Dayhoff: A look back at inspirational Westminster High English teacher Mike Eaton

William Granville “Mike” Eaton, 86, died on April 24, 1995. Five days later, an overflow crowd attended a celebration of his life service at Grace Lutheran Church on Carroll Street in Westminster. The service was officiated by Pastors David B. Helfrich, and Stanley Whitson; and featured tributes by Caroline Babylon, Dean Griffin, Coach Jim Head, Monte Leister, and Ernest Thompson.

Eaton was one of many friendly and kind patriarchs in Carroll County for over a half-century. He maintains to this day, a profound influence over who we are as a community.

He was not born in Carroll County and yet his dedication, hard work, wit, and wisdom became an inextricable part of its social and intellectual personality. He was born June 22, 1908 in Centerville, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

He came to Westminster in 1926 to attend Western Maryland College, where he graduated in 1930. It was in that year that he began his teaching career at Elmer A. Wolfe High School in Union Bridge.

In 1935, he earned his master’s degree from Columbia University in New York. He went on to teach English and drama in Carroll County Public Schools for 41 years before retiring in 1971.

After a year at Elmer Wolfe, he taught for three years at Charles Carroll High School in Silver Run, before coming to Westminster to teach at the original Westminster High School on Center Street. He was there for only one year before the “new” Westminster High School opened on Longwell Avenue. He taught at the facility on Longwell Avenue for the entire life of the building as a high school, in Room 106.

Local writer and former Carroll County commissioner Dean Minnich wrote at least two extensive columns on Eaton over the years. In his April 19, 1978 column, Minnich noted Eaton’s famous index cards.

“They were ordinary file cards, but they had the student’s names on them. He’d shuffle through them, making notes, calling on people for answers to his questions. He didn’t look for raised hands. And there was no sense ducking. He’d shuffle, and call a name. There was no escape.”

I was fortunate to have him as my English teacher in 1970-71. It was the beginning of a 25-year friendship that had a profound influence on my life. I still can see Eaton standing directly outside of classroom 106 with his arms crossed and his fingers rubbing his chin with his head way back, analyzing and contemplating. Of course, this is not the first time I have written about Eaton. Portions of this column have been previously published.

In September 1997, folks from the Westminster Kiwanis Club, including Bob Seeley, Charlie Sackett, Cal Bloom, Danny Seeley, Ike Knicely, Ray Hollinger, Fran Liggon, George Reiner, Rich Eby, Bob Myers, and Bonnie Cooper, planted a tree in memory of Eaton on the school grounds, just outside of room 106. That was the room where Eaton taught English from November 1936 until he retired in June 1971.

Last year, the old high school building was demolished to make way for the new East Middle School. The construction of bus lanes and a parking lot continue on the site. It is believed that the tree planted for Eaton was removed to make way for the parking lot. Perhaps, when the parking lot is finished, our community can get together and replace the tree.

Eaton nurtured future leaders through the Kiwanis Key Club and drama productions. He inspired many students, friends, and colleagues to great success.

Among his students was writer, director, and actor Ernest Thompson whose work includes “On Golden Pond,” and “1969.” Thomas has subsequently, over the years, won an Oscar, a Golden Globe and Writers Guild of America awards.

In an undated tribute to Eaton, Thompson once remarked, “I’m only loyal to those who touch my life so deeply as to change it forever, and who inspire me to reach farther than I ever would have thought possible and to challenge myself more strenuously than I would have thought I would have had the courage to. … That’s what Mike has taught me.”

Although Thompson is perhaps Eaton’s best-known student, he is not the only pupil Eaton inspired to excel in the creative arts.

Eaton was an active member of Grace Lutheran Church on Carroll Street in Westminster. He served seven terms on the church council and was active on many church committees.

Every spring a “William Granville ‘Mike’ Eaton Scholarship” is awarded at the annual Westminster High School community awards ceremonies. The scholarship is funded, in part, by the Babylon family in honor of Eaton’s extensive contributions to our community.

According to Caroline Babylon, the scholarship was established “to recognize inspirational teachers, like Mr. Eaton, in the lives of the current graduating class of Westminster High School.”

To make a contribution to the Eaton Memorial Fund at the Community Foundation of Carroll County go to wearecarroll.org or call 410-876-5505.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster. His Time Flies column appears every Sunday. Email him at kevindayhoff@gmail.com.