Moonshine Thacker
Mrs. Moonshine Thacker
Staff from 1967 to 1995
Mrs. Moonshine Thacker, also known as Soon Thacker, is a Korean-Born, English language teacher specializing in English as a Second Language (ESL) and English conversation, with 35 years of teaching experience. She is fluent in both English and Korean and is familiar with American and Korean culture. She has graduated from the Rhode Island State College with a M.A.T. In the Department of Biology with a minor in English. She has also graduated from Yonsei University with B.S. in the Department of Biology. She taught at Yonsei University as an ESL teacher for five years. She also has taught at Sogang University as an ESL teacher for two years. Mrs. Thacker taught at Cascade High School from 1967-1995 as a full-time teacher. She taught ESL, Biology, Psychology, Health, General Science, and served as a translator for Korean students and their families. Mrs. Thacker has two children that both attended Cascade High School and now resides in Everett, Washington with her husband, Edgar.
[During 1967 to 1995, while Mrs. Thacker was teaching at Cascade, some major world events were taking place.] Most world events were traumatic. Nowadays, the media describes events that aren't even important. Now people don't recognize what is important and what isn't. When PBS came out in 1970, there were no commercials and it was a good cultural experience for kids. In 1972, the Watergate scandal was a huge shocker. Everyone trusted the president and the government and after the scandal, everyone began questioning them. In 1979, the Iran hostage crisis happened, and people were scared. When Mt. St. Helens erupted there were ashes in Everett, everyone had to wear masks around campus, and there were more earthquake exercises. In 1981, when MTV became 24 hours a day, parents were very cautious due to the generalizations that rock music related to drugs. The world became aware of famine in third world countries in 1985, this was very significant at Cascade, and the students and faculty began singing “We Are the World “by Michael Jackson at assemblies. Also, in 1986, students witnessed the Challenger Accident which killed all seven on board. In 1989, there was a huge division among families when the Berlin Wall fell. This was because Korea got divided into North and South.
Student life was full of cliques, and stereotypes. The rebellious kids wore spiked gloves, and chains. There were no cell phones, so there were no cell phone incidents. Students couldn't wear blue jeans in the late 60's. There was less bullying then because there was less technology, and if there was bullying, it was just name calling. There weren't a lot of physical fights, and homecoming, prom, and other school dances were important to students. Plus, being involved in the student body/ASB was very important.
[There were differences between a boy's student life and a girl's student life.] Girl's sports weren't really important in the early 70's, and they couldn't wear Letterman jackets until later. There were plenty of girls who would rather be involved in other sports besides cheerleading. There were girls who got married out of high school in the early 70's. Some girls bragged about not being virgins, some were even pregnant in high school. That's when Planned Parenthood came into the scene.
[Sports were important during the time Mrs. Thacker taught.] Boy's football was the most important. Sometimes teachers would change the grades of athletes so they could play in a game. Mr. Bartlett took the football team to state, and they won a state championship. Mr. Sullivan coached the soccer team, and soccer almost became as popular as football. Mr. Scodeller was the basketball coach and it was fairly important. The gym was named after him.
[Faculty life has changed since her teaching days.] Mr. Bertrand, who's a P.E. teacher at Cascade, was a student teacher in Mrs. Thacker's psychology class. Female teachers couldn't wear pants in the early 70's, while male teachers had to wear neckties in the early 70's. In 1995, the principal started e-mailing faculty due to advancement of technology.
[Mrs. Thacker taught during Cascade's golden years.] There were seminar classes, which were then changed to honor classes, and then changed to challenge classes. Students had to receive an A in a challenge class to get college credit for it. WASL's began in the early 90's.
In 1990 or 1991, there was an incident when a student died because she ran off course during a cross country meet. Then a baseball player died over the weekend because he played Russian Roulette and shot himself on accident, the worst part was that he shot himself in front of his girlfriend, who after needed psychological help. Then there was a student who killed both of his parents and came to school the next day like it was nothing.
Cascade had plenty of different clubs that no longer exist. There were girls and boy's crew, gymnastics, computer club, dance team, carpentry, FBLA, con-artists, woodworkers, BOOM, Big and W.A.C., S.A.D.D., W.T.I., Straight is Great, Speech and Debate team, and C.O.U.P.
Staff from 1967 to 1995
Mrs. Moonshine Thacker, also known as Soon Thacker, is a Korean-Born, English language teacher specializing in English as a Second Language (ESL) and English conversation, with 35 years of teaching experience. She is fluent in both English and Korean and is familiar with American and Korean culture. She has graduated from the Rhode Island State College with a M.A.T. In the Department of Biology with a minor in English. She has also graduated from Yonsei University with B.S. in the Department of Biology. She taught at Yonsei University as an ESL teacher for five years. She also has taught at Sogang University as an ESL teacher for two years. Mrs. Thacker taught at Cascade High School from 1967-1995 as a full-time teacher. She taught ESL, Biology, Psychology, Health, General Science, and served as a translator for Korean students and their families. Mrs. Thacker has two children that both attended Cascade High School and now resides in Everett, Washington with her husband, Edgar.
[During 1967 to 1995, while Mrs. Thacker was teaching at Cascade, some major world events were taking place.] Most world events were traumatic. Nowadays, the media describes events that aren't even important. Now people don't recognize what is important and what isn't. When PBS came out in 1970, there were no commercials and it was a good cultural experience for kids. In 1972, the Watergate scandal was a huge shocker. Everyone trusted the president and the government and after the scandal, everyone began questioning them. In 1979, the Iran hostage crisis happened, and people were scared. When Mt. St. Helens erupted there were ashes in Everett, everyone had to wear masks around campus, and there were more earthquake exercises. In 1981, when MTV became 24 hours a day, parents were very cautious due to the generalizations that rock music related to drugs. The world became aware of famine in third world countries in 1985, this was very significant at Cascade, and the students and faculty began singing “We Are the World “by Michael Jackson at assemblies. Also, in 1986, students witnessed the Challenger Accident which killed all seven on board. In 1989, there was a huge division among families when the Berlin Wall fell. This was because Korea got divided into North and South.
Student life was full of cliques, and stereotypes. The rebellious kids wore spiked gloves, and chains. There were no cell phones, so there were no cell phone incidents. Students couldn't wear blue jeans in the late 60's. There was less bullying then because there was less technology, and if there was bullying, it was just name calling. There weren't a lot of physical fights, and homecoming, prom, and other school dances were important to students. Plus, being involved in the student body/ASB was very important.
[There were differences between a boy's student life and a girl's student life.] Girl's sports weren't really important in the early 70's, and they couldn't wear Letterman jackets until later. There were plenty of girls who would rather be involved in other sports besides cheerleading. There were girls who got married out of high school in the early 70's. Some girls bragged about not being virgins, some were even pregnant in high school. That's when Planned Parenthood came into the scene.
[Sports were important during the time Mrs. Thacker taught.] Boy's football was the most important. Sometimes teachers would change the grades of athletes so they could play in a game. Mr. Bartlett took the football team to state, and they won a state championship. Mr. Sullivan coached the soccer team, and soccer almost became as popular as football. Mr. Scodeller was the basketball coach and it was fairly important. The gym was named after him.
[Faculty life has changed since her teaching days.] Mr. Bertrand, who's a P.E. teacher at Cascade, was a student teacher in Mrs. Thacker's psychology class. Female teachers couldn't wear pants in the early 70's, while male teachers had to wear neckties in the early 70's. In 1995, the principal started e-mailing faculty due to advancement of technology.
[Mrs. Thacker taught during Cascade's golden years.] There were seminar classes, which were then changed to honor classes, and then changed to challenge classes. Students had to receive an A in a challenge class to get college credit for it. WASL's began in the early 90's.
In 1990 or 1991, there was an incident when a student died because she ran off course during a cross country meet. Then a baseball player died over the weekend because he played Russian Roulette and shot himself on accident, the worst part was that he shot himself in front of his girlfriend, who after needed psychological help. Then there was a student who killed both of his parents and came to school the next day like it was nothing.
Cascade had plenty of different clubs that no longer exist. There were girls and boy's crew, gymnastics, computer club, dance team, carpentry, FBLA, con-artists, woodworkers, BOOM, Big and W.A.C., S.A.D.D., W.T.I., Straight is Great, Speech and Debate team, and C.O.U.P.