Remembering Bob Bailey:

A teacher who made a difference

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Mr. Bailey was one of those unique
teachers who made an impact on every
student, regardless of whether you
had him or not. His presence was felt
throughout the school and everyone,
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and had my first class with him, I really
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nine months of my life in his class were
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using conventional methods; he really
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forget those nine months in his class- +DZWKRUQHJUDGXDWLRQ
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dents and you will forever be missed.
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His passion, wisdom and humor. He
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loved his students dearly. He will be
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missed.
Mr. Bailey, who was absolutely one
of my favorite teachers in my 13-year
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Mr. Bailey was truly a great teacher
elective with him for two semesters in
he made learning even the most mundane
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things interesting and funny. Hawthorne
the honors English class I was in with
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him at the time).
One day, he decided that the class
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needed a treat. So he marched us all
More than teaching English (which he
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did so very well), he truly helped shape
every single one of us the delicious
me into who I am today something I
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am so grateful for. Kindness, patience,
lovely thing to do.
and viciously intelligent sarcasm were
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you, Mr. Baileyyou will not be forgotspontaneous, and hilarious. He was such
ten.
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miss him very much.
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From one graduation to the next [see
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photos above], this special teacher was
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DOZD\VE\P\VLGH7KDQN\RXIRUWHDFKhands down one of the most understanding me and guiding me, Mr. Bailey. You
ing and supportive teachers. He was also
will always be remembered in a special
one of my first inspirations to go into
place in my heart.
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we all loved to learn. Most importantly,
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honored I had the privilege to be in your
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cation world. You will be missed. Lots
your humor, our spelling bee competiRIORYH5HVWLQSHDFHP\IULHQG
tion and the unique way you set up
the classroom that we sat in. You were
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always calm, never got mad and always
So upsetting. Everyone who went to
added your own personal touch to each
Hawthorne can say without any hesitaclass. I hold so many memories of you.
tion that he was one of the best teachers.
<RXYH WRXFKHG WKH OLYHV RI PDQ\ VWXLearned so much from him and still

Page 6 Beverly Hills Weekly

WRZQOHJHQGVRIWHDFKHUVVHHPWRWULFNle down. Mr. Bailey was the teacher

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grade English. If you wanted to learn,
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on a journey you would never forget.
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Hawthorne, but this time as a teacher.
Even though I was no longer a student,
Bailey continued to be a teacher, guiding me and advising me, listening to my
troubles and celebrating my successes.
He was always protective of me and my
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subject. I remember the excitement of
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er in 8th grade. He taught us everything
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Bailey, rest in peace.
In some ways he was a largerthanlife figurevery gregarious and with a -(11,)(52.+29$7
great sense of humor, very sharp wit and
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highly respected by his colleagues in the classes. He was infamous at Hawthorne
district.
and had such a unique style of teaching. His classroom atmosphere was
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I will miss him dearly. He is one of &+(&. KH ZDV D JUHDW (QJOLVK
the teachers my Hawthorne friends and teacher and taught us life lessons. He
,WUXO\DGPLUHG:HOODOZD\VUHPHPEHU will be missed.
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Sorry to hear that he passed. I remem7KLV LV KHDUWEUHDNLQJ +H ZDV RQH RI ber him as one of the first teachers to
the first teachers to challenge me and to WDONWRXVVWUDLJKWIRUZDUGDQGOLNHDGXOWV
call me on my bullshit. Why do I love , UHVSHFWHG WKDW +H DOVR XVHG WR UDFH
GU\ KXPRU" %HFDXVH RI KLP $PD]LQJ me in his old Volvo versus my Stingray
teacher.
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Coming from a large family in a small

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teacher throughout all of elementary,
middle and high school. Hawthorne and
BHUSD have lost a gem of a teacher.
What made Mr. Bailey a great teacher
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when a teacher succeeds on that front,
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teacher. But in my opinion, aside from
what he taught us in the classroom,
whether it be English or a life lesson, I
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his sense of humor. He had an amazing
sense of humor. He definitely will be
greatly missed.