Leonard Fierro

Len Fierro is shown at left, right where he loved to be; in the middle of a crowd of kids, making a "dry" history text come alive with his humor, which, because he was terminally "cool", was often delivered in the "hip" contemporary language we spoke then.

Below is a news article and obituary on the passing of one of our most charismatic and beloved teachers. If you have a memory of Leonard Fierro that you would like to share with our classmates, please email the Webmaster. Please do not forget to include your name at the time of graduation and the year you graduated.

Click here to see Personal Remembrances below.

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I Remember:

I have so many vivid and often funny memories of Len Fierro it's hard to choose only one that tells his story. But I recall one day that meant a great deal to him.

Near the end of our senior year, a local radio station was promoting "An Apple for the Teacher" award in which they would surprise a local teacher with a presentation from his students in response to a letter about him (or her) that seemed worthy. The radio station was bowled over by the letter sent from our entire student body. As I remember it, only a very small percentage of the students enrolled didn't sign it and that was only because we somehow missed them on our signature gathering mission! There were pages and pages and pages of names! Len told me he was truly overwhelmed and touched by the gesture and that "if he should die right then, he'd die a happy man."

There were other tales too, such as the time a caravan of enthusiastic football fans arrived at his front door to sing and dance and share "our victory", much to the consternation of his neighbors, I'm sure. But he came outside and cheered us all and sent us on our way. He genuinely loved the kids he taught as was evidenced in the way he always treated us with respect and a sense of humor and, as senior counselor and advisor, instinctively knew how to lighten the load of angst-ridden teens.

I'll never forget the sound of the cadence he marked through the halls of our school with the key to every single door attached to a long chain that draped so cooly from the pocket of his slacks and made jaunty music as he walked. You could hear him coming from a long way off, long before you could see him, and I was always glad when he was moving in my direction!

I feel privileged to have called him my friend.

Susan (Susi) McLane (m. Fredrick) Class of '60

I Remember:

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I Remember:

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In October, 1963, I returned home from serving a year with the U.S. Army in Vietnam. My wife at the time, Janice Page Dempsey (CHS '62) had arranged with Mr. Fierro to have me address the Madison High School Senior Class (like us, the Class of '64 was their first graduating class). I did so, proudly wearing my 2d Lieutenant bars. With questions such as, "What influence do you feel Madame Diem had on the foreign policy of the Republic of South Vietnam?" I quickly realized that those high school students knew more about Vietnam than I did!. Many years later my mother handed me the Madison High School 1964 annual and said, "Here, this is yours." I told her that I had never gone to Madison and her response was, "Well, your picture is in it." And, indeed it was, shaking hands with Leonard Fierro!

Several years ago, while attending my daughter's AA graduation from Mesa College, I was again reminded of Mr. Fierro when the class Valedictorian dedicated her graduation speech to her grandfather, Leonard Fierro...

Jack Dempsey Class of '60

I Remember:

My name is Miguel A. Salinas.  I was an advisor to Leonard's CANBBE Project in the
mid-70's.   I live in Oregon with my wife Lidia, four children and four grandchildren. 
Director of Bilingual Education in Woodburn, Oregon; Project SER Spanish, English,
Russian.

Although my contact with Leonard was as an advisor, my first impression of
him was, "I want to know this man better."
Como si fuera HOY.....I remembered Leonard went to pick me up at the San Diego Airport. 
Before I left my office I asked him..how would I be able to locate him.  In his own
unassuming style he said....." I am a short guy that walks kind of funny.  I am partially
bald and if you see a guy that walks and you see his head go up -and-down.....I am the
guy!  Sure enough the description of himself helped me locate him...with no problem!

The advisory board  always enjoyed his humor, style and common sense approach to problem
solving.  His small stature was balanced with KING personal attributes.  One year, 
CANBBE was having funding difficulties.  At one of our board meetings he opened the
discussion with a question:  "Can CANBBE...BE? (Leonard famous for the use of language to
make a point). Everyone laughed loudly and made the task less painful than it should have
been.

Like Leonard, I am presently doing research on the evolution of Education in Oregon plus
I also do biographical work for families who have been in Oregon for more than 50 years. 
One person who touched my life was Leonard Fierro.  GRACIAS LEONARD...Y UN ABRAZO A SU
FAMILIA DURANTE!

It would be my privilege to include "Leonard" in  my documentaries and any help from
those who knew (him) would be greatly appreciated.  A photo when he was in CANBBE...would
be nice.   Please feel free to forward the information to others who might be able to
help.

Today is the 21st of December 2008.  The northwest is being visited by a winter storm.  I
have not been out of the house for six days.  A good time for reflection.

In closing, I would like to wish you all "Feliz Navidas y PAZ en 2009"....Gracias
Leonard!  Visitarte es una garantia....pero hasta ese dia TU ESTAS CON NOSOTROS.

"LEONARD YOU CONTINUE TO BE A PILLAR OF BILINGUAL MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION"........MIL
GRACIAS!

soymiguel@comcast.net

Miguel A. Salinas
CANBBE Advisor...Mid.  70's
20765 Willamette Drive
West Linn, Oregon 97068
Tel. 503-657-8290