I enjoyed this story from the vault of the Duluth News Tribune, shared in the paper’s online “News Attic” feature. In 1972, students at Floodwood High School staged a rather dramatic walkout and protest surrounding the dismissal of a popular young English teacher. Floodwood is one of the hayfield swamp towns south of the Iron Range but still reasonably far from Duluth. The story is fun to read partly because of the extraordinary detail, but also because this level of passion is seldom reported in area high schools today. I don’t know if that’s because stories like this are happening less, or just aren’t being relayed.
I mean, this thing has everything: Vietnam-era military principal, long haired freaky kids, hipster teacher, walk-outs and misspelled protest signs. My dad was at Floodwood High School around this time (though maybe just before). I’ll have to ask him. He’ll recognize the hairstyles, I’m sure.
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