• The KillerFrogs

OT: Favorite Professor at TCU

Purp

Purp

Active Member
Tim Griffin said:
DR. Gus Ferre: philosophy
Dr. Paul Wassenich: religion
DR. Ben Proctor: history

My big three. Ferre and Proctor gave essay exams. Tough, but fair. Owe a lot to them and more.
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Funny story about Proctor's essay exams. I took him in the fall of 99 and had to go to the book store for a Blue Book. The lady who helped me find them commented after she handed me one, "You must have Dr. Proctor." Apparently so few professors still required Blue Books for essay exams that she knew it was him based on how early it was in the semester.
 
S

sketchy

Active Member
I'm old, so mine date way back (82-85)

Dr. Roger Phaffenberger: I'm a math moron, and he made the dreaded Statistics class easy to understand, and I somehow made an A

Dr. Jean Giles-Sims: took summer semester elective (Marriage & Family)...she was the first to ever compliment my writing, and lauded how succinct and concise my blue book essays were.....that's why I was a fan of hers :)

Dr. Michael Katovich: Sociology.....laid back approach, but quality professor

Finally, Mr. Joseph Schott: he was chair of the Criminal Justice Program.....CJ was so small back then, I believe he was the only bona-fide CJ teacher.
Retired FBI agent, wrote a book about J. Edgar Hoover
He was simply a cool teacher, who played a big role in my decision to major in CJ
 
FrogCop19

FrogCop19

Active Member
Dr. Hugh's- took a King Arthur Lit class from her. We read Avalon, and I hated it. Never read it, fuddled my way through the tests. Got bored a few years later and picked up the book again, and LOVED it. Got pissed at my former self for not being engaged in class.

Jerry Coates - Adjuct ELA Freshman Comp back in '92. Came in every single day with a story that "miraculously" led into the lesson of the day. Brilliant guy.

One more that his name escapes my memory, but he was a big guy, barrel-chested with salt and pepper hair and beard. Steven is the only name that comes to mind, but that's probably not right. He taught Creative Writing back in the 90's. Great class, taught me lessons that I pass on to my own students to this day.
 
K

KPfab

New Member
TCU2002 said:
Political Science was an incredibly strong department in the late 1990s/early 2000s. I am sure it still is, but there was a core group at the height of their powers during that time.

Dr. Ralph Carter - one of the most decorated professors at TCU
Dr. Dorraj - the epotime of a learned professor
Dr. Charles Lockhart - the sine qua non eccentric political theory specialist that every Poli Sci department needs
Dr. Michael Dodson - a great Latin America specialst who I believe has passed away

This list doesn't even include lions of the department like James Riddlesperger and Donald Jackson, who I somehow managed not to have for any courses.

Other favorites included Doug Ingram (Physics/Astronomy), John T. Harvey (Economics), Claire Sanders (History), and Peggy Watson (Spanish)
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I was a student from 1984-1989. Although I had all on your list, my favorite professor was Dr. Lockhart, but Carter and Riddlesberger were close.
 
Limp Lizard

Limp Lizard

Full Member
Rabidfrog said:
Gus Ferre, philosophy, in sixties. Always had to buy an extra blue book for his exams.
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Yeah, I remember that. He said if you just turned in just one blue book you would not get a good grade. Very entertaining and sharp guy. Remember the Ferre Beret?

The most brutal handball game I ever saw was Ferre and Procter going after each other. Intimidated me just to watch.
 
tyler durden

tyler durden

Tyler Durden
Billy Clyde said:
Andy Haskett was pretty good, but way too passive, IMO. Doug Newsome was much more demanding but great.
Hands down though, Walton Rothrock (French) was the best. of mine. Natural teacher/leader, comfortable with kids even though he was probably 70 when he was teaching my classes, and demanded high standards of performance without demeaning his students. Class act, all the way around. His favorite line was, he intended to keep teaching as long as his dad's money held out. :) (Dad owned car dealerships)
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Doug Newsome is the reason I am still after 30 years the go-to proofreader in the office. Humiliating as a student, but forged me into a stickler for grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Honestly kinda hated her as a student, which gradually transformed into bregrudging respect, now unabashed gratitude.
 
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R

Rabidfrog

Active Member
Purp said:
Funny story about Proctor's essay exams. I took him in the fall of 99 and had to go to the book store for a Blue Book. The lady who helped me find them commented after she handed me one, "You must have Dr. Proctor." Apparently so few professors still required Blue Books for essay exams that she knew it was him based on how early it was in the semester.
Click to expand...
Those r my top three
 
tjcoffice

tjcoffice

Active Member
My favorite was probably Cecil Jarman. They brought him back out of retirement. It was an Intro to Religion sort of class. A large class, like 30, 40 kids. The Bookstore did not have the required book for one, maybe 2 or 3 weeks. That came up during a class and all of us were basically whining that they do not have the darn book, yet. Prof. Jarman just lets everyone vent. Then there's a pause. We are all waiting for hm to speak, expecting him to solve our problem. But, he just looks at us and says, "I'm sooo sorry." And he meant it. But, he also meant there was nothing he could do. He was a very kind man and a true Christian. He was very impressive. He mentioned once in passing that his hometown in North Carolina was having a "Cecil Jarman Day." I bet they did.

Frank Reuter was great. His son died during our semester. Yet, I do not recall him missing a class.

Ben Proctor was the best teacher by far. In a Texas history course, he always managed to leave the class on some exciting moment in Texas history and you just looked forward to the next class to find out what happens next.
 

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