What are the odds of meeting the first African American to be accepted and graduate from Thacher?

The first thing you need to do is get prostate cancer. Then, you have to decide on Proton Beam Therapy at Loma Linda University Hospital. Then, you have to get half naked in a dressing room before your Proton Beam Therapy to meet “Bert.” You ask Bert: “Where are you from?” He says: “Washington DC, some other cities, and Ojai.” I say: “Have you ever heard of The Thacher School?” He says: “I was the first African American to be accepted and graduate from Thacher.” It turns out that we both had the same favorite teacher: Fred Lamb.

We were fortunate to meet each other and look forward to completing our final Proton Beam Therapy treatments. Every day is like getting ready for a ride to Twin Peaks. We have promised each other that we will come to my 60th and Bert’s 50th Class Reunion in 2019. I will reunite with Bert Hammond, Class of ’69, and my Class of ’59.

Robert Gallaway CdeP 1959