Gerard Unger Upper School History email: gunger@rockyhill.org

Education

• Monsignor Bonner High School , Drexil Hill , PA , 1960

• West Chester State College, B. A., 1966

• Villanova University , M. A., 1968

• SUNY at Albany , M. A., 1978

Awards

Recipient of the The Presidential Scholars Program for Excellence in Teaching (1985, 1986).

The Gerry E. Unger Better Learning Center Scholarship Award

Background

From January to May of 1966, Mr. Unger was a student teacher. From that point to the present, Gerry says, “teaching has become a habit for me.” Gerry has spent a lifetime teaching; first as a graduate assistant and then as a faculty member at Admiral Farragut Academy (New Jersey), Martin Spalding (Maryland), Latin Busch Comprehensive (England), Sesheke Secondary School (Zambia), SUNY at Albany as a Teaching Assistant and Lecturer, Caribbean School (Puerto Rico). Gerry became a member of the Rocky Hill School faculty 1985 and has been here ever since.

Educational Philosophy

I enjoy teaching. It is as simple as that. For me, there is nothing philosophical about history. Its cycles and repetitions can be easily perceived in any phase of one's life. What is essential for any appreciation of history is the realization that it must be saved from the “one tense curse.” A theme that occurred in the past must be matched with its reappearance in its contemporary form. This permits relevance for the past and present, and gives us a larger amount of data to address the future. (Sorry about what some might call a lecture, but I do teach between September and June. And this is the beginning of April.)

On a Personal Note

My wife, Eileen, has worked for Horizon Bay Senior Communities for twenty years. Our two sons, Ian (29) and Andrew (25), both favor maritime careers.