Versatile teacher inspired others

As a teacher at Lawrence High School for 24 years, Roland G. Anderson used his classroom to show students the stars and the world of science.

“There were things going on in his classes – teaching and learning. You could pick up that by walking by and looking in,” said Mike Browning, a former LHS assistant principal beginning in 1980, eight years before Anderson retired.

Anderson, 75, died Jan. 9 at his Lawrence home. A memorial gathering will be at 6 p.m. today at Warren-McElwain Mortuary.

Some of his former colleagues and students this week remembered Anderson and his passion for teaching chemistry, astronomy and world history.

Besides teaching, Anderson enjoyed travel. He also taught at De Soto High School and in Okinawa, Libya, Samoa and California before arriving in Lawrence.

“He was very, very professional. He was a quiet man. Kids loved his class,” Browning said.

Anderson

“He was obviously interested in doing the best job he could do with his students. He took his responsibility very conscientiously and made himself available to his students,” said Stan Roth, a biology teacher at LHS for 40 years.

Mike Hess, LHS class of 1973, took chemistry from Anderson during his junior year. Anderson frequently had slide-rule races in class. “He did what great teachers do: They find a way to make a game out of learning,” Hess said.

During his senior year, Hess and 26 classmates also went on a rafting trip with Anderson down the Colorado River. Anderson talked about the science of the river and other things to work education into the trip any way he could, Hess said. “He never stopped teaching,” he said.

Anderson’s actions inspired Hess. He is now the principal of Jefferson County North High School in Winchester, and he taught physics at Lawrence High School in 1986-1996.

Anderson also brought a local chapter of the National Association of Professional Educators to Lawrence.

Anderson also adopted two sons, Larry Bocquin, now a Topeka physician, and Brian Wagner, who lives in Mabelvale, Ark. And he enjoyed helping all his students, Roth said.

“I don’t know that I ever saw him give up on a kid,” Hess said.

“He made the effort in his class to make it better. He did what he could to make the education system better by his own actions,” Browning said.