Page 196 - chs-2003

Teacher of the Year

A ver pecial and re pected teacher will be leaving CHS after this school year. As a former Five Points Elementary
teacher and soon to be a former Tiger, James Montgomery, will retire with a "Bang!" as we name him this year'
"Teacher of the Year."
Mr. Montgomery (more affectionately known to hi students a Mr. Mont) never planned on being a teacher.
However, he ha , o far, dedicated forty-four year to hi career. He had originally planned on being a mini ter. "In
eminar , which is one of the teps you have to take to become a minister, I had to work with kids. When I realized I enjoyed
working with kid , I aid to my elf, 'Hey! Why not do this all the time?"
Growing up in Lake City, it wa only natural that Mr. Mont graduated from Columbia High chool, which he did
in 1951. When asked if he enjoyed his high school year , he replied, "Oh, I loved every minute of it." His favorite subjects
were History and English, and he also participated in Varsity baseball and basketball.
When Mr. Mont moved on to college, he also took up tenni as an extra hobby. He received his B.A .. from David on
Univer ity in David on, C, hi Ma ter and hi M.A.T. from Jacksonville University, and his B.D. (Bachelor of Divinity)
from Union eminary.
"All throughout chool I would have to ay my dad wa the person who was the biggest influence in my life. I alway
wanted to be like him."
In 1958, after Union Seminary, he went into teaching at Five Points Elementary where he taught sixth grade for four
year.
"Pretty soon I ju t got tired of the material I was teaching and I knew it was time to move on."
That year the tate tarted requiring the class Americanism vs. Communi m in the high chool . Mr. Montgomery
wa offered a teaching pot in that class, which he gladly accepted. Reluctant about leaving hi ixth grade class behind,
however, excited to move on, he switched his focus to Columbia High School where he has taught for the last forty years.
He has taught classe uch a American Hi tory, American Government, Economic , English, and even Bible. He say hi
favorite part of hi tory would have to be the Civil War. He likes the battle .
Mr. Montgomery claims his favorite and most memorable years of teaching were from 1968-1984 when he coached
the girl' tennis team. He' coached many women we know today, including Mrs. Khachigan.
He ha al o participated in the "Voice of Democracy" contest for the past twenty years, and has had a full-time job
for twenty-six year a a County Commi ioner. Some of hi hobbies (when he ha time for them) include playing tenni
and doing yard work.
He admits that the thing he'll miss the most about teaching high school will be the tudent-teacher relationship that
come along with the job. "I have probably participated in over one hundred weddings of former students, all of which I
till have pictures."
In addition to wedding pictures, Mr. Montgomery is known for taking a picture of every class he has ever taught. In
the downtown admini trative building his pictures occupy an entire wall.
When he retire from Columbia High chool, he would like to teach American Hi tory at the Lake City Community
College.
I think I speak for everyone at Columbia High School when I say, "Congratulations Mr. Montgomery. We love you,
we'll mi you, and good luck on your future projects."
by Lea Foggarty

Congratulations! Sheila Rojas, Erica Mayo, Jennifer Rodgers, and Jessica Ayers, Shannon Jones, and Jessica Morgan are fans of Mr. Mont's
Steven Khachigan show their support for their favorite teacher. teaching skills.
192, Teacher of the Year