Teacher Lyndon Carlson was a career public servant spending 33 years in the classroom and 48 years in the Minnesota House of Representatives.
Midway through college, Lyndon made the decision to become a teacher. He attended Mankato State where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree with a Major in Social Studies. Lyndon taught for a total of 33 years but 29 years were split equally between Patrick Henry and Edison High. In 1972 Lyndon ran and was elected to the Minnesota House Of Representatives. While teaching he found time to coach tennis, cross country running, and skiing.
He used these times and others to learn about what interested the student. He would get to know them better and then try to find common interests to help bridge any gap and create an overall positive school experience. Education was always close to his heart as he was able to help pass legislation to fund universal all- day kindergarten and to help funding to make college affordable for Minnesotans. Lyndon enjoyed working with young people.
He also used his time in the House to help create opportunities for young people and education. Part of his personal success was felt when students achieved successes in and outside of the classroom. As a teacher he was able to maintain his position in the Minneapolis Public Schools while pursuing public office.
During campaigns Lyndon would knock on the door of past students from time to time. This is where he discovered first hand the impact he made on their lives as they would share memories during these short encounters. He retired from the House at the end of December 2020 after 48 years. Lyndon still found time in his busy life to travel and spend much valuable time with his family as well as volunteering to serve on the YMCA board and the nonprofit PRISM which provides food, clothing and stable housing for Hungry and homeless families.
Anne Gillespe Lewis is from the class 1962. In high school, Anne loved chemistry, German, Spanish and Latin. Mr. Ehrlichmann encouraged her to be a language teacher.
In the fall following graduation she started at the University of Minnesota considered a chemistry major but switched to Journalism and soon joined the staff of The Daily, the University’s newspaper. The paper needed a sportswriter. She was not an athlete but she responded, “Yes, I can do it”.
They liked her first article and sent her to do another story. Her favorite memories are the features on interesting people like Murray Warmath, the iconic football coach from 1954 to 1971. By her senior year she was the Assistant Sports Editor. She majored in Journalism with graduate work in Scandinavain studies.
After graduation, her road took many turns. She was the first female sportswriter at the Minneapolis Star. At the Star, Anne relished interviewing people involved in high school and college sports. One of her assignments was to interview Peggy Fleming, the Olympic Gold Medal figure skater. She needed to be on the ice rink and in costume. Anne was a good skater but did not have the proper skating costume. She borrowed pieces of PHHS Hi-Lite dance costumes from friends.
While working at the Star there were late nights after games when Anne sat outside locker rooms waiting for an athlete to emerge and do an interview. This meant late nights back at the Star writing her story on a typewriter. She left her job in 1971 and moved to Norway for graduate studies in Norwegian. In Norway she met her husband Steve Lewis from England.
Later, another turn took her down the road to become a prolific author. Anne wrote freelance about travel, food and science. Anne is a member of the American Swedish Institute and worked with their President and CEO to write several projects. Anne traveled to every corner of our state over two years to research and write “The Minnesota Guide” which was published in 1999. For 27 years Anne and her husband Steve have opened their home to numerous visiting international students in the Minnesota Agricultural Student Trainee Program. Needless to say Anne is a lifelong learner and exemplifies the phrase, “Yes I can do it”