Mr. George
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I think we all had a favorite teacher while at Phillips High School.
Mine was Mr. Cecil George whose teaching methods were so cool.
He taught American History with an enthusiasm like no other,
Actually becoming the historical characters that we did discover.
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Mr George put his heart and soul into teaching us American History there at Phillips High School.
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Mr. George
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Mr George had silver hair giving him a sense of strong maturity,
His dramatic voice changes kept our attention with much authority.
He moved as he taught with body expressions to really emphasize,
The history lesson he was teaching us as a kind of self exercise.
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Sometimes he added special characters like Mary Jane or Clara Sue,
To help with points he was making on some historical review.
It made it fun for us as if we were back there in history living it too.
We took fun trips in American History before we were through.
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We went all to Saint Johns Church in Richmond on March 23, 1775,
To listen to Patrick Henry give a historical speech there live.
He said “Give me liberty or give me death” that day in the church,
Referring to the start of the American Revolution soon to launch.
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On April 18, 1775, we took that ride with Paul Revere so fast,
To warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock on that day in the past,
That the British troops were marching there to arrest them at last.
Mr George was on that horse riding so fast right there in the class.
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We crossed the Delaware on that night with George Washington,
On December 26, 1776, leading the continental troops with guns,
For a surprise attack on the Hessian Troops in Trenton, New Jersey.
Mr George was standing in the front of that boat in a big hurry.
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We went to Texas at the Battle of San Jacinta with Sam Houston,
On April 21, 1836, when the Texas Independence was soon won.
With defeat of General Santa Anna and the Mexican forces that day.
Since we were all Texans, Mr George made it special in many ways.
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We were up on that stage in Gettysburg with Abe Lincoln.
On November 19, 1863 when he addressed the crowd in the sun,
Giving that Gettysburg Address at Soldiers National Cemetery.
We listened to Mr George say it with his own commentary.
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We sat in a room with General Grant as General Lee surrendered,
At Appomattox on April 18, 1865, as the American Civil War ended.
To stop the homeland killing of brothers and very close friends.
Mr George stressed this was a great time as a new peace did begin.
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We charged San Juan Hill with Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders,
In Cuba on July 1, 1898, in the battle that was a win decider,
Mr George yelled out some on this the Spanish – American war,
As he led us right up that hill to take over high ground like a star.
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We sat there in terror when Pearl Harbor was bombed by Japanese,
On December 7, 1941 badly damaging our fleet with much ease.
America declared war against the Japanese and the fight was on.
This lesson was one of Mr Georges best performances, a great one.
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My thanks goes out to Mr George for his great teaching skills.
His classes were fun and we all got deep into history by his will.
So Mr George I salute you for being the very best at your craft.
I wish there had been more out there like you for schools to draft.
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By Bill
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Thanks for reading Mr. George,
Bill