May 6, 2026 • 18 mins
Teachers who shaped Murphy, Sam & Jodi and the little things they did that still matter today.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Murphy Samon Choti after the show podcast.
You can also catch us on YouTube for the video
version of the podcast. And it's teacher Appreciation Week right
this week is and nurses Week, right, so so much.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Is going on teachers, nurses, sinkoh, star wars.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
I figured, you know, this would be a good chance
to just shout out you know, some teachers. And you know,
I mean, you can do the same on our Facebook
page or you know, Instagram where you can on the
talkback Mike however you want to get ahold of us,
send us a voice memo, but we would love to,
you know, hear your favorite teacher shout outs. And I
had a number of teachers. It always boils down to
(00:38):
just you know, one or two. I guess that are
the most. But I could just go on because I
think about how for me in general, even my elementary
school teachers, I was believe it or not, I don't
want to say I was shy. I was just not
always comfortable in the social settings at that age. You know,
when you're younger.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Figuring yourself out right, I know you very well.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
And so I had very nurturing teachers during that time
period that would they would know if me or any
of my you know, other classmates, if something was off
with somebody, and they would take the time to, you know,
I would say, pull them aside, not in a negative way,
but reassure and you know, in comfort or whatever it
is they needed to do. And that's such a special
(01:18):
a skill set in a teacher, and it's not easy
to do when you've got multiple students, you know, all
day long, or especially later when you've got multiple classes
and you're having to know the students in all those
different classes.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Fitting that nurturing in is what really stands out to students,
and a lot of times they need it. It's not
necessarily in your lesson plan.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
So if you had to pick one Jody from your
it doesn't matter whether it's elementary, middle or high school,
or it could be college too. Is there one that's
one teacher that stands out to you that you really
think pulled you into their wing or gave you direction
or encouragement.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Missus Brignac in fifth grade, I don't know what. I
never walked up to her and said I'm having a
hard time. I never walked up to her and said
I'm so awkward. I never walked up and said, I
feel like crying right now. She just saw it. And
from the time, and you know, I had three teachers
that year, you know, it was all three classrooms, and
(02:12):
when I got to her classroom, which was midday, I
was always so happy to be in there because I
felt a special care from her. She was the one.
I know, you're going to love to make fun of this,
but she was the one that I would finish my
work early and she would note that and she would
call me up to help her. She didn't need me
to file papers. I know that now, but I felt
(02:34):
so important to be asked to file She would give me.
I guess she trusted me too. These were like quizzes
and tests with you know, from other students. Can you
file these for me? And I would file for her
alphabetically in the filing cabinet, and then later in the
school year I would do things like that for her,
and it made me feel so important and I needed
(02:56):
that so desperately.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
That year.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
She just saw in me. And then also it was
in the midday, so it was also around lunchtime. If
I finished my work early, which I often did, I
would get called to go help in the cafeteria. I've
told you, guys, and that happened during her classroom, So
looking back, I have to think she said, I have
a student that could help, and let me send you, Jody.
(03:22):
What did you I did whatever they asked me to do.
I would go in and they would the lunch ladies
be like, wash your hands, and I would have to
put on those little hair nets. And I was so
excited to be involved with the adults doing something like
that because I was having a very awkward year, trouble
with friend groups and just feeling really out of place.
So I needed that and I was so excited to
be back there in the back of the kitchen, and
(03:42):
I remember thinking, oh, I get to be back here
and I don't have to sit there and have to
do this for now. It's just anytime you get to
do something different. And then I realized the kids coming
through the lunch room could see me back there, and
I'm like, I have a hairnet all my red hair,
you know, it was very orange then. But I got
to where I didn't matter because I think I don't
(04:03):
know the experience with them and feeling a little bit
special made up for getting picked on again. Anyway.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Yeah, well that's kind of cool though that. I mean,
I would think if they saw you in the kitchen,
they would wonder how they could do that too. Every
kid would want to do.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
That, yeah, I mean some of the mean kids were like, ugh, kitchen, Yeah,
I would be jealous, right right, So.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Since you worked back there, do you have any secrets? No,
I get you know, spinach on grass cotton day I
kind of started.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
I didn't know to think of any of that. I
wasn't that savvy. I was just happy to be helping.
They didn't make me served. I'm glad, you know, that
would have been awkward. Here's your you know, Rice Krispy
treat see you next hour. I no know what was happening,
but it did make me feel special. And then I
would take that I wore like an apron, and I'd
take my hair and that off and wash my hands
and thank you, Jody, We'll see you next week or whatever.
(04:51):
I didn't do it every day. I did it every
once in a while, right, But anyway, going back to
Miss Brignac, I don't know. I wish I could have
gone back after I wasn't in a place by the
time Junior High took over my life. I wasn't at
a place to go back and say, why did you
do that for me? Thank you for doing that for me.
I never was able to do that. So I guess
(05:12):
let this podcast serve as thank you to any teacher
who spots that a child needs a little extra something
without her saying you need a little extra something.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Yeah, That's exactly why we want to do this because
I mean, the teachers deserve the shout out, every single teacher,
because it's a labor of love. It's certainly not for
the money and the pay and all that, and it's
such an important development. You're so important to the development
stages of us as kids, our own kids, you know.
I mean it's Jody, you and I have an their daughters,
(05:42):
and Sam, I'm sure you feel the same way. You
have a different appreciation for it and a different viewpoint
on it when it's your children that are going through
that too, and you have the interaction with the teacher
to see how they're actually you know, engaging from that side.
There are there are two stories. One of them that
I think is cool because ms Old's is the person
I think of. She was my third grade teacher, very
(06:03):
similar to what Jodie was saying. But the irony of
Miss Old is she was actually very young. I think
she was in her Yeah, she was in her mid
twent old man, she was actually she was in her
mid twenties, and I think she was the youngest teacher
at the school at that at that time. Was she pretty?
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Did you have a crush on her?
Speaker 3 (06:24):
So?
Speaker 1 (06:24):
I mean, I mean, I mean I think you know,
when you're a kid and you look about it. I
think she was cute.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Yeah, yeah, boys have crushes, you know, girls are often
like how many be like her? One day?
Speaker 1 (06:32):
She was one of these teachers that had a great
personality too, because she would make the students laugh. She
was fun, She was you know, she was very upbeat.
And every teacher is a different personality and it's great
because you know, a different personality fits different subjects or whatever.
But but you know, she Miss Olds was very gregarious,
(06:53):
I guess would be the right word. And she's the
only person that I know in my entire lifetime who
actually has won the lottery.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Oh cool. She So she quit teaching.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
After well, she had actually become a lobbyist at that point,
but she won the Louisiana Lottery. It wasn't powerball or
any of that. She and actually I think it was
probably before powerball, you know, was around. But yeah, but
she was able to quit her job and you know, yeah,
but she was you know, she was great. The biggest
(07:26):
you know, person who had the biggest impact on me.
I'll share with you in a second, but Sam, I
just want to see who yours Yours first.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Well, you know mine. It kind of goes back to
the same reason that Jody said. It was somebody my
third grade teacher who I think saw that I needed
a little extra attention, Miss Dewey. Uh. And the biggest
one probably would be fourth grade though, Miss Brubaker, because
I was going from fourth grade. I was going leaving
(07:54):
elementary school, leaving public school, going to a private school,
which was going to be much harder, and I didn't
have the math skills for it. So Miss Brewbaker used
to and this is before I'd ever heard the word tutoring,
basically would tutor me with books that we weren't using
in class. Wow, with formulas and math problems that you're
(08:14):
gonna see these, but we haven't done these yet.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
And I want you to be ready.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Yeah. Wow, And it really really helped because when I
got into fifth grade and it's like, here's this new math,
not new math, but new to me, it was like, boo,
this is okay, this is I've read this already from
Miss Brewbaker, So this was cool Miss Brewbocher and Miss Dewey.
Oh and an honorable mention since he's shouting out Miss Olds.
Miss Rogers, sixth grade English, that was the one we
(08:40):
all liked. You loved her cru everybody had a crust
because it was an all boys school. Yeah yeah, and
Miss Rogers was like, wow, it would be the.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Only reason all boys school is not the only reason,
but you know we all have that.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
When you're a child and you idolize an adult, it's
interesting to have a different adult in your life, you know,
because if you only have your you know, mom, dad, family,
or whoever's raising you, and then you have this other
adult figure in your life and you have two or
three a day, you know, in a teacher setting, it's
your introduction to what adults can be like, and it's
your introduction to the fact that other adults can be
(09:15):
adults can be different. Yeah, it's your introduction to everything.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Interesting though, that all three of us have talked about
elementary school teachers. It shows you again, at that age formatatic,
at that young age, right, it's so so important the
direction that you're steered, the extra help that you get,
even if it's just a little extra attention on something.
It doesn't mean you're the teacher's favorite. It just means
because they're they're doing that for everybody, as I know
they did for you know, other friends of mine and
(09:40):
through middle and high school. For me, it really was
a lot of a lot of the same. I remember
Miss Baptiste, I think it was in the seventh grade,
was a math teacher, but she was awesome because I
also would struggle with you know, some of that and
did for later on basic math I could do okay
at when we started getting into all the formulas, and
as that progressed in the high school, that's where it
(10:02):
got really tricky for me. But you know, the teacher
who really had the most impact on me, and we've
talked about him before, but he always will be. The
teacher that had the single biggest impact on me was
John Dobbs, who has since passed. He did to be
in his late nineties, and he was the radio communications teacher.
(10:22):
You know, you're.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Already in it, like your heart was already in it.
And he happened to be a great mentor.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
Well, he actually pulled me into it because I didn't
I had I did not have any interest in radio
at that time. I thought it was cool. But what
I was interested in was TV, like a lot of
people were, and I was more about the technical side
of TV. It wasn't so much being in front of
the camera. I liked putting things together. I like the
creative aspects of telling the story. But as I was
(10:50):
working through that and he and I got to know
each other, he was the one that told me, you know,
you should, you know you should do this. Actually it
was really it was somebody else who It was somebody
I was talking to about getting into TV, and he
was the one that said, look, you know, you're gonna
have a tough time making money behind the camera in TV.
You can choose to be in front of the camera
if you want to go that way, but before you
(11:12):
even think about that, you need to consider radio or
something that will hone your ability to communicate ad lib
and not worry about reading a teleprompter. So He's really
the one that got me interested in going, hmm, we've
got a campus radio station and radio program, let me
go talk to him about it. But the reason that
John Dobbs was so instrumental is I guess he saw
(11:32):
that I took it seriously because he was a former engineer,
And so before all of the you get to go
in the studio and play with the microphones and play
music and all of those things, you had to learn
all of the classroom stuff, which was pretty intense. Not
the most exciting stuff you're learning about electronic high school.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
Yeah, it's probably getting rid of anybody who's not really serious.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
And you know, but he always believed that if you
don't understand how the electronics work, that you're going to
be using his tools, then you're not going to be
as good as you could be. And you know what,
he was right about that. I mean, literally, those those
twelve weeks in that part of the class have served
me for my entire radio career because I can actually
I can have conversations with engineers, you know, I mean,
(12:15):
it really is, and it's helped me to articulate problems,
you know, to others. So he was right about that.
I mean it really, it was the last thing any
of us in the classroom wanted to study and do.
And it was not easy. But but you know, but
he knew what was needed to set you up for
that career path, if that's where you chose to go.
(12:35):
But beyond that, he actually he elevated me into the
next class before the next year went on. It really,
I should have completed a full year in the first
class that I was in, but it was my junior
year and he believed. He said, well, you've got this
tech part down, let's move you to what was called
Radio two was the name of that class. It was,
(12:57):
you know, and that really that was interesting. It was
not very popular amongst some of my friends.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
You were not his favorite for that.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
But I mean, I didn't treat it as anything other
than it's the class of men now and this is
you know what I'm what I'm doing. But but what
was great about John Dobbs is he wanted to teach
you how to be a professional. He wanted you to
understand all aspects of it. He was not treating you
like a kid. He wasn't treating you like a high schooler.
That sometimes meant he was more difficult on you because
(13:26):
if you're going to be in the professional working environment,
and you know, working in radio, because the broadcast industry
is regulated by the government and FCC, there are rules
that you have to respect. There are laws that you
have to understand, and it doesn't matter whether you're sixteen
years old, you know, or you know, twenty six or
thirty six or whatever. And so he expected all of those,
(13:50):
you know, things from us. So there's some people that
thought he was a tough teacher, but but he would actually,
you know, reward you call you out, and he would
even reward you financially for that where you could do
extra work around, you know, the station for additional money.
He knew how to take somebody and teach them standards,
teach them discipline, but then also reward them. It's kind
(14:14):
of like tough love, you know what I mean. And
then and then all those things that he created in
me which made me self sufficient. Basically, what he was
teaching you is that this career is your responsibility. Nobody's
going to give it to you. You know, no matter
how hard you work, in the time you spend, it's
not always going to be acknowledged. You are responsible for you.
(14:36):
It's almost like you're in business for yourself, so you
have to learn how to be you know, the person
who's responsible for all of that. And when I tell you,
that's the most invaluable lesson that I was ever taught
by a teacher. He was right because any career is tough.
You know, business has changed. Co workers can be tough.
Bosses aren't always the greatest. You have to you have
(14:56):
to be so flexible, you have to be so adaptable.
And I don't know how a high school teacher knows
to teach you those kinds of things. But you know,
he was consistent and it made him tough in some cases,
but you knew that he respected you because he would also,
you know, give you the accolades and show the appreciation.
(15:17):
And that's to me. I mean, that's a one on
one teaching experience that really goes way beyond, you know,
the call of duty. He didn't have to do it
that way, but he did, and you.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Did get to visit with him. I did, not long
before he passed. Yeah, I think that's incredible. Yeah, I was,
you know that not I think a lot of teachers,
whether they've been teaching forever and they're still teaching or
they're retired. That moment I know for a fact, because
I have friends who are teachers, that moment means a
lot to them. Whether it's planned and you say can
(15:48):
I come visit you or you run into them at
the grocery store, if you just say you made a
difference in my life, you were a favorite teacher, you
taught me this. Teachers get that, hopefully on the back
end of their and they've earned it. They do need
to know that all the little things that they do,
things that they've forgotten, they've taught kids that they forgot,
that they pulled aside and tutored, they need to hear it. Yeah,
(16:11):
especially if they really did affect your life and they're
still recalling their name and situations.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
Yeah. I made sure that through the years. You know,
I would go back and visit with John Dobbs whenever
I could, and he he would never accept the the
you know, the kudos when I would tell him how
grateful I was for everything, and you know how how
important I mean he built my career really, but anyway,
(16:37):
he would just say it was it's about the students.
It was always it's about the students. But yes, I
think it was a real blessing. We got him inducted
into the baton roof High Hall of Fame, you know,
and recognizing his acceptance speech was the same thing. It's like,
this is not for me, this is about you know,
the kids. And the thing is, there were so many
students that never really wound up going into media, but
(17:00):
it didn't matter. The skills that they learned served them well.
The way that they talked about you know, I mean
it's your communication skills, your interpersonal skills with other others,
understanding rules and just things, you know, I mean life stuff,
stuff that you don't really get to know until you
actually work in the field and do that. He was
planning the seeds for so. I think that when I
(17:21):
last saw him, he was eighty six years old, eighty
six about to turn eighty seven, And it was an
awesome conversation and I'm so glad that I got to
have that visit with him. His wife had passed and
he was even wearing the old T shirt from back
in that day.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
And was he fully aware of what you have done
in your career?
Speaker 1 (17:42):
Oh yeah, well we gave him Yeah, I mean, I'd
give given him a tour at one point. Yeah, but yeah,
I mean he's followed through that time. He followed Murphy,
Sam and Jody in the show's growth in the different cities,
and you know he did. He was you know, he
was aware of all that, but he would not let
me give him the credit for that. But anyway, good dude,
(18:02):
miss him. And you know, this is this is exactly
why teachers deserve the biggest you know, thank yous and
accolades and my god, you make such a difference in
people's lives, you know, and we know that it comes
from a place that's genuine because who you are, right.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
You're either you know, you're either can do that or
you can't. But if you're a really good teacher, you
are doing those things. Whether you ever see it come
back around or not, it is there.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
It may take years to come back around.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Missed any part of the show. Get it all on
the Murphy, Salmon Jody Podcast.
Welcome to the Murphy Samon Choti after the show podcast.
You can also catch us on YouTube for the video
version of the podcast. And it's teacher Appreciation Week right
this week is and nurses Week, right, so so much.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Is going on teachers, nurses, sinkoh, star wars.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
I figured, you know, this would be a good chance
to just shout out you know, some teachers. And you know,
I mean, you can do the same on our Facebook
page or you know, Instagram where you can on the
talkback Mike however you want to get ahold of us,
send us a voice memo, but we would love to,
you know, hear your favorite teacher shout outs. And I
had a number of teachers. It always boils down to
(00:38):
just you know, one or two. I guess that are
the most. But I could just go on because I
think about how for me in general, even my elementary
school teachers, I was believe it or not, I don't
want to say I was shy. I was just not
always comfortable in the social settings at that age. You know,
when you're younger.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Figuring yourself out right, I know you very well.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
And so I had very nurturing teachers during that time
period that would they would know if me or any
of my you know, other classmates, if something was off
with somebody, and they would take the time to, you know,
I would say, pull them aside, not in a negative way,
but reassure and you know, in comfort or whatever it
is they needed to do. And that's such a special
(01:18):
a skill set in a teacher, and it's not easy
to do when you've got multiple students, you know, all
day long, or especially later when you've got multiple classes
and you're having to know the students in all those
different classes.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Fitting that nurturing in is what really stands out to students,
and a lot of times they need it. It's not
necessarily in your lesson plan.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
So if you had to pick one Jody from your
it doesn't matter whether it's elementary, middle or high school,
or it could be college too. Is there one that's
one teacher that stands out to you that you really
think pulled you into their wing or gave you direction
or encouragement.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Missus Brignac in fifth grade, I don't know what. I
never walked up to her and said I'm having a
hard time. I never walked up to her and said
I'm so awkward. I never walked up and said, I
feel like crying right now. She just saw it. And
from the time, and you know, I had three teachers
that year, you know, it was all three classrooms, and
(02:12):
when I got to her classroom, which was midday, I
was always so happy to be in there because I
felt a special care from her. She was the one.
I know, you're going to love to make fun of this,
but she was the one that I would finish my
work early and she would note that and she would
call me up to help her. She didn't need me
to file papers. I know that now, but I felt
(02:34):
so important to be asked to file She would give me.
I guess she trusted me too. These were like quizzes
and tests with you know, from other students. Can you
file these for me? And I would file for her
alphabetically in the filing cabinet, and then later in the
school year I would do things like that for her,
and it made me feel so important and I needed
(02:56):
that so desperately.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
That year.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
She just saw in me. And then also it was
in the midday, so it was also around lunchtime. If
I finished my work early, which I often did, I
would get called to go help in the cafeteria. I've
told you, guys, and that happened during her classroom, So
looking back, I have to think she said, I have
a student that could help, and let me send you, Jody.
(03:22):
What did you I did whatever they asked me to do.
I would go in and they would the lunch ladies
be like, wash your hands, and I would have to
put on those little hair nets. And I was so
excited to be involved with the adults doing something like
that because I was having a very awkward year, trouble
with friend groups and just feeling really out of place.
So I needed that and I was so excited to
be back there in the back of the kitchen, and
(03:42):
I remember thinking, oh, I get to be back here
and I don't have to sit there and have to
do this for now. It's just anytime you get to
do something different. And then I realized the kids coming
through the lunch room could see me back there, and
I'm like, I have a hairnet all my red hair,
you know, it was very orange then. But I got
to where I didn't matter because I think I don't
(04:03):
know the experience with them and feeling a little bit
special made up for getting picked on again. Anyway.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Yeah, well that's kind of cool though that. I mean,
I would think if they saw you in the kitchen,
they would wonder how they could do that too. Every
kid would want to do.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
That, yeah, I mean some of the mean kids were like, ugh, kitchen, Yeah,
I would be jealous, right right, So.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Since you worked back there, do you have any secrets? No,
I get you know, spinach on grass cotton day I
kind of started.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
I didn't know to think of any of that. I
wasn't that savvy. I was just happy to be helping.
They didn't make me served. I'm glad, you know, that
would have been awkward. Here's your you know, Rice Krispy
treat see you next hour. I no know what was happening,
but it did make me feel special. And then I
would take that I wore like an apron, and I'd
take my hair and that off and wash my hands
and thank you, Jody, We'll see you next week or whatever.
(04:51):
I didn't do it every day. I did it every
once in a while, right, But anyway, going back to
Miss Brignac, I don't know. I wish I could have
gone back after I wasn't in a place by the
time Junior High took over my life. I wasn't at
a place to go back and say, why did you
do that for me? Thank you for doing that for me.
I never was able to do that. So I guess
(05:12):
let this podcast serve as thank you to any teacher
who spots that a child needs a little extra something
without her saying you need a little extra something.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Yeah, That's exactly why we want to do this because
I mean, the teachers deserve the shout out, every single teacher,
because it's a labor of love. It's certainly not for
the money and the pay and all that, and it's
such an important development. You're so important to the development
stages of us as kids, our own kids, you know.
I mean it's Jody, you and I have an their daughters,
(05:42):
and Sam, I'm sure you feel the same way. You
have a different appreciation for it and a different viewpoint
on it when it's your children that are going through
that too, and you have the interaction with the teacher
to see how they're actually you know, engaging from that side.
There are there are two stories. One of them that
I think is cool because ms Old's is the person
I think of. She was my third grade teacher, very
(06:03):
similar to what Jodie was saying. But the irony of
Miss Old is she was actually very young. I think
she was in her Yeah, she was in her mid
twent old man, she was actually she was in her
mid twenties, and I think she was the youngest teacher
at the school at that at that time. Was she pretty?
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Did you have a crush on her?
Speaker 3 (06:24):
So?
Speaker 1 (06:24):
I mean, I mean, I mean I think you know,
when you're a kid and you look about it. I
think she was cute.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Yeah, yeah, boys have crushes, you know, girls are often
like how many be like her? One day?
Speaker 1 (06:32):
She was one of these teachers that had a great
personality too, because she would make the students laugh. She
was fun, She was you know, she was very upbeat.
And every teacher is a different personality and it's great
because you know, a different personality fits different subjects or whatever.
But but you know, she Miss Olds was very gregarious,
(06:53):
I guess would be the right word. And she's the
only person that I know in my entire lifetime who
actually has won the lottery.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Oh cool. She So she quit teaching.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
After well, she had actually become a lobbyist at that point,
but she won the Louisiana Lottery. It wasn't powerball or
any of that. She and actually I think it was
probably before powerball, you know, was around. But yeah, but
she was able to quit her job and you know, yeah,
but she was you know, she was great. The biggest
(07:26):
you know, person who had the biggest impact on me.
I'll share with you in a second, but Sam, I
just want to see who yours Yours first.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Well, you know mine. It kind of goes back to
the same reason that Jody said. It was somebody my
third grade teacher who I think saw that I needed
a little extra attention, Miss Dewey. Uh. And the biggest
one probably would be fourth grade though, Miss Brubaker, because
I was going from fourth grade. I was going leaving
(07:54):
elementary school, leaving public school, going to a private school,
which was going to be much harder, and I didn't
have the math skills for it. So Miss Brewbaker used
to and this is before I'd ever heard the word tutoring,
basically would tutor me with books that we weren't using
in class. Wow, with formulas and math problems that you're
(08:14):
gonna see these, but we haven't done these yet.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
And I want you to be ready.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Yeah. Wow, And it really really helped because when I
got into fifth grade and it's like, here's this new math,
not new math, but new to me, it was like, boo,
this is okay, this is I've read this already from
Miss Brewbaker, So this was cool Miss Brewbocher and Miss Dewey.
Oh and an honorable mention since he's shouting out Miss Olds.
Miss Rogers, sixth grade English, that was the one we
(08:40):
all liked. You loved her cru everybody had a crust
because it was an all boys school. Yeah yeah, and
Miss Rogers was like, wow, it would be the.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Only reason all boys school is not the only reason,
but you know we all have that.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
When you're a child and you idolize an adult, it's
interesting to have a different adult in your life, you know,
because if you only have your you know, mom, dad, family,
or whoever's raising you, and then you have this other
adult figure in your life and you have two or
three a day, you know, in a teacher setting, it's
your introduction to what adults can be like, and it's
your introduction to the fact that other adults can be
(09:15):
adults can be different. Yeah, it's your introduction to everything.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Interesting though, that all three of us have talked about
elementary school teachers. It shows you again, at that age formatatic,
at that young age, right, it's so so important the
direction that you're steered, the extra help that you get,
even if it's just a little extra attention on something.
It doesn't mean you're the teacher's favorite. It just means
because they're they're doing that for everybody, as I know
they did for you know, other friends of mine and
(09:40):
through middle and high school. For me, it really was
a lot of a lot of the same. I remember
Miss Baptiste, I think it was in the seventh grade,
was a math teacher, but she was awesome because I
also would struggle with you know, some of that and
did for later on basic math I could do okay
at when we started getting into all the formulas, and
as that progressed in the high school, that's where it
(10:02):
got really tricky for me. But you know, the teacher
who really had the most impact on me, and we've
talked about him before, but he always will be. The
teacher that had the single biggest impact on me was
John Dobbs, who has since passed. He did to be
in his late nineties, and he was the radio communications teacher.
(10:22):
You know, you're.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Already in it, like your heart was already in it.
And he happened to be a great mentor.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
Well, he actually pulled me into it because I didn't
I had I did not have any interest in radio
at that time. I thought it was cool. But what
I was interested in was TV, like a lot of
people were, and I was more about the technical side
of TV. It wasn't so much being in front of
the camera. I liked putting things together. I like the
creative aspects of telling the story. But as I was
(10:50):
working through that and he and I got to know
each other, he was the one that told me, you know,
you should, you know you should do this. Actually it
was really it was somebody else who It was somebody
I was talking to about getting into TV, and he
was the one that said, look, you know, you're gonna
have a tough time making money behind the camera in TV.
You can choose to be in front of the camera
if you want to go that way, but before you
(11:12):
even think about that, you need to consider radio or
something that will hone your ability to communicate ad lib
and not worry about reading a teleprompter. So He's really
the one that got me interested in going, hmm, we've
got a campus radio station and radio program, let me
go talk to him about it. But the reason that
John Dobbs was so instrumental is I guess he saw
(11:32):
that I took it seriously because he was a former engineer,
And so before all of the you get to go
in the studio and play with the microphones and play
music and all of those things, you had to learn
all of the classroom stuff, which was pretty intense. Not
the most exciting stuff you're learning about electronic high school.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
Yeah, it's probably getting rid of anybody who's not really serious.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
And you know, but he always believed that if you
don't understand how the electronics work, that you're going to
be using his tools, then you're not going to be
as good as you could be. And you know what,
he was right about that. I mean, literally, those those
twelve weeks in that part of the class have served
me for my entire radio career because I can actually
I can have conversations with engineers, you know, I mean,
(12:15):
it really is, and it's helped me to articulate problems,
you know, to others. So he was right about that.
I mean it really, it was the last thing any
of us in the classroom wanted to study and do.
And it was not easy. But but you know, but
he knew what was needed to set you up for
that career path, if that's where you chose to go.
(12:35):
But beyond that, he actually he elevated me into the
next class before the next year went on. It really,
I should have completed a full year in the first
class that I was in, but it was my junior
year and he believed. He said, well, you've got this
tech part down, let's move you to what was called
Radio two was the name of that class. It was,
(12:57):
you know, and that really that was interesting. It was
not very popular amongst some of my friends.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
You were not his favorite for that.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
But I mean, I didn't treat it as anything other
than it's the class of men now and this is
you know what I'm what I'm doing. But but what
was great about John Dobbs is he wanted to teach
you how to be a professional. He wanted you to
understand all aspects of it. He was not treating you
like a kid. He wasn't treating you like a high schooler.
That sometimes meant he was more difficult on you because
(13:26):
if you're going to be in the professional working environment,
and you know, working in radio, because the broadcast industry
is regulated by the government and FCC, there are rules
that you have to respect. There are laws that you
have to understand, and it doesn't matter whether you're sixteen
years old, you know, or you know, twenty six or
thirty six or whatever. And so he expected all of those,
(13:50):
you know, things from us. So there's some people that
thought he was a tough teacher, but but he would actually,
you know, reward you call you out, and he would
even reward you financially for that where you could do
extra work around, you know, the station for additional money.
He knew how to take somebody and teach them standards,
teach them discipline, but then also reward them. It's kind
(14:14):
of like tough love, you know what I mean. And
then and then all those things that he created in
me which made me self sufficient. Basically, what he was
teaching you is that this career is your responsibility. Nobody's
going to give it to you. You know, no matter
how hard you work, in the time you spend, it's
not always going to be acknowledged. You are responsible for you.
(14:36):
It's almost like you're in business for yourself, so you
have to learn how to be you know, the person
who's responsible for all of that. And when I tell you,
that's the most invaluable lesson that I was ever taught
by a teacher. He was right because any career is tough.
You know, business has changed. Co workers can be tough.
Bosses aren't always the greatest. You have to you have
(14:56):
to be so flexible, you have to be so adaptable.
And I don't know how a high school teacher knows
to teach you those kinds of things. But you know,
he was consistent and it made him tough in some cases,
but you knew that he respected you because he would also,
you know, give you the accolades and show the appreciation.
(15:17):
And that's to me. I mean, that's a one on
one teaching experience that really goes way beyond, you know,
the call of duty. He didn't have to do it
that way, but he did, and you.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Did get to visit with him. I did, not long
before he passed. Yeah, I think that's incredible. Yeah, I was,
you know that not I think a lot of teachers,
whether they've been teaching forever and they're still teaching or
they're retired. That moment I know for a fact, because
I have friends who are teachers, that moment means a
lot to them. Whether it's planned and you say can
(15:48):
I come visit you or you run into them at
the grocery store, if you just say you made a
difference in my life, you were a favorite teacher, you
taught me this. Teachers get that, hopefully on the back
end of their and they've earned it. They do need
to know that all the little things that they do,
things that they've forgotten, they've taught kids that they forgot,
that they pulled aside and tutored, they need to hear it. Yeah,
(16:11):
especially if they really did affect your life and they're
still recalling their name and situations.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
Yeah. I made sure that through the years. You know,
I would go back and visit with John Dobbs whenever
I could, and he he would never accept the the
you know, the kudos when I would tell him how
grateful I was for everything, and you know how how
important I mean he built my career really, but anyway,
(16:37):
he would just say it was it's about the students.
It was always it's about the students. But yes, I
think it was a real blessing. We got him inducted
into the baton roof High Hall of Fame, you know,
and recognizing his acceptance speech was the same thing. It's like,
this is not for me, this is about you know,
the kids. And the thing is, there were so many
students that never really wound up going into media, but
(17:00):
it didn't matter. The skills that they learned served them well.
The way that they talked about you know, I mean
it's your communication skills, your interpersonal skills with other others,
understanding rules and just things, you know, I mean life stuff,
stuff that you don't really get to know until you
actually work in the field and do that. He was
planning the seeds for so. I think that when I
(17:21):
last saw him, he was eighty six years old, eighty
six about to turn eighty seven, And it was an
awesome conversation and I'm so glad that I got to
have that visit with him. His wife had passed and
he was even wearing the old T shirt from back
in that day.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
And was he fully aware of what you have done
in your career?
Speaker 1 (17:42):
Oh yeah, well we gave him Yeah, I mean, I'd
give given him a tour at one point. Yeah, but yeah,
I mean he's followed through that time. He followed Murphy,
Sam and Jody in the show's growth in the different cities,
and you know he did. He was you know, he
was aware of all that, but he would not let
me give him the credit for that. But anyway, good dude,
(18:02):
miss him. And you know, this is this is exactly
why teachers deserve the biggest you know, thank yous and
accolades and my god, you make such a difference in
people's lives, you know, and we know that it comes
from a place that's genuine because who you are, right.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
You're either you know, you're either can do that or
you can't. But if you're a really good teacher, you
are doing those things. Whether you ever see it come
back around or not, it is there.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
It may take years to come back around.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Missed any part of the show. Get it all on
the Murphy, Salmon Jody Podcast.
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