Uncovering the Past

Our dear friend, Ms. Dennis has taught the Gilder Lehrman class, Uncovering the Past, here at Mepham for over 8 years. Her class can often been seen in the school library researching many different aspects of our strong and rich history. There is a plaque (see below) in the Mepham Library on the classroom side, and I have always wondered about it. Who was Donald F. Thompson? How did he serve Mepham High School? I enlisted Ms. Dennis's class to help solve the mystery. 

This plaque hangs on the classroom side of the Mepham Library 

Her class headed straight for the yearbooks. They picked up the 1964 Treasure Chest. Sure enough this yearbook was dedicated to Mr. Thompson. 

Mr. Donald F. Thompson

 In Memoriam

"Donald F. Thompson's untimely death has meant the loss of one of its ablest and most beloved teachers. Of his thirty-three years in teaching, twenty-four were spent here. His career was interrupted for a time during which he served in the North African campaign in World War II. Although we think of him primarily as a classical scholar, he taught English as well as Latin, bringing to both subjects the enthusiasm, learning, and inspiration which brought him the respect of faculty and students alike. We mourn his passing, but we take comfort knowing that his influence, like his memory, will remain ever with us."

"No place is perfect," he would say.
Ours is less so; he's gone away.
The ready smile, the earthy wit,
The cheery voice, th' endearing bit
Of boyishness within the man -
Can we forget them? No one can.
And if we learn from him to be
Patient, gentle, kind, and free
From all envy, malice, guile
As we mourn for him the while,
We'll thus improve our earthly lot.
And he? In pace requiescat.