“Uncle” Harry Ahearn

Our Teachers

A long over due collection of tribute pages to the individuals who accepted the challenge of educating us.

1979 Ashby Award Recipient

From the 1976 and 1974 Arrow Yearbooks:

The Uncle Harry Ahearn’s Admiration Association (U.H.A.A.A) was begun with the help of three students in 1957. It has been carried on throughout the years by brothers, sisters, and friends of these first members. It is one of the largest but least known clubs in the high school. The club can be found and heard from their meeting place in Uncle Harry’s room 214.

Dedicated to the better treatment and understanding of hockey players. During any period, oral recitation of Ranger scores can be heard from room 214 as the students kneel and face New York City. Wearing a Ranger shirt and repeating “I Love The Rangers” will guarantee you automatic acceptance into this fascinating club.

My American Studies history teacher was Harry Ahearn, an extraordinary teacher and human being (and a recipient of the Princeton University Distinguished Secondary Teaching Award). When he retired, I worked with alumni to develop a scholarship in his name. Although Harry died a few years later, in 1991, his legacy continued in the form of that scholarship.

Carrie Stewart:

He believed every student could and should get A’s. He posted the Rangers(not Texas) score in the morning after every game. If they won, it was large. If they lost, it was tiny. He was also a member of the Finnigan’s Wake Society and read about a third of a book every night!

Karen Rose:

He was my favorite, what a sweetheart! Bob Sullivan and I sat next to each other and talked endlessly about the Boston Bruins before class began. He was always supportive and patient, but when we got the “disapproving parent look” we knew it was time to shut up fast. He loved to “argue” about hockey with us after class though.

Laura Fleming:

My sister had him for US History Through Literature. Apparently, he used to have little ants making the comments on essays. One of his US II students came to me upset one day because Mr. Ahearn was telling them that he was a communist in class! He didn’t realize it was just a “devil’s advocate” technique. I felt very fortunate to become his colleague and learn a little bit from him to take with me. I think I get the prize now for spending the most time on the Constitution, something for which he was notorious! There is a scholarship in his name that one of the Mrs. Rosengrens (sorry I forget which one!) announces every year at the Senior Awards ceremony.

Kathy Phillip:

UHAAA member 1974–Mr. Ahearn taught me how to think beyond black and white and how to write coherently—I am in the middle of my 43 year of teaching due in no small part to the inspiration of Harry Ahearn and Amy Emmers-his American studies co teacher.

John Millar:

Took U.S. History 1 & 2 with Mr. Ahearn in 1970. U.S. 2 in Summer school to speed things up. Great teacher of history. He would award outstanding students in his class with a bronzed bust of FDR that they could take home and return it to him for the start of the next semester. The student who won the honor in our class had to bring it back because his parents wouldn’t let him keep it at home…