John Carpenter:
CLASS OF 1964
Fresno High SchoolClass of 1964
Fresno, CA
Live Oak High SchoolClass of 1977
Morgan hill, CA
Bullard High SchoolClass of 1969
Fresno, CA
Washington Junior High SchoolClass of 1961
Fresno, CA
Muir Elementary SchoolClass of 1958
Fresno, CA
John's Story
Life
After FHS, earned a BA in English (68) and MA in Education Theory (72) from CSU Fresno. Member of CSUF Fire Dept 66-68. First student at CSUF to charge computer time to the English Dept (1967, IBM 1620 w/ FORTRAN IV). Taught one year at Bullard HS in Fresno as an intern. Taught (learning disabilities clinic, remedial reading, mainstream English, & adult ed (English) at Live Oak HS, Morgan Hill, CA, 1969 to 77. Founder of Uvas Canyon Volunteer Fire Department (76) - the successor organization is still working. Divorced in 77 and moved to Massachusetts (needed a change of career and community!), where I worked as a technical writer and publications/training manager 78 to 87. Managed a small technical support, data, and writing group as an on-site contractor at the USDOT Volpe Transportation Systems Center 87 to 98. Then did business development & project management for Camber Corporation. Now doing technical project management and B-D work for a series of information technology companies. Never stopped teaching, just stopped getting insulted and underpaid for the privilege. Retired from Oasis Systems in May 2022.
Married (in 1978) to Lucille Solimine. 3 children (Steve: Brandeis BS Cum Laude, UMass Med School MD & Ph.D.,, interned (internal medicine at NYU Med Center in NYC, subspecialty fellowship in infectious diseases at Brigham & Women's in Boston; did research at UMass in Worcester and earned his Ph.D), now Assistant Professor of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland; Steve is married with two children. Kimberly: Fordham U Theatre/Graphics BA now HR director for a highly creative company in NYC. Kim is married, with one precocious daughter. Christopher: Syracuse musical theatre BFA - spent 10 years auditioning, writing, and bartending in NYC - part of the Upright Citizens Brigade comedy group, and is now is CEO of a venture capital company in NYC (Llilogy). Lucy and I were married for 44 years. She was diagnosed with gastrointestinal cancer four years ago, and endured chemotherapy from then until May 2022. She passed away on May 20, 2022, and I have to figure out what I'm going to do without her. Miss her already. Sold the house and moved to a condo in Connecticut in October 2022.
Elected Town Meeting member in Reading, MA 1986 - 2017, and School Committee member 2003-06. Volunteered on school technology committees, budget review, school councils, and parent-teacher organizations, and supported groups for music and drama. Member of Reading Community Television (RCTV) board (to 2018). Interested in education reform & public policy. Edited newsletters for volunteer groups. Enjoy genealogy research and New England history (especially colonial & revolution eras - what a revelation!). Researching family history, having traced one branch back 15 generations to the beginning of the 17th Century (William Carpenter, Weymouth, 1638, and a founder of Rehoboth, MA 1645). I'm trying to compile what I have learned into a family history book for my relatives I make it back to Fresno about once every 5+ years, and would enjoy catching up with classmates!
School
I took a lot of science classes at FHS, and played oboe in the FHS orches...Expand for more
tra. The only time I played with the marching band was at graduations. Played bass clarinet in the pit orchestra for 'Bye Bye, Birdie.' Member of Teenage Republicans, which led to opportunities to participate in party conventions and see what was happening in the 1963/4 Goldwater campaign close-up (which is why I'm an Independent now). Member of Dr. Mitchell's photo club. Ate lunch in the Warrior Waldorf most days with a group of guys who spoke "pidgin German," until Otto Ochs heard us, He told us "That's not German!" and joined us as mentor for most of our Senior year (vielen Dank, Otto!). Saddest day was of course the day John Kennedy was shot, in November of our Senior year. Inspiring teachers included Mr. Boese, Mr. Carrie, Mr. Oas, Mrs. Williams, and Mr. Kimura. I really enjoyed my time at FHS, and learned a lot!
College
Started Fresno State as a zoology major, pre-med, did a big identity crisis in my Junior year, and graduated as an English major. Enjoyed Air Force ROTC for two years and then got medically disqualified (so, I'm not a Veteran, but I spent two years trying to volunteer!). Served on student-faculty committees and the Student Senate. Member of the all-student CSUF fire department for 2 years, and House Captain for one (67-68). Graduated with BA in English in September 1968. Did an Honors MA program that included a teaching internship at Bullard HS. Hired in Morgan Hill, CA to start a learning disabilities clinic (1969), then remedial reading and mainstream English until 1977 at Live Oak High School. Came back and finished MA thesis (in learning theory) in Summer of 72. Member of CSUF Alumni Assn.
Recently have taken project management courses at Boston University and Systems Engineering certification prep. Finally retired May 2022.
Workplace
Teacher (Bullard HS, Fresno, and Live Oak HS, Morgan Hill CA) 1968 - 77. In 1977 came East to figure out what else I can do with my English major (got to Massachusetts just in time for the Blizzard of 1978 and the 'high-tech' boom). Tried to get into book publishing (135 applications); and discovered technical writing instead. Worked in a series of computer companies writing manuals and training materials and managing tech pubs departments. Took that knowledge to a US Dept of Transportation R&D center and managed an "information management" group for too long (11 years) as an on-site support contractor and section leader. Got more into proposal writing and business development. Now doing project planning and scheduling for large IT (information technology) projects. I'm the second-most-technical English major I know. What a long, strange trip it has been! :-)
Military
None beyond Air Force ROTC at Fresno State. If you want to know why, ask me about the Air Staff's "Professionalization of the Officer Corps" initiative just prior to the Viet Nam war. What a mistake. So, when asked, I say I am not a Veteran, but I spent two years trying to volunteer! But first at the Volpe Center and then at Hanscom AFB I have enjoyed working with active-duty military folks and learning about some first-rate technology.
As I said, what a long, strange trip it has been. I still miss my FHS friends,
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