George M. Bass, Jr. – 50th Reunion Essay

George M. Bass, Jr.

104 Hempstead Road

Williamsburg, Virginia 23188

georgeandgerri@aol.com

Spouse(s): Geraldine C. Bass (1969)

Child(ren): Kristin (1972), Rachel (1975)

Grandchild(ren): Bryce (2010), Alyssa (2012) and Sara (2014)

Education: PhD, University of Minnesota 1977

Career: Educational psychology professor at the College of William & Mary for 35 years

College: Morse

My most significant event at Yale took place on my last weekend at Yale. On Saturday of graduation weekend, my father married Gerri and me in Dwight Chapel. We had met on a blind date my freshman year on her 19th birthday. On Sunday I attended her college graduation and on Monday she attended my Yale graduation. On Tuesday we drove to Vermont for our honeymoon. Those three days made quite the dramatic end to our college days and the beginning of our new life together. (We will celebrate our 50th anniversary along with our Yale 50th reunion.)

After graduation, I started teaching fifth grade in inner city Philadelphia. I was hired through an innovative employment program where college graduates without student teaching experience or a teacher license were given the opportunity to teach in their school system. (Maybe this “Teach for Philadelphia” program inspired Wendy Koop to establish “Teach for America?”)

So many influential events happened during my two years of inner-city teaching, but the most important outcome was my intention to learn how to be more effective teaching these kids. In 1971 I began a PhD program in educational psychology at the University of Minnesota.

After I received my degree, I accepted a tenure-track professor position at the College of William and Mary. Although I did not expect my first professional job to be my final job, I remained there 35 years until I retired in 2012. Williamsburg was a very comfortable place to live and raise our two daughters, Kristin who graduated from Yale 25 years after I did, and Rachel who lives in our same county and gifted us with our three grandchildren.

“Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten.” So wrote B. F. Skinner in 1964 when he predicted what education would be 20 years in the future. As I look back at my Yale experience almost 50 years ago, I realize that many of the academic details of what I learned have indeed been forgotten. Of course there are many specific nonacademic experiences that are much more difficult to forget. And two classmates who we regularly visit help keep those memories alive and authentic.

Both my Yale and University of Minnesota student experiences influenced my own college teaching. In my courses I would clearly tell my students what I wanted them to learn; how their learning would be evaluated; and the specific criteria I would use to grade their paper and tests. I would provide a variety of teaching strategies to help my students learning. During every class there would be opportunities to answer questions, interact with other students, and even listen to my thoughts about identifying and remembering the important things about the subject.

My response to Skinner’s quote is that “Education is what continues when you choose what to learn and what to forget to make a lasting, personal impact in your life.” Yale provided the education for a life of significant learning and meaningful relationships.