EPISODE 649 THE DAY I MET JOHN RICKER, SEPTMEBER 1963

THE DAY I FIRST MET JOHN RICKER…SEPTEMBER 1953

school history teacher.  Our classroom was jammed with potential teachers most of whom seemed to know a lot

more about history than I did.  All recent U. of  T. graduates.  Perhaps a little arrogant.  Young men and women who felt 

they were on top of their game. Sure of themselves.

John Ricker was an air force veteran of World War II bomber command. A tail gunner.   He had survived the war which

is more than a lot of his friends had done.  He was a top student  with a searching mind and an obsessive interest in

discussion of world issues.  Born in 1923… a ten year old Depression kid in 1933, a 20 year old tail gunner in 1943, a master 

teacher of high school history in 1953,  a professor at the Faculty education in 1963 when we first met.

Our class was noisy when he entered the room.  Explosive. Packed room. Not all.seated.  John threaded his way to the front.

One hand held a cup of coffee, a lit cigarette in the other hand.  He said nothing

but looked at us,  Then he took a long sip of the coffee.  Said nothing but began making eye 

contact with us.  Then he took a long slow drag on the cigarette.  Exhaled.  still said noting.   The room became 

dead quiet.  John Ricker’s eyes darted from student to student.  Still he said nothing but took another

slow sip of coffee.  Absolute silence.  Another drag on the cigarette..long drag, slow exhale. Dead silence.

Then he spoke.   That I remember.  Not the words but the deep resonant sound. What he said I do not remember.   Might have been something like

“Why are you here today?” or  “So, you want to be history teachers.” or “A B52, fully armed nuclear bomber flew

of over Toronto today  as it does every day — Why?” The year was 1963 and the threat of nuclear incineration was in the

back of all minds on earth.  Could we, as teachers of history, do anything to promote world peace? 

John presented big questions.   Few words. Words that invited discussion.

He got immediate respect.  John Ricker had charisma.  He ws a leader … dominant.  And achieved this by silence.

There was another facet of his personality revealed as we looked at him.  A light urging up of his upper lip, maybe… Or was it a twinkle in the

eye.  Not sure what it was he did but there was humour in his facial expression. He was a funny man at times.

I was not afraid of him but I knew he expected me to delve deeply into my  mind that day.  Could I do it?  Could I measure up? Could I shoulder the

challenge of shaping young minds?  John Ricker threw out a challenge that day and he did it by the force of his own personality

He was a teacher par excellence.   In the silence of that room, that day, was the one key element of teaching success.  Respect.  When respect

is present all things are possible.  Without respect not much is possible.  John Ricker got respect coupled with humour.  A cup of coffee and

a cigarette.  Later in his life when he married Marvi, he gave up smoking.  But not coffee.

Alan Skeoch

Sept. 24, 2022