This week, the librarians at Burroughs celebrated teachers, staff, and administrators on campus who attended Burroughs during their high school days, gathering some surprising facts.
Many of those profiled foreshadowed their future careers with their high school interests, such as Mr. Cosner (BHS 2008) and Mrs. Petersen (BHS 1999). Both expressed a love for music that has clearly lasted, since they have since become the two leading figures in the Burroughs music department.
Since the library was showcasing all Burroughs alumni on campus, the display was not limited to teachers. Three Burroughs administrators are represented, including Mr. Colpitts (BHS 2002). He expressed a love for comedy and learning, which is clear when speaking to him today because he constantly cracks jokes and encourages effort in academics.
This celebration of alumni shows the epitome of a small-town charm that lures former students back to their hometown to try and help create that same charm that they felt which brought them back.
“It kinda blows my mind how many of our teachers used to be BHS students and how they all did the same traditions we did, especially during Homecoming week,” said senior Olive Patterson.
One of the teachers who mentioned Homecoming traditions was English teacher Susie Burgess (BHS 1986), who recalled decorating the APUSH classroom during APEs and Trogs. Counselor Dave Vigneault (BHS 1983) admitted to sneaking onto B Mountain as a junior and changing the “82” to “83” for the Homecoming game.
Other questions asked the alumni what music they listened to, what activities they were involved in, the craziest thing they did in high school, and what they wanted to do with their lives when they graduated. Perhaps the most telling question was whether they saw high school as the best of times or the worst.
For Colpitts, the answer was easy.
“It was the best of times,” he wrote. “It was the only time in my life where my job was to come to a place with 1,000 of my friends and learn for free.”
Find out more alumni secrets by visiting the library’s display.
