Robert A. Fitzgerald

Robert A. Fitzgerald

Mr. Sparandara was one of my favorite teachers.  I actually looked forward to going to his class.

He discovered early on that I had a secret talent.  He found out I had an uncanny ability to unscramble words, be  it 6, 8, 10 letters or more.  Upon entering class each day he would put a word on the blackboard to try to stump me.  The "game" or challenge expanded to my classmates, then his other classes, etc.  I usually got the word within 5 - 10 seconds.  He marveled at my gift.  Then it grew to try to get these "3 words in 15 seconds", "5 in 30 seconds", and so on.  Finally, after about 50 or 60 days, he and my classmates stumped me .  I surrended after looking at the word for 1, 2, 5, 10 minutes and the entire time of this class.  The word looked something like this: GADRFILZET .    I was truly baffled, said to my classmates, "did I ever hear of it " am I familiar with it?  Oh, yes they chuckled.  I then gave up as the bell rang.  They got me on my last name!  He never let me forget it.

He was a gifted teacher, a motivator, an inspiration!  I went back to see him a few times after graduation.  He still wanted his classes to try to "get" me.  Told them about my past as "the Jumble King", the "Word Legend". These memories are so fresh in my mind some forty plus years later.

RIP my good friend,  It was a pleasure seeing you in class each day and having a teacher who cared deeply about us all.

Sincerely,

Robert A. Fitzgerald