The Track: My First Teaching Interview

[Teach]

"What did you just say?" I asked with a note of astonishment in my voice. "Would you like a job?" the man repeated. "Sure," I said.

This dialogue would take place at a most unexpected site: the track.

It was the mid-1960s. I had just graduated from college. I was looking for my first teaching job. I had sent out cover-letters and resumes to dozens of Boston-area high schools. It was now July. I had yet to land a job.

As a way of taking a break from all the typing and letter-writing, I decided to enjoy my favorite pastime: watching and betting on harness racing at Foxboro Raceway.

That evening, as was usually the case, there were dozens of people milling about on the track apron. I remember that I was swigging a cold beer and munching on a hot dog while I tried to “dope out” both ends of the early double.
At the time, I recall that I was talking to a friend both about the upcoming races and my hope that I'd land my first teaching job before the start of the new school year.

Just then, a stranger who happened to overhear my conversation motioned for me to come over to the folding chair where he was sitting. I would later find out that he was the head of the history department in a high school north of Boston.

I remember that we chatted about where I had gone to college, what courses I had taken, where I had done my student-teaching, and a whole bunch of other teaching-related matters. We must have talked for a good ten minutes. The only thing that brought our discussion to end was the start of the first race; we both wanted to get a bet in. As the department head was about to leave for the windows, he said, "Call my office on Monday morning and I'll set up an interview.” (He wrote his telephone number on a piece of paper). “I'd like to talk with you further," he added. "You can later interview with the school's principal."

As I left the track that evening I thought to myself, "This is truly unbelievable. I go to the track for an enjoyable evening of harness racing and, lo and behold -- I end up with an interview for a teaching job. Amazing!"

That following Monday morning I called my benefactor, the history department head. I recall that we set up an interview for that Wednesday.

Two days later, I was at the high school for my interview. The department head greeted me warmly. We sat and talked further about my background and my philosophy of education.

In the course of our conversation, I recall the department head saying to me, "You seem nervous." I said, "You're right. This is my first teaching interview and I want to do well." I remember the department head saying that "he liked my candor." We seemed to hit it off. One thing was for sure -- although it didn't come up in the interview -- we both liked harness racing.

About a half-hour later, I met with the school's principal. I remember he went over most of the same ground as the department head had. I do recall that he questioned me about my experience. I said that although I had never taught before, I had been a camp counselor and that I had done well in my student-teaching. For some reason, it seemed that my lack of teaching experience was an issue. I recall finishing up the interview, shaking hands and heading out the door. I remember that as I was leaving the principal said that he'd get back to me.

About a week later, I got this phone call. It was from the principal. He told me that he had enjoyed speaking with me and that I had a very good academic record but that the school was looking for someone with more teaching experience.

As it turns out, that September, I got a job teaching math in a Boston high school.

Interestingly, I ran into that same department head at nearly the same spot on the Foxboro Raceway track apron about five years later. Wouldn't you know it -- he remembered me. And yes, he asked me the same question: "Are you looking for a job?" It was deja vu all over again. Only this time, I had a job. I was then teaching history in a suburban-Boston high school.

Yet I'll never forget that I had my first teaching interview at -- of all places --- the track.