Teacher attacked in classroom

This blog was started with the hope many of you would post stories about your families. You can add your input simply by clicking on "post". I need some yarns to create our digitized book of stories. Let me begin the "yarn-spinning"....

Back in the seventies, my father, Jim Bob Halsell, taught masonry shop (the art of bricklaying) at Fox Tech High School, an inner city school in San Antonio known for it's gangs. In 1975, Dad made the front page of the San Antonio paper after a gang attack. This incident occurred right around Easter, Dad recalls.

Ernie, one of dad's students, had his hat stolen on his bus ride to school. There was an altercation over it, and evidently, "reinforcements", in the way of unemployed grown relatives of Ernie's antagonists,with nothing to do but start trouble, arrived at the masonry shop classroom, looking for Ernie. Ernie could not be found with a search party. Displaying remarkable prudence and foresight, he had ran and hid, locking himself in the locker room. Back in those days, the schools did not have security guards, and Dad asked the three grown men to leave. They did so, but not before hurling a brick at Dad, hitting his leg. Dad, heaved one back, knocking out the back glass of the fleeing vehicle.

This action had the effect of stirring up a hornet's nest, a trait this line of Halsells continue to be gifted or cursed with to this day, depending on your point of view. The three hoodlum's jumped out of the car and attacked Dad, kicking him to the ground. I remember Dad had minor cuts and bruises, and the reporters asked him to elaborate, but dad remained taciturn.

The incident made the front page of the San Antonio Light Newspaper the next day. When Dad asked the students why they did nothing to assist, the alibis were convincing and heart-warming.

Ernie said "Sir, I gave up all violence for Lent."

Dad continued teaching these contemplative and spiritual angels for 20 years.