Jesse B. Sommer Jr.

Mr. Sommer popped into my mind today for no particular reason and I was sad to see he passed from Covid. Certainly one of the best teachers I ever had. Always in purple, graded with a purple flair pen and challenged his students to think deeply about literature. More than 40 years later and I still recall his passionate description of the beat writers. A great educator and man. RIP

I was thinking of Jesse Sommer today, and, sadly, found his obit. He was one of the best, if not the best, teacher I ever had on any subject. I took a Humanities class with him my senior year at GHS (class of '69). It included not only English but also art and music and was team-taught by three teachers (seven periods in all per week). We read The Tin Drum, Wallace Stevens poems, Carson McCullers's The Ballad of the Sad Cafe.... We "listened" to John Cage's Four minutes and 33 Seconds of...

There teachers that change your life and Jesse Sommer certainly was one. I've been thinking of him so strongly today with the passing of Stephen Sondheim -- of course it was Mr. Sommer who introduced me to Sondheim -- who else? He was wickedly funny, as well as a great teacher. I still remember him as tall and thin, with wildly flowing blonde hair and always in purple! Lovely memories.

Grant and I met wonderful Jesse in London in 1970/1971 when he was on his sabbatical from his Old Greenwich school. He opened our colonial eyes to even more exciting theatre, music, literature and movies. We stayed with him in Old Greenwich twice and then saw him again after he moved West. He, in turn, visited us twice in New Zealand. We remember him so fondly and thank him for giving us such memorable experiences in all the arts. We looked forward to the annual 'reading list' of his...

Jesse, we certainly had a lot of laughs over the years. I am sure you are directing some company somewhere. Be at peace dear friend, will miss you.

Jesse Sommer was responsible for allowing me to utilize time out of the classroom to fulfill a dream to make a movie of life at Greenwich High, which was shown to a filled auditorium one fine evening in June, 1967. Thank you!

To Jesse's family - I remember Mr. Sommer standing in front of my sophomore English class, challenging a group of fifteen-year olds to think and figure out what the author of the classic that we were studying intended to convey. He was always dignified, with a wry sense of humor. An exceptional teacher! GHS Class of '67

To Jesse's family -- High school would have been a lot less interesting and a lot less fun but for Jesse's unflagging enthusiasm for literature and his students. Great photo -- although it's 50 years later his love of life and engagement with it jumps off the screen. I'm so sorry to hear of his passing, and hope you know he was loved and appreciated at Greenwich High, and well-remembered by those of us lucky enough to be in his classroom!