Jack Howard Shaffner

I was a patrol boy at Sweetser grade school in November 1963. At around ten minutes till 3, me and Alan Frank left class to go stand guard on hwy 18 to let the kids cross safely. Just as I headed down the steps from the 3rd floor, Principal Jack Shaffner stopped me, "Wait, Tom. Go back to your class. I've got a very important announcement to make. President Kennedy has been assassinated." I was shocked of course. He made the announcement over the scratchy old speaker system and he said a...

Jack was my principal when I was a student at Sweetser Elementary. He had an enormous impact on the students, especially the boys. He served as our basketball coach and was always ready to put in the extra time to make sure we were prepared. He will be missed.

Jack (Mr. Shaffner) was my principal went I started my teaching career at Sweetser Elementary. I have many fond memories of my time there.

When I think about Jack some memories come immediately to my mind. First, I think there is a very strong possibility that I would not be alive today if it not for Jack. We lived northwest of Sweetser in the middle 1960´s and 1970´s and Jack and Joyce were our only neighbors living within a mile. The night I was born my mother when into convulsions. My father called Jack and came over, and he helped get my mother to the hospital. Second, I had Jack as my principal at both Sweetser and Oak...