Author Archives: Terry Lee Marzell
Teacher, judge, and Korean conflict veteran Robert Gustaveson
Former teacher and Korean Conflict veteran Robert Gustaveson was also an exemplary judge and a successful author. Photo credit: Russon Mortuary and Crematory
I always feel privileged to share stories about individuals who have served as dedicated classroom teachers that have also served our country as veterans. One of these was Robert Gustaveson, a former middle school teacher who also served in the United States Air Force.
Robert was born on February 3, 1928, in Los Angeles, California. He was raised there until his family relocated to Hyrum, Utah. A young man of strong religious beliefs, after his high school graduation he returned to California to complete a mission for the Church of Latter-Day Saints. Once he returned from his mission, Robert completed the requirements for his Bachelor’s degree and then his Master’s degree, both from Utah State University.
During the Korean Conflict, Robert served as an officer in the United States Air Force. He was assigned to the 5th Air Force 67th Tactical Recognizance Wing in Kimpo. His heroism there earned Robert three battle stars.
Once he completed his military service, Robert accepted a teaching position at a middle school in Salt Lake City, Utah. While working as an educator there, he met and married his wife, Julia.
After a period of time, Robert decided to shift from a career in education to a career in law. He attended law school at the University of Utah, and once he earned his Juris Doctorate, Robert and Julia returned to California, settling in the area of Pomona and Claremont. The former teacher was elected City Attorney in Pomona, and in 1973, he became a Superior Court Judge for Los Angeles County. He also served as a Presiding Judge of the Los Angeles County Municipal courts.
After his retirement in 2003, Robert continued to serve as a judge on assignment. He also authored and published seven novels. In addition, he was a prolific artist, and enjoyed sketching, painting, and drawing cartoons.
Sadly, this Renaisance man passed away on Nov. 2, 2021, of congestive heart failure. He was 93 years old. He was laid to rest at the Hyrum City Cemetery.
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Meet Terry Lee Marzell at Bark Around Ayala Park
Author Terry Lee Marzell and her fur baby, Kurby, share Unleashed! The Dog Park Chronicles at Bark Around Ayala Park event. Photo Credit: Hal Marzell
Terry Lee Marzell will be making an author appearance at the Bark Around Ayala Park event to be held on Sat., Nov. 9, 2024, from 9:00 am to 12:00 am at Ayala Park, 5575 Edison Avenue, Chino, 91710. At the event, Terry will feature her book, Unleashed! The Dog Park Chronicles.
The novel shares the story of Bowser, based on the true-life experience of Kurby, the little terrier mix that Terry and her husband, Hal, adopted after he was rescued from an abusive former owner. Their fur baby is even depicted on the front cover of the book!
But that’s not all the book is about. The narrative features a charming cast of animal characters and their human companions who live in or visit the dog park. Each event which takes place holds an essential message about kindness, community, inclusion, and personal responsibility. There are also messages about anti-bullying and anti-prejudice.
In addition, the narrative includes commentary about how young people can appreciate nature, even if they live in a suburban environment. For example, Marzell explores themes related to the migratory patterns of Canada geese, the natural instincts of the animal characters, and the progression of the seasons.
Come to the Bark Around the Park event to meet Terry Lee Marzell and Kurby! Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing. The book is also available in both paperback and ebook versions from amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. See you at the park!
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Pat Conroy’s award-winning memoir about his teaching experiences on remote SC island
Periodically I come across a book about teachers that I’d like to share with you, and I have one to share today. The book is The Water is Wide by former teacher Pat Conroy (1945—2016). The award-winning memoir was published in 1972, the first of several acclaimed works he authored.
In 1969, Pat taught African American students in grades five through eight in a two-room school house on a remote island off the coast of South Carolina. He was a young, idealistic teacher, but not entirely inexperienced, since he had previously taught English and psychology courses at his high school alma mater, Beaufort High School, in Beaufort, South Carolina. And remember, he was teaching at the height of the Civil Rights Movement.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this memoir. I found it to be an interesting study in what were, in 1969, highly innovative instructional methods. Many of these methods have become accepted and commonplace in today’s classrooms, but in those days they were quite controversial. I was especially interested in Pat’s experiments with experiential learning (a topic which just happens to be the subject of my own Master’s thesis), student-driven curriculum, the introduction of speakers, and an informal classroom environment.
Most importantly, Pat treated his students with unconditional positive regard, and refused to utilize a paddle to maintain classroom discipline. By contrast, his principal, who taught the younger students in the two-room school house, espoused a more traditional teaching style, including textbook-driven instruction, drill tasks, and strict and rigid discipline—which included corporal punishment. And, quite frankly, she didn’t appear to even like her students. She certainly didn’t treat them with any respect. Naturally, Pat’s instructional style caused friction between himself and the school district bureaucrats. I’ll leave it to you to discover how this friction was addressed.
The Water is Wide garnered a humanitarian award from the National Education Association in 1974 and an Anisfield-Wolf Book Award in 1973. Two movies based on the book, Conrack starring John Voight in 1974 and a Hallmark production in 2006.
Learn more about Pat Conroy’s life at his website, patconroy.com. You can purchase The Water is Wide on amazon.com.
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Vote, and encourage your students who can to vote, too!
Today is Election Day! Elections are the one thing that separates a democracy from a dictatorship. Elections give people the right to control who their leaders are, remove them from office without the need for a revolution, and make decisions that affect society as a whole. Voting on election day is a great way to show our appreciation for these rights. Teachers know that elections are important for democracy. Without the election process, our democracy could not function.
As citizens, we should continuously strive to make our society better. We face many issues, and the only way we are able to fix them is to work for positive change. Voting is the best way to work for the changes we want to see occur. Voting is a privilege, but more than that, voting is a responsibility and a duty. To ensure the protection of our rights, we need to stay informed on the candidates and the issues, and then vote!
Every vote matters. Encourage your students who are of voting age to vote, too. Explain to them the importance of voting and why every vote matters. Teach them how to register, but, of course, we all know that teachers must be careful not to influence them in their choices of candidates or issues. No matter what age your students are, show them a good example. Let them know that you consider voting a civic responsibility, and that you will be voting today!
Finally, remember that living in a democracy does mean we always get our WAY, it means we always get our SAY. If the outcome of the elections is disappointing to you, accept the results for now, and know that you will have another opportunity to make the changes you would like to see in the next election.
Happy voting!
