Teacher imparted values that have made a difference

To the editor:

In the fall of 1972, I enrolled in a class at Central High School called Contemporary Issues. I was looking for an easy class and didn't really care about the grade. I was an angry 15-year-old caught up in the peace, love and rock 'n' roll philosophy of the times. Enter Robert Knight.

Knight's class was anything but easy. There was no watching of old movies or playing Scrabble as some other teachers had allowed. This man was a tyrant. He expected us to sit in class and required us to pay attention. He taught us discipline and how to think for ourselves. He was never shy about voicing his opinion. If we disagreed, he expected us to have researched the topic enough to back up our ideas and not just go along with the crowd. He instilled in me a thirst for knowledge and a duty to involve myself in the politics that affected my life.

Knight took this confused 15-year-old and helped me to understand the world did not revolve around me. He taught me it was up to me to change what I didn't like. My only regret is that I never told him how much of a difference he made in my life during those years.

Thank you, Mr. Knight. Rest well.

NANCY STRAUSER

Cape Girardeau