A Farewell to Mr. Barnes

Mr. Barnes,

If you asked me what my favorite subject was before my sophomore year, I wouldn’t say Math in a million years. But after the first few weeks of your class, I could tell there was something special about the environment you cultivated, and I couldn’t help but feel myself looking forward to the next time I would be able to step through your classroom door.

I remember walking into your extra help my sophomore year, stressed out about a new topic. Not even five minutes later we were lost in a conversation about rock music. An hour later, I left with a better understanding of the material and was fortunate enough to share a conversation with you about something we were both passionate about.

This interaction with you is largely representative of how you led your classroom. You’d introduce these topics that would have lost me, then break all the tension in the room with a funny story, a joke, music—anything to lighten the mood. Your ability to captivate the class, make us laugh, and then proceed with making sure we all understand the material is remarkable.

I’ve had the fortune of having so many great and overly-qualified teachers during my time at Deerfield, but you are a standout. Putting math aside, you are a genuine person, a great listener, and an extremely interesting man. It’s always a pleasure to have my day stopped by you in the hallways to chat. Whether it’s your favorite truck, Betty—I am deeply sorry about her getting totaled—music, movies, baseball, or whatever spontaneous thoughts that I’ve had the pleasure of hearing, every conversation that I have with you is filled with joy and humor, and every moment shared with you is an absolute pleasure.

When you leave, Deerfield will lose an amazing teacher who has inspired countless students like me to pursue Math. But more importantly, we will lose a wonderful person whose contagious smile and riveting stories can brighten any day. Mr. Barnes, your impact on this campus and on students’ lives can not be overstated or done justice by this letter. But—thank you. I wish you luck with whatever you are onto next, and I am sorry about your truck.