In Memory

Mr. Jack Farley [Teacher: English]

Mr. Jack Farley [Teacher: English]

Posted on facebook by Elisa Farley:

We thought it important to let Claremonters know that retired teacher, Jack Farley died this July 5th from congestive heart failure. We love you Dad and our hearts are heavy. 44 plus years of teaching and volunteer coaching at the school, but also boxing coaching at the YMCA. Mr. Farley also put up a good fight through this. Mother, Colleen Farley loyal loving wife, best friend and Caregiver never faltered all the way through. I also helped in this genre of necessary care, Kathleen and Jason of course involved making sure of safety and clean sheets. We all appreciate everything he also did as a Father. 64 plus years married to his only love, where they met at Fresno State University, English/Drama majors with awards. It will never be the same for us, missing him and his wonderful stories and brilliance. You where a heck of a MAN Dad!
Love to him~ RIP Dad, aka Mr. Jack Farley xo Pops ? you!
The Farley family



 
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07/06/14 02:40 PM #1    

Toni Fink (Goodrich)

forever grateful to Mr. Farley for teaching me speed reading and instilling a life-long love of poetry.

MY LOST YOUTH 
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 

Often I think of the beautiful town
That is seated by the sea;
Often in thought go up and down
The pleasant streets of that dear old town,
And my youth comes back to me.
And a verse of a Lapland song
Is haunting my memory still:
"A boy's will is the wind's will,
And the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts."

I can see the shadowy lines of its trees,
And catch, in sudden gleams,
The sheen of the far-surrounding seas,
And islands that were the Hesperides
Of all my boyish dreams.
And the burden of that old song,
It murmurs and whispers still:
"A boy's will is the wind's will,
And the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts."

I remember the black wharves and the slips,
And the sea-tides tossing free;
And Spanish sailors with bearded lips,
And beauty and mystery of the ships,
And the magic of the sea.
And the voice of that wayward song
Is singing and saying still:
"A boy's will is the wind's will,
And the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts."

I remember the bulwarks by the shore,
And the fort upon the hill;
The sunrise gun, with its hollow roar,
The drum-beat repeated o'er and o'er,
And the bugle wild and shrill.
And the music of that old song
Throbs in my memory still:
"A boy's will is the wind's will,
And the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts."

I remember the sea-fight far away,
How it thundered o'er the tide!
And the dead captains, as they lay
In their graves, o'erlooking the tranquil bay
Where they in battle died.
And the sound of that mournful song
Goes through me with a thrill:
"A boy's will is the wind's will,
And the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts."

I can see the breezy dome of groves,
The shadows of Deering's Woods;
And the friendships old and the early loves
Come back with a Sabbath sound, as of doves
In quiet neighborhoods.
And the verse of that sweet old song,
It flutters and murmurs still:
"A boy's will is the wind's will,
And the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts."

I remember the gleams and glooms that dart
Across the schoolboy's brain;
The song and the silence in the heart,
That in part are prophecies, and in part
Are longings wild and vain.
And the voice of that fitful song
Sings on, and is never still:
"A boy's will is the wind's will,
And the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts."

There are things of which I may not speak;
There are dreams that cannot die;
There are thoughts that make the strong heart weak,
And bring a pallor into the cheek,
And a mist before the eye.

And the words of that fatal song
Come over me like a chill:
"A boy's will is the wind's will,
And the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts."

Strange to me now are the forms I meet
When I visit the dear old town;
But the native air is pure and sweet,
And the trees that o'ershadow each well-known street,
As they balance up and down
Are singing the beautiful song,
Are sighing and whispering still:
"A boy's will is the wind's will,
And the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts."

And Deering's Woods are fresh and fair,
And with joy that is almost pain
My heart goes back to wander there,
And among the dreams of the days that were,
I find my lost youth again.
And the strange and beautiful song,
The groves are repeating it still:
"A boy's will is the wind's will,
And the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts."


07/07/14 07:12 AM #2    

Allan Preston

Mr. Jack Farley was an outstanding teacher...he was even able to instill a 'blockhead' like me with an appreciation & understanding of the English Language that I carry to this day! I still have two distinct images of the man that linger in the annals of days gone bye for me!

First, I well remember some 'hooligans' from another school were causing some trouble on campus and Mr. Farley was called to eject them.  They laughed when they were told an Englist Teacher was on his way to 'put them on the road!'. One very burley fellow even tried to take a swing at Mr. Farley! We were all shocked when he landed a 'haymaker' on the youngster's chin that floored him!  The culprits then had secong thoughts about 'invading' C.S.H.S.and beat a hasty retreat off campus!  No one at the time knew of Jack's prowess with boxing...but he had a built-in' respect from students for years to come!

Years later, I was a member of the Claremont Tennis Club and working out one day when I noticed a familiar figure from my past and introduced myself. It was Mr. Farley and we struck up an adult friendship that lasted for years!

One day he suggested we go upstairs and do some sparring!  It was good 'cardio' excercise and I suggeted we use gloves. I could easily handel the 'aging fellow' since beingonly  thirty years old made me invinsible! Shortly thereafter, I purchased some new gloves and headgear and prepared for battle!

The first few times, Jack took it easy! Then one day, I landed a 'lucky blow' that took him by suprise and the bout became serious!  After some 'fancy foot work' by yours truly, I was ready to give him my knock punch and cut him some slack! Suddenly, I was hit by a "freight train' and fell to the floor! That ended my boxing career with the aging English Teacher! Thank you Mr. Jack Farley for teaching me some long-overdue humilty!

God Bless you & your family!

Allan E. Preston

 

 


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