My connection to South Houston Intermediate runs deep. Both of my girls attended that school in their junior high years. Eventually I began teaching there and spent more of my professional life within its halls than any other place. All in all South Houston Intermediate was a constant in almost two decades of my life and they were good, very good times.
Long before I worked at South Houston I heard about the assistant principal who struck fear in the hearts of the students. His name was Buddy Gillioz and my eldest daughter spoke his name with a mixture of fear and reverence. She often told me that she would not have wanted to attend the school had it not been for Mr. Gillioz’ presence. He was the disciplinarian and he ran a tight ship. She always knew that she would be safe with him at the helm. Still she worried that she might one day become the object of his ire, a state that no student wanted to experience.
My youngest daughter also knew of Mr. Gillioz’ reputation. She towed the line lest he one day call her to the office. She often mentioned how much students quaked whenever a runner came to the door of a classroom with a request for some poor soul to visit the assistant principal’s inner sanctum. When the day came for her to be one of the invited guests she almost passed out. Continue reading “A Guardian Angel”
All It Takes Is A Little Love 