GHS NEws

A Love Letter From Students to Loveland: Students Discuss Legends and Lore of Beloved Substitute Mr. Loveland

Editor Andrew Casteneda

Gary Loveland, better known as the laid back, soft spoken “Mr. Loveland” is favored by students across the board. Despite his humble role in his modern years as a substitute teacher at our hometown Gloucester High School, the man led a very successful, eventful, and adventurous life back in the day.

He’s been far. He’s been wide. He’s our Mr. Loveland.

Loveland stories from the man himself are quite real, believe it or not. The man is best known for his laid back, enjoyable guy nature in the classroom. When the luck is gold and the sky is smiling, however, stories from Loveland are intriguing, cherishable, and memorable. They induce wonder in one’s heart to yearn for more.

In my personal experience, Mr. Loveland told a story about his personal experience in writing, as he substituted for a journalism class in late May of 2018. Though he wasn’t a journalist, or a novelist, he wrote manuscripts for heavy machinery and ships over in Vietnam.

Born in 1949, Loveland lived through most of the Cold War. He enjoys his peace and is no monger for ruckus, showing visual displeasement for roughness and ruditudes in the classroom. Freshman Braxton Thomas claimed Loveland’s family even owns a peaceful bird shop called “The Feather Nest”.

Many baselessly believe him to be a Vietnam veteran or something of the type, though Braxton Thomas discounted this theory. Thomas, who knows the Loveland family personally, said “I think he was supposed to be drafted but wasn’t due to a vision issue.”

“In ninth grade history, Mr. Loveland told me about his experiences in teaching English to Arabic children of the United Arab Emirates.” Junior Orlando Angelone remarked. Loveland informed Angelone of this fact in his late Freshman year.

Because of the UAE’s high social status as one of the richest countries in the world, it should be assumed they have high standards for teachers. Also, because of his time spent as a manuscript writer in Vietnam, it’s just about confirmed Loveland is college educated with most likely a degree in English.

Loveland is also very likely fluent in multiple languages such as Arabic and Vietnamese, plausibly more.

With such an impressive background, it makes one wonder what he’s doing here in such a humble nowhere of the world. As Orlando Angelone praised, “A man like him could be up in D.C running the pentagon!”

My personal belief is that he had his fair share of stories and adventures back in the day, and just wanted somewhere nice and quiet to settle down. A calm, peaceful nowhere, and what better place than Gloucester County?

We all love Mr. Loveland. Respect and admiration for him is far and wide, not only in the school, but likely around the world. We are all happy to know he’ll continue attending Gloucester High School as our legendary substitute for many year to come.