I was Mr. Berry’s student assistant for three years while I was at WVWC. He was my advisor, a mentor to me and I loved learning from him. I’m sure he was a good part of the reason that led me to be a Mathematics major. When he asked me to be his assistant after taking his Trig class, I was amazed that he’d even noticed me in the class. He saw more in me than I saw in myself and helped me become more confident in my teaching abilities. After graduation, he helped me get an instructor’s position at the college. I remember going to his house for cookouts with the family, and we were honored to be attend the ceremony when he and Anona renewed their vows. He was the one professor that I made sure to introduce my son to when he was starting at WVWC in 2007. For his big stature, he was one of the kindest men I’ve ever known. Linda MacDonald Plante ’83
Mr. Berry was the reason I eventually became a math & physics teacher.
I’d bounced around in various programs my first two years at Wesleyan and found myself at the end of my sophomore year with no clear direction. Over that summer I decided to try Computer Science and that fall was very excited to finally declare a major that I thought I’d like. However, I had no idea how much math was involved. I never paid attention to math in high school and the next thing I knew, I was in Mr. Berry’s Calculus 1 class, frantically trying to stay afloat. Mr. Berry should have shown me the door and at least made me take the appropriate pre-req classes, but he knew that I’d already been there for 2 years and I needed a path to graduate. So, instead of judging me, he spent countless hours basically teaching me what I should have learned in a high school Algebra 2 class – and there I was trying to learn Calculus. In 20/20 hindsight that was an absurd combination and the only thing that kept me afloat was his compassion.
Over the next 3 years I took more math classes from him than I could shake a stick at. He also encouraged me to get a minor in Physics, thinking that it might help me in the computer industry.
I did work in the computer industry for 20 years, but after I came to a crossroads (I’m just not cut out for corporate politics), I reflected on what I could do with the rest of my life and decided to try to impact students as he impacted me.
Twenty years into teaching, I still try to be as patient and kind and non-judgmental with my students as he was with me.
One day, as I was struggling yet again, he told me that students understand one level below the class they’re taking, but with time, they’ll catch up and be fine. He was absolutely correct. Math finally started making sense after I’d taken my 3rd or 4th class from him. Once I started teaching Calculus, there were many times that I thought back to the absurd questions I asked him…but never did he point out my shortcomings…he just dug in and tried to fix them.
He truly was a Giant.
#6 on my To-Do list was to write him another letter since it’s been two or three years (maybe more) since we last corresponded. My last class with him was 40 years ago and now I’m approaching retirement and it’s almost time for me to say goodbye to the classroom. Sadly, I didn’t get it written quickly enough. I talked about him to my classes today. They’d all heard the stories of how I struggled in school because I wasn’t prepared. Now they know the name and had a chance to see his picture. Perhaps his attitude of helping instead of judging will live on.
Dan Herod, 1981