Today marks St. Crispin’s Day -- a commemoration of two saints, actually: Crispin and Crispinian. According to tradition both men were shoemakers who were martyred at Soissons at the end of the 3rd century. But I don’t generally think of shoes or shoemakers on this day... I think of one of my favorite high school teachers.

In the pantheon of teachers who shaped me into the woman I am today, one of those remarkable teachers was a man we all called “D. Smith” -- our AP European History teacher. D. Smith was a remarkable, creative, and inspiring teacher who respected his students while challenging them to stretch and to grow into true thinkers. Our first assignment in his class was to draw Europe. Yes. He gave us each a blank sheet of paper, and we had to draw a political map of Europe from memory. I did not do very well, but I tell you that by the end of that class I could recite parts of The Leviathan, have an intelligent discussion of the French Revolution, and yes, draw a map that bore a passing resemblance to Europe.
D.Smith referred to us, his AP students, as “the gods of the earth.” He inspired in us a passion for the politics of revolutions, the art and music of empires, and he encouraged each of us to pursue our intellectual curiosities with integrity and vigor.

To read more, check out my home blog:

http://www.gypsysguide.com/2009/10/st-crispins-day.html