Ginna and Pat are pictured on the cover.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 26
GREW UP in Pittsburgh and was
fortunate to have a number of
wonderful teachers who influenced me and certainly enhanced my
education. One in particular, Ms. Jessie
Webster Gress, was the
greatest catalyst in my
professional life. She
taught a dramatics
class at Brookline
School, where she nurtured or kindled whatever there was in me to
write, act and direct.
From the very first
day I entered her
class, I sensed
her awareness of who I was. She encour-
aged me to explore my early, undeveloped
but precocious talents. She guided me in
writing short playlets, allowed me free-
dom to act and even direct scenes when I
was ; years old!
She imbued me with a great sense of
self-confidence and always urged me to
take whatever talents I possessed to a
new and challenging place. She recognized whatever latent abilities I had and
created opportunities for me to develop
them with great insight.
These years of tutelage were the
foundation of my multifaceted career.
Prior to producing Star Trek: The Wrath
of Khan, I was engaged in directing other
media. I have directed nearly ;, ;;; television commercials for major national
and international clients.
Student: Robert Sallin
Teacher: Ms. Jessie Webster Gress
School: Brookline School, Pittsburgh, PA
I
N ;;;;, I wrote to my former high
school teacher, Burdell Hall, to
thank him for being a major influence in my life. We have been weekly email
pals ever since.
My high school years (;;;;–;;;;)
were tumultuous, with generational divi-
sions on everything from Vietnam and
racial strife to music and hair length. For
the most part, the faculty members in this
tiny Midwestern school were staunchly
conservative, unreasonably opinionated
(in my young opinion!) and strictly “my
way or the highway.”
Burdell Hall, a twice-wounded World
War II vet, could have easily followed suit,
but he chose not to. He was conservative,
but he allowed us to debate the liberal
thoughts of the day. He was opinionated,
but he considered, and fairly
I
Opposite page:
Teacher Joeann Revis (left)
and her former student,
Susan Farley Madsen.
Madsen’s class photo from
1957 shows Revis on the
right in the back row and
Madsen in the front row,
;fth from left.
Right:
Teacher Burdell Hall
(center), his wife, Doris,
and former student
James Gartland.
MANY, many years ago, when I wasin middle school, Ididn’t do so well. Seventh grade for
me was a year of hanging with the wrong
crowd, skipping homework and diverting
letters home. Definitely not my best
moments in academia, and my parents
chose to send me to a
private school.
University Prep
was selected as my
new school, and the
next fall I joined as
an eighth-grader.
My eighth-grade
year was one of my
best school years ever. The teachers were
amazing. The popular kids studied hard
and encouraged me to do so as well. My
focus on learning turned a complete ;;;.
Instrumental in that shift was a history teacher named Pat Grant. He was new
to the school, having previously worked as
a cartographer for National Geographic.
His passion for history, global cultures
and maps of the world sparked an interest
in me that has continued to this day.
Those days of learning history from
such a passionate individual as Pat Grant
triggered in me a lifelong love of learning.
I earned a BA in history, love to read historical fiction and challenge my children
to learn history as a way to understand today’s world.
Student: Ginna Steele
Teacher: Pat Grant
School: University Prep, Seattle, WA
was selected as my
an eighth-grader.
discussed, differing opinions. He used
current circumstances to add relevance to
the history lessons he taught.
We respected him because he
respected us. We listened to him because
he listened to us. We learned from him because he taught us how to think. Degrees
and certifications may earn one the title
of “teacher,” but Burdell Hall epitomized
the true meaning of the word.
Student: James Gartland
Teacher: Burdell Hall
School: Morton High School, Morton, IL
Webster Gress, was the
a
taught a dramatics
day I entered her
cd
Dramatic direction A passion
for history,
passed down
Respect shown, respect earned
Pat Grant
Future director
and producer,
Robert Sallin