroline Olson was runner up in the poll of the '71 seniors. Sherri Gerth named her because"… she really cares about people and is very sincere." Rob McLaughlin named the biology teacher because "…she helped a lot." Miss Olson was named by Richard Erdrich since, "she put up with our class." John McCaleb said, "She's nice."

Last year's winner, Mrs. Rose Ranson, was third in the Hoof Print poll. Larry Stenger said the senior English teacher was his favorite mainly because "She knows how to communicate with her students." Fred Holliday said that she was very understanding. Worth Christian stated that she has a "…good sense of humor." Mary Holmes thought that Mrs. Ranson "relates to students as people, not students."

Mrs. Mary Zuschlag and Mr. Walter DeBill tied in the balloting with Mrs. Ranson. Mrs. Zuschlag was Connie Stressenger's favorite because "She is a good teacher and a great teacher. " David Shawd expressed his liking of Mrs. Zuschlag because of the way she runs her class.

Mr. DeBill was chosen by Robin Harris because "He enjoys students." Jim Roberts said that Mr. DeBill "…understands…" Other answers ranged from "He's got soul." By Andy Wetz to "He's a great pool shark." By Bud Wiedermann.

Miss Ernest Mae Seaholm, Mrs. Mary Durham and Miss Linda Wise all tied for the next spot.

Miss Seaholm "tries to teach students, not impress them" according to Lynn Fawcett. Pam Jones liked her because "She is fantastic-and knows what she's talking about." Cindy Savage stated that "She's concerned about the student that enters her room.

Eric Renth said that Miss Wise "…has been like a mother to me." Jimmy Burke was not quite sure why he picked her, though.

Judy Whiteaker said that Mrs. Durham"…seems to take a personal interest in you." "She is the most open minded person I know," stated Cecille Carnes. "She is considerate and respects her students."

Margi Groos chose Mr. Andy Cobb as her favorite because "…he makes a sincere effort to teach the student." Larry Williams decided Mr. Edwin Walthall was his favorite teacher "'cause he's cool."

Mrs. Oma Vordenbaum was voted favorite teacher by Barbara Poplin since "…she gives her teaching a personal touch," and Bob Gutierrez because she is "…understanding…also a very good teacher."

Mr. Gale Nelson, according to Suzanne Garrett is "…totally unselfish…". Leighton Ku said he was his favorite teacher because of "…his good humor, his devotion to his students and his patience."

Mrs. Mary Norman, Hoof Print and Olmos sponsor, according to one student"…is more concerned about what you learn than what you look like and she is easy to talk to." Carolyn Nunn says much the same about Mrs. Sylva Flores, "because you can talk to her and she listens".