In 1960, a one semester course in government was required for all seniors. It was my good fortune to take the course taught by Mr. Lindquist. Fellow students, with the usual derision and delight, enjoyed Mr. Lindquist’s first name, “Ermal.” This course, the extraordinary student government program, and the diverse student body were foundational for my commitment to public service.
A slim 
fellow, always dressed with a coat and tie, Mr. Lindquist spoke with unquestioned authority on the systems of government in the world. I learned communism (red) in Russia was not quite communism, that socialism in Sweden was not quite socialism, and that the United States was not quite a democracy. It sounded so sensible when I learned the United States had a representative democracy, a Republic, with direct election of Senators and the President and “referendum and recall” at the state and local levels. Never the less, even then, strident voices of dissent were being raised on radio and on billboards, that our nation’s government was at risk.
The tall windows, high ceilings, and afternoon light made that east facing classroom a comfortable place to land each day. (Brings to mind my other favorite courses, math, which, fortunately, were morning adventures.) In later years, when I heard about destructive behaviors in the inner-city classrooms, I could not imagine such a thing in the classrooms I knew at East.
East High, in 1960, had a dynamic student government program. We elected students to the Senate, House of Representatives, and the positions of Student Body President, Vice-President (who chaired the Senate) and the Class Officers. As a 
Senator and an occasional observer in the House, I vividly remember Jim Davidson and Fred Freeman-Elder leading the House of Representatives and Susie Smith leading the Senate. This experience was instrumental in my earning a college degree with a political science major and a master’s degree in public administration.
Observation: The intimacy of the crowded hallways and locker rooms at East, with a significant range of ethnic groups and cultures, helped me deal with diverse people and chaotic situations throughout my life. In fact, as with the uncertainties of my recent service as a census worker, purposeful work in a chaotic situation is energizing.
The government course taught by Mr. Lindquist, the sophistication of East High’s student government, and the size and diversity of its student body have had a profound impact on my life; they contributed to a life-long commitment to public service.
