One of New York's Enduring Mysteries Solved

New Book Release, Teacher of the Year, Follows 10-Year Investigation into Legendary Teacher's Mysterious Past

Chappaqua, New York (PRWEB) May 4, 2009 -- For 35 years, the profound, explosive classroom methods of the beloved and feared instructor, Edwin "Blackie" Barlow (1922-1990), dazzled students at Horace Greeley High School. During that time, he buried any trace of his redemptive life story behind a set of ever-shifting personas.

"Teacher of the Year"

Mister Barlow didn't tolerate intellectual laziness, verbally disemboweling us for any error

but what nobody understood at the time was that he was preparing the wealthy students of Chappaqua, literally, for war - as befit his own experience.

I became obsessed with understanding who he was. Why did he deliberately misinform us about his past? Why permit, and even foster, the myths? How could such a fierce classroom presence show such generosity and caring in private? I knew the answers would provide unforgettable life lessons.

I literally had nothing but scraps of paper with which to begin my investigation

Fortunately, Mister Barlow left behind a rich oral history accessible through former students, faculty, and his surviving brother, Albert.

He rediscovered faith by accepting God's forgiveness for his wartime acts. In the process, he formulated his educational philosophy - help students realize themselves. To him, this was equivalent to guiding kids to find the Divine within.

With this book, the fifty-eight missing years were wiped out in a flash. This book isn't just about my brother, it is my brother.

His classes were not merely invitations to learn

The biggest problem with American education is we don't have nearly enough Mr. Barlow's.

His is a remarkably human tale -- the story of a man whose dreams and faith were shattered by war, how he became utterly devoted to teaching, and subsequently rebuilt his life to become an inimitable force in American educational history.

The mysteries probed include how he came to Greeley; the rumored fiery car accident which killed his family; the unknown location of his abode; why he had no material possessions; why he willed his entire estate to charity; why he vanished to Boston on weekends and Portugal in the summer; and even why he carried a copy of "Alice in Wonderland" everywhere he went.

The book also examines the method behind his controversial style. "Mister Barlow didn't tolerate intellectual laziness, verbally disemboweling us for any error," Meyers recalls, "but what nobody understood at the time was that he was preparing the wealthy students of Chappaqua, literally, for war - as befit his own experience."

Meyers spent ten years pursuing the truth because, "I became obsessed with understanding who he was. Why did he deliberately misinform us about his past? Why permit, and even foster, the myths? How could such a fierce classroom presence show such generosity and caring in private? I knew the answers would provide unforgettable life lessons."

Barlow's monastic lifestyle gave little for the author to go on. "I literally had nothing but scraps of paper with which to begin my investigation," said Meyers. "Fortunately, Mister Barlow left behind a rich oral history accessible through former students, faculty, and his surviving brother, Albert."

Meyers also reveals that Barlow was a devout Catholic whose faith was shattered in World War II. "He rediscovered faith by accepting God's forgiveness for his wartime acts. In the process, he formulated his educational philosophy - help students realize themselves. To him, this was equivalent to guiding kids to find the Divine within."

Edwin Barlow willed his entire $500,000 estate to the charitable Horace Greeley Scholarship Fund which grants need-based financial aid to college-bound students. The extraordinary bequest generated articles in The New York Times (1/20/91; Ina Aronow), and The Reporter Dispatch (1/8/91; Steven J. Stark).

Surviving brother Albert Barlow, who lost touch with his older sibling following their mother's death in 1950, says, "With this book, the fifty-eight missing years were wiped out in a flash. This book isn't just about my brother, it is my brother."

In addition, the book is filled with stories of how Mr. Barlow used literary references to punctuate lessons, how he regaled students with his sly wit, and details some of his extraordinary tongue-lashings of lackadaisical students. "His classes were not merely invitations to learn," said former Greeley Vice-Principal Larry Breen, "they were command performances."

Steve Kroft, a Greeley graduate and anchor of CBS' "60 Minutes" adds, "The biggest problem with American education is we don't have nearly enough Mr. Barlow's."

"In summary," Meyers said, "His is a remarkably human tale -- the story of a man whose dreams and faith were shattered by war, how he became utterly devoted to teaching, and subsequently rebuilt his life to become an inimitable force in American educational history."

Teacher of the Year: The Mystery and Legacy of Edwin Barlow, published by H.H. & Sons, is now available at Amazon.com, bn.com, and the author's website, MisterBarlow.com

About H.H. & Sons:
H.H. & Sons is an independent publisher devoted to new authors with unique voices. Founded in 2007, it strives to provide readers with compelling stories from worlds they've never experienced.

CONTACT:
Lawrence Meyers
Author
310-393-1149
Misterbarlow.com
barlowauthor (at) earthlink (dot) net

Henry Hobbes
Publisher
http://www.hhandsons.com
hhpublisher (at) gmail (dot) com

###

Post Comment:
Trackback URL: http://www.prweb.com/pingpr.php/Q291cC1FbXB0LUhhbGYtSW5zZS1TcXVhLUNvdXAtWmVybw==

edwin barlow teacher school education math physics book lawrence meyers teacher of the year mystery high school

Bookmark -  Del.icio.us | Furl It | Technorati | Ask | MyWeb | Propeller | Live Bookmarks | Newsvine | TailRank | Reddit | Slashdot | Digg | Stumbleupon | Google Bookmarks | Sphere | Blink It | Spurl