Tony Silva
Class of ’71
Taught English in Japan for 32 years
- • Osaka University
- • Osaka City University
- • Kobe College
- • Kyoto Women’s University
- • Kobe Shoin Women’s University
- • Kobe University
- • Others
Retired in Querétaro, Mexico
Educator, Chicagoan forever
Fish Club IV
I am a retired English teacher. You can guess how that came to be. But the influence of Doc Racky on my growth and life is not limited to career path. Yes, I had opportunities to teach: automobile racing and karate in the U.S., and over thirty years of teaching English in Japanese universities. And, yes, much of what I knew about teaching came from watching and listening to Doc. (And to be fair, from my karate teacher, Shihan Miyuki Miura.)
For listening exercises at a Japan university, one of my directors sometimes used Ricky Martin’s “La Vida Loca”; I used Bob Dylan’s “Masters of War.” Get it?
Yet, the scope and depth of his influence were wider and deeper. The importance of learning how to think, how to learn–what we now call critical thinking–and, treating people with respect, even when they might not respect you. In an era when most institutions had become suspect–the government, the church, and, obviously, St. Rita High School–he remained above suspicion. In his class, there was certainty. One could trust the integrity, the intent, and the content. It was the real deal, and any of us with a brain knew that. Sadly for us–and for Doc–that might have been a minority of my classmates.
Some years after graduation (1976?), I had the honor and opportunity to be a guest at his house. He confided to me some of the behind-the-scenes machinations involving the awards for graduating seniors. I don’t recall the specifics, but in the deliberations, it seems my consideration was a point of contention. Briefly, Doc was adamant about me receiving one of the English awards. The honors history teacher of that era was equally insistent that I, specifically, should not be considered. I am unsure of the details of the politics, but in this fight, Doc won, and I was awarded the Silver Medal in English. A new appreciation for the bauble at the bottom of a box of memories.
In my 30+ years in Japan, I taught over 15,000 students. I don’t think I hit 20,000. Impressive, but I’m pretty sure Doc’s numbers were higher.
Consider that. All those lives touched.
More, consider how many of his students went on to become teachers, inspired by his style, his fervor, his commitment, and his belief in what he was doing. Others pursued journalism, where their words went out to reach the masses. The man had a Ph.D. from Loyola. Many times, sitting in his class, I’d wonder: WHY? Why is he down here in the trenches, classes of 40+ adolescent working-class males, only a few of them honors classes, slugging it out, doing the hard work. He could have been puffing on his pipe, discussing the big ideas with the best students that Loyola, Northwestern, U of C could offer - not in a room of sweaty teenage boys, most of whom couldn’t care less about the whiteness of the whale, or the green light at the end of the dock.
But, he was. He did.
Thanks, Doc.
