Faculty Spotlight

MR. CARL RYDINGSWORD by Gwen Moore ('70)

Mr. Rydingsword was an MHS grad, class of 1958. He came back to campus and taught U.S. History from 1964-1969. He was one of my most memorable teachers in a faculty that offered many unique and talented personalities. He made history come alive for me. First by his own passion for it, then by using creative teaching methods, he stimulated an appreciation for the power of history to impact our lives. In his class we read The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, which opened my eyes to the need for government regulation of industry. In his class we watched Gentlemen’s Agreement, which was my first introduction to the insidious prejudice that would deny housing to the “other”. I had never heard of blockbusting before our class discussion. Beyond the information he was transferring to us, I believe Mr. Rydingsword respected our potential for good and thereby helped us respect it. He encouraged us to feel that we could make a difference in our own communities. Armed with facts and a world-view that included moral outrage and activism, we were equipped to be better citizens and more responsible adults. I am grateful to have been a student of such a teacher and to have known such a person. He passed away in 2005 after suffering a heart attack.Carl taught U.S. History.  He passed away in 2005 after suffering a heart attack.

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