Reflections

Individual responses to "Please tell us what Archie meant to you and/or what it would mean to you to have the school named after him," listed with permission in randomized order.

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Last updated 2021-05-18 5:23 pm.

I don’t think the school can be entirely committed to antiracism, in the context of the name change, if they pick a name other than Archie.

But more importantly, I truly cannot think of another time where Marin will name something after a Black Man, and so it would be disappointing to pass up that opportunity. What type of message would that send to the BIPOC students and community members?

From the stories I have been told, Archie brought the community together, he always had his classroom door open, and was dedicated to being a mentor to his students.

For those afraid of tokenism: as Black people there will ALWAYS be people trying to use us as their token Black person. But that shouldn’t keep us from being great or hiding from the spotlight or recognizing and supporting an accomplished man, such as Archie.

It feels more meaningful than the others, which are very boring
Archie Williams, his name on the outside right above the gym would make me even prouder that I attended Sir Francis Drake. Heck I think we should rename it Sir Archie Williams. Archie meant the world to me, he always had his math classroom opened for help , even if it was for a different subject. He was my golf coach, my friend! I’ll never forget passing him through the corridors, and would shout out to me ( our inside joke) six for six.
As a mother of a bi-racial, Black presenting son who is 9-years old, and who will most likely attend School 1327 in high school, having my son attend a school that honors the legacy of a Black Marinite would be relieving and inspiring to say the least.
Archie was still teaching when I was at SFDH. He ALWAYS had a smile that would light up my day. He earned the respect of so many of his students. In his life he accomplished so much and stood up for what was right and humane. The things he did even before he became a high school teacher were truly the accomplishments of some one who understood how to be human and how to get things done in a time when the world was treating people of color horrendously.
I didn’t have any classes with Mr. Williams but feel that his accomplishments and leadership as a teacher merit this honor.
It’s a small step, but in the right direction, to encourage equality in our community. Mr. Williams was an exceptional human being from the Olympics, through the WWII, to the classroom!
We could not find a better role model than Archie Williams, and he is overdue for recognition by the school.
Moreover, naming the school after him sends a strong message about the values of the school and the community. Choosing a bland geographical name also sends a message about the community’s values; why miss a chance to be on the right side of history?
Archie Williams was such a kind soul and a wonderful teacher. When my dad passed he was so understanding. He made me proud to be a Pirate.
Was there ever a more aspirational figure than Archie?
Archie "taught" me to code in BASIC back in 1985. I used quotation marks because he really just let me do whatever I wanted. I thought I was getting away with something and pulling a fast one over an old teacher that that couldn't keep up with my teenage agility. I was coding games and playing them. By the end of the semester I had pong, breakout and snake up and running. My Comodore Pet was a little mini-arcade and I was loving it. He let me think I was the rebellious disruptive student that didn't follow his lesson plan. Little did I know he played my to stay focused and was always there to help me when I was stuck. I underestimated his wisdom and skill as a teacher and got suckered into working harder than I was required to. After that I didn't write a line of code for twenty something years. But then the genomics revolution came to biology and all of a sudden I had to code to stay relevant in my career. The foundations of coding I learned from Archie made that career transition a lot easier. Thanks Archie!!!!

P.S. I didn't even mention the inspiration of having an Olympic gold medalist around had on my running.

I'd be proud to call myself an alumnus of Archie Williams High School. Archie Williams mentored and served as an inspiration for so many students as they entered some of the most formative years of their lives. I regret that I never knew about Coach Williams when I attended 1327, but I hope I will soon see his name gracing the facade of the school, welcoming all students to campus. Naming the school after Archie Williams will ensure that students, parents, and San Anselmo/Fairfax residents remember his incredible athletic accomplishments, his intellectual achievements, his compassion and empathy for his students, and his personal impact on the Marin community. By pursuing his dreams, Williams became a true ambassador for change within hostile and racist institutions. I hope that Marin residents see Archie Williams' name everday, remember his fight for equity, and think about the ways they can work within their own lives to connect with their community and increase access to the resources they may take for granted. Lastly, I'd like to say thank you to the Williams family for supporting the name change.
My freshman year I hung out with my friends in Archie‘s classroom for lunch. He was always there for a smile or a hand or anything else you needed. Usually about halfway through lunch he would go to the chalk board and do an interesting math problem. Just to show everybody how it worked out. He was always so excited and so motivated. He made learning math so much fun and was such an excellent teacher, I will never forget him!!
This is an incredible opportunity to move in the direction of centering black residents and ancestors of Marin. Yet naming the school is just the beginning in terms of how the community can center and practice racial justice. I wish I would’ve learned about Archie as a child and in high school, but so grateful that the cycle of not knowing about him could end with the naming of the school.
Hubby and I graduated from Redwood and struggled knowing our 4 kids would go to Drake based on who SFD was on history. Glad to see name change to honor someone worthy!
Archie's history inspires us all.
Arch was my math teacher. If you were in his class, you probably loved him like I did. He was also a great olympian, pilot, scholar and all around good man. I can't think of a better person to represent our great school in these turbulent times. Future students, including my own kid would be proud to wear his name on their chests. I'm sure of that.
He is the whole package! African American Gold Medal Olympian, Teacher, Engineer, Veteran, Pilot, Tuskegee Airman, and a member of our school faculty for over 20 years. Everyone should be so lucky to attend a school named after a local hero like Archie.
Naming the high school after a beloved teacher is the best honor, especially a teacher also successful in the wider world.
I did not know who Archie Williams was until the school renaming process began; what an incredibly accomplished person. Honoring him is long overdue!
Archie meant a lot to me at Drake. I was on the track team and a poor student in math. I was also on the basketball team with his son Carlos.

Archie told me track stories, about how training with someone a little faster than him made him push harder and brought out the best in him. He suggested I train with someone a little faster. I did and it made me the best I could be. I continued using Archie's secret through college and eventually became the NCAC Div II Decathlon Conference Champion in 1985 at SF State despite being one of the smallest in the field. It all started with Archie in a 1977 math class!

Archie was so patient with me in math. I struggled. He kept encouraging me, saying I would get it, and I can do it. With his wonderful support and dedication I was able to do it and am confident with my math calculations to this day!

It would mean a lot to me to have the school named after him. He was such a good athlete and role mode and teacher and so patient and loving to his students. Representing his country in the Olympics and then the War, and finally teaching and encouraging children to be the best they can be in school all serve as pillars of greatness that support what school 1327 is all about . . . teaching our children to be the best we can be and there are no limits to what we really put our minds to!

Archie Williams High School !!!!

He was my teacher & the only math teacher I loved having.
Many of Archie's accomplishments as athlete, warrior, & teacher, community member, friend & family member, & there historic significance are things that many present, future & past students would be proud to leave as a legacy for themselves & families.

I remember his kindness, & ability to teach problem solving in algebra & computers to students of many levels of skill & understanding in a way that was absorbed by the student given their abilities.

I believe that the principles & accomplishments of "Arch" are, would, & could be inspirational for students for many future generations that are growing, studying, practicing, playing, striving & leaning on campus & classrooms of a high school honoring Archie's Williams.

Naming the school Archie Williams High would address the fundamental goal of this renaming - to educate current and future students about racism and honor Blackness through the lens of Archie being an exceptional teacher, mathematician, World War II veteran, Berlin Olympics champion and so on. As an alum I know first hand how Archie's gentle, upbeat and kind spirit helped me as a teen. He saved a lot of us! I also can't stay this clearly enough - to NOT rename the school after Archie is about as racially tone deaf as white people/administrators/parents can get about the essential point of not having white men or colonial culture dominate the names of institutions.
I ran track and field at the formerly known Drake HS. When I walked down the first corridor I would see a homemade poster about Archie. I learned about his life from coach Taylor. I traveled and ran with Arete West in Europe and stood in an empty Berlin track where Archie won his gold metal. His life had a deep and positive influence on my world view at age 17. I wish that for my kids. I also like the track team “lightning bolts” as a mascot.
Reaffirming the importance of students of color, representation matters
I was moved by learning of his participation in the 1936 Olympics. It took courage as an African American to go Nazi Germany and his success was an important rebuke to the Nazi propaganda of Aryan supremacy. By honoring him, the school will teach generations of students about what he and others did to stand up to racism and bring around the conversation to what still needs to be done. That he left the military to become an instructor of math and computing at the very school that bears his name will also inspire students to value these areas of study.
He was an inspiration to my friends and me.
Archie Williams was my teacher and my friend. He knew algebra wasn’t my strongest, so he made going to class fun and was kind and considerate

He was a beautiful person and loved his students and Drake High. I really hope we change the name to Archie Williams. It would be so meaningful and such a tribute to an incredible person and teacher!

He was one of my teachers and a great person to talk to during my 4 years of high school. Class of 1986
It's a perfect choice -- trailblazer, risk-taker, product of public schools, teacher at public schools, personal history with our school, veteran, athlete, someone whose life captures our values by illustrating why the struggle the justice is paramount.
I would like to see the school names for a committed educator
I was in the first period algebra class Archie taught, Fall, 1966. I saw how he mentored students & community members & encouraged change in the attitudes of so many throughout his career. He's the tangible, local model of what the movements for social justice that provoked the name change are all about. A great educator & real human being.
Was on the Drake track team from 67-70 and Archie was one of our coaches, he was a genuine good man.
Dedicated to help people succeed.
Archie Williams taught and nurtured countless students over his career at Drake. He was an Olympic gold medal winner, a WW2 veteran, a Tuskegee airman and flight instructor, graduate of UC Berkeley and UCLA, and a beloved math and science teacher at Drake High School. He was and is an important role model for young people and his legacy deserves to be memorialized by having the school named after him so his story will live on.
Clearly this is a well-deserved honor. I am chagrined that, prior to the need to rename SFDrake, and despite living in Marin County and counseling at Drake and Redwood High Schools, I did not know of Archie Williams or his contributions. It is way past time for him to be recognized and for the school to have a name that honors a real hero.
Archie was incredibly humble for everything he had accomplished
His legacy needs to be honored
He was a person who inspired others by how he interacted and treated everyone with respect and dignity. He was an intelligent, courageous, driven and loving human being and most importantly he is a spark of encouragement to anyone who takes the time to really think about what he did with his life .
This is an inspirational story. Most of us here encourage the removal of and renaming of Confederate monuments erected/named during the Jim Crow era (or any era), and yet some of us object to renaming stuff named after a notorious slave trader (with the same excuses such as "cost" or "heritage", with apparently little recognition of hypocrisy).

The people objecting to it, curiously, have notably benefited greatly from generations of entrenched social and cultural stratification SFD helped create (as I have).

Marin contains among the highest concentrations of wealth in the world, and not necessarily coincidentally, was among the most negatively affected by SFD's exploits.

This is not about self-flagellating for something we ourselves didn't do. We can't fix all of history. We aren't trying to decide where to "draw the line" about what art or schools to rename around the country.

It's simply about sucking it up and doing the *barest minimal thing* that we could possibly do - right here and now - to right the wrongs our ancestors did to the native cultures that used to occupy this land.

I support this whole-heartedly, even though my ancestors never lived here. I mean hell, most of them were poor peasants toiling fields in Germany or working coal mines in England, while SFD was murdering and raping. But I live here *now*, I'm on ancestral land *now*, and it still matters *now*.

He was my Math teacher and my Computer class teacher in 1985. He was so helpful, kind and smart! I will never forget him! He had a heart of GOLD. He is the main reason why I graduated and went to my University. It would be perfect to name the high school after him , as so many students were impacted in a positive way by this man and he is also a hero to America for his military service and his Olympic Track Star history at the German games with Hitler there! He told me he was not allowed to shake his hand as he was black, along with some others..that won! There would no better name than his for this school-trust me. I love him to this day. He was a real treasure for us at Drake. Thank you for your consideration. Too bad there were not more people like him in this nation and world, for kids to feel cared for at school, others at Drake were good teachers too, but Arch took the cake!
Honor this American hero with deep Bay Area roots!
Archie’s tireless work is a representation and testament to what it means to work hard, be kind and serve one’s community. It would be an honor to name our school after him and represent moving forward towards a future of equity in our school and community.
This just seems like a name that really displays a the opposite of the name sir Francis drake. It shows that we are proud to have an alumni as brave as Archie Williams.
Archie Williams is a beloved former Drake teacher, and WWII hero, 1936 Olympic Gold and Silver medalist, and helped create SWAS. Archie Williams started Drake's first computer lab with money from his own pocket, and was always full of school spirit.
There is no one else who deserves this more than Archie Williams. He is an inspiration.
Truly cared for me as I struggled with Math... he wanted me to get it, he needed me for the track team. I’m blessed by this experience. And yes, I passed!! He once told me that learning how to use a slide rule was going to be obsolete soon... 1972
As an extremely inequitable county and racial divided county, it is our duty to make statements that are not neutral but are declarative regarding our commitment to antiracism. Changing the name of a school of a genocider colonist to a black athlete, intellectual, and role model is a very small step but the least we could do.
Archies history of participating in the "Nazi" Olympics in Berlin and proofing that one race is no better than one another, would make especially me, being a native German, extremely proud sending my kids in a few years to a school with such a name. It would have a very powerful meaning to myself and hopefully also for my own kids when they will become highschool students down the road.
I feel so fortunate to say that Archie Williams was my beloved teacher. Archie exemplified a stellar, outstanding, compassionate and loving person that we can all aspire too. So humble and passionate that shined through while teaching. His background winning the Olympics, being a pilot, building his own home, and so many enriched inspiring stories all were bountiful and is a shining example for all. Archie faced much discrimination and yet pursued his dreams through determination and inner strength. What more could we want our High School students to be proud of and learn by example? Compare Archie Williams to Sir Francis Drake, hands down, Archie Williams High School.
Not personal reminiscence, but worth noting. After winning the 400 meter run in the Berlin Olympics, Archie, along with the bronze medalist, James LuValle, declined to run in the 4x400 relay to give the two alternates a shot at winning an Olympic medal. It is unimaginable that any modern day Olympic athlete would do the same. Usain Bolt? Carl Lewis? Jackie Joiner-Kersee? Michael Phelps? Never in a million years. It is a testament to Archie's character. Archie was Drake's first computers teacher. The school didn't provide enough computers to effectively run the class, so Archie went out and bought a few out of his own pocket. (Commodore 64's. If that name rings a bell, you are old.)
Archie was a superb and patient teacher. I had him for pre Algebra and Algebra, and he helped me to embrace my math ability even teaching us some Calculus. If you wanted to learn he had work for you to do and if you were an underachiever there was always “The Gong Show!”
Archie was a great teacher who was ALWAYS there for his students, not only was Archie a community figure and mentor but a Marin county Icon!
He was a amazing human and a wonderful example and inspiration to so many ! He was kind ‼️‼️‼️🎶
This is an incredible opportunity to move in the direction of centering black residents and ancestors of Marin. Yet naming the school is just the beginning in terms of how the community can center and practice racial justice. I wish I would’ve learned about Archie as a child and in high school, but so grateful that the cycle of not knowing about him could end with the naming of the school.
Clear as day to honor such an accomplished individual who is a much needed positive force and pride for the county of Marin.
Archie was a trailblazer and a wonderful teacher and coach.
I did not know about Archie until last year, but it would mean a great deal to me if my old high school would be named after such an accomplished and prominent BIPOC figure. We need our schools to reflect our current values and renaming HS 1327 in his honor will be the catalyst that leads to a more welcoming, anti-racist campus that is a safe space for all students to learn. Archie is the type of role model and inspiration, a young BIPOC educator in the Tam District like myself, can look up to and I would be proud to be an alumni of a school that bears his name.
It’s important to lift up the identities of our educators of color. Archie Williams was a great athlete, but he was much more than that. He served his country, was trained as an engineer, and taught math and science. It’s important to see our history holistically. We too often see our colleagues of color stereotyped. This is an opportunity to reveal a more truthful and complete history and narrative.
I was not only lucky enough to know Archie but to be a student in one of his classes and an athlete at the same time. although Archie did not talk a lot about his past he had a way of guiding young athletes much like myself in a positive direction with a positive spirit.
Archie taught me computer science. He was a warm person and an inspiring and humble world class athlete. He won a gold medal in 1936 Nazi Germany, but you would never know that unless you asked him about it. He was a kind and gentle man. I wish I had gotten to know him better.
The idea of having Drake become Archie Williams High gives me hope. Hope that we will recognize this local legend as a hero who more than deserves this naming honor. Hope that we are all opening our eyes to the changes needed in our community. Hope that we might work together to foster a culture in which all people who live and visit can feel welcome and a true sense of belonging. Hope that we will stop pretending this is just about a name change. Hope that changing the name will be just the beginning of a monumental change process that raises awareness of inequities and injustices, things we have the ability to change, right where we live.
He exemplifies the values we want our youth to emulate.
Archie was a wonderful man and great teacher. I have many fond memories of him in the 1980s in the computer lab. It would be an honor for our community to have our school named after him.
It’s a rare opportunity to name the school after someone who has contributed so much to the school & community and represents all the values we want instilled in our children. That he also represents a minority class in Marin, is a huge and positive statement for our community. To name the school after local geographic places is very generic and uninspiring. Let’s make a positive, inspiring statement.
I had him for a PE teacher and I love that he was an Olympian of color in Berlin. What courage!
An outstanding, meaningful, and historical connection to a person who deserves recognition and acknowledgment. A first step in the right direction towards racial equity!
I was the first person awarded the Archie Williams Scholarship in 1994. I am a Native American POC. My mother, aunts, and uncle all were Drake Alumni. I was a 3 sport varsity athlete for Cross County, Basketball, and Track and a Class Salutatorian. Like Archie Williams, I have dedicated my life to public service. I cannot think of a better choice than to rename the school in honor of a true forerunner and pinnacle of society.
Naming the high school after a beloved teacher is the best honor, especially a teacher also successful in the wider world.
American hero. Pretensionless , humble, amazing man.
Like many, Archie was a mentor to me. He knew how to connect with his students. His legacy left a lasting impression on me.
Archie was a genuine hero and a inspiration to all. We were incredibly blessed to have him as ours and should he should be honored for his historic achievements.

The mascot should be the “Olyimpians”

My main memory of Archie was that he was always interacting with the students. Really talking to us at lunch or while he was walking through the school laughing and joking. You could feel his genuine kindness.
A man who contributed so much to Marin and to the school and its students should be honored. And that honor would, in turn, be a reminder of achievement and dedication to education.
Archie Williams was a force of nature who centered our school. He taught us math, technology, inclusion, history, stamina and how to handle ourselves in crisis. In 1980, when nine members of the Sir Francis Drake High School football team shouted a pro-Ku Klux Klan slogans at a pep rally were suspended and we found ourselves at the center of a storm and in shock, he lead us forward. He taught us how to foster healthy, equitable and sustainable communities with his actions.
Archie and I never had a student-teacher relationship, we had a friendship based on curiosity and vision. I met him a few weeks into my freshman year, we remained friends throughout high school. The more I learned about him the more I was in awe of a man that was so humble. And I considered his son Archie jr. a friend as well. His amazing life stands on its own, but his humane and considerate demeanor was his true superpower. I am honored to have know him, he taught me some serious life lessons and influences me to this day. Class of 75
A man of integrity, inclusion and standing up for what was right. An American hero, an inspirational athlete, and someone who believed everyone should have equal opportunity. His spirit and legacy will leave a positive imprint on the community and those who graduate fro AWHS
To me Archie represents strength, empathy, inclusion, kindness, and solidarity across difference — an incredible human that we are lucky to have connected to our history and who would make an incredible namesake for the school.
He was the most inspiring teacher I had while I attended Drake High. As I recall, Archie was also responsible for introducing the first computer classes to the school at a time when most people were unaware of just how important computers would become within the ensuing decades.
We all admired Archie and I think it would be great to rename our school after him.
Compassionate and generous teacher. Athlete, Olympian, Veteran, Father, Friend..
Well - first of all, if SFD is being removed because of a problem with the fact that he was peripherally involved in the slave trade (can't seem to get a straight historical context on that) then it stands to reason -- and fitting -- that SFD symbolize the work of a man like Archie Williams. You want the name to reflect school values? Archie is the guy.

My personal reflections are that I was so jealous of anyone who got to be in Archie's classes because I could not ever get into one. He was always smiling at the students, joking, but didn't take any BS, either. He let you know he was in charge. But he challenged the students, he put things differently, he was engaged with both his material (yeah, math - maybe I would have done better in math if I'd had him, LOL) and the students. He held serious conversations (I heard) about the Vietnam war and the cultural revolution that was under way. Everyone not only loved him, but held him in high regard. I would be more than happy to refer to SFD as "Archie Williams High School." Means a lot more than naming it after a lake, waterfall, or a valley -- none of which have "values" in this context.

Seems appropriate
relevance to the world today as well as Marin County, the US and the world.
Archie invited me to attend his induction into the University of California sports Hall of Fame ceremony during a football game… that’s when I first believed that teachers care. Archie invested in me not just as a student but as a young man and I will never forget his gesture.

His efforts continue to impact thousands of young adults to this day because the lessons he taught me then are used by me daily as a First Sergeant in the US Army.

How fortunate we were to have had this man teaching at our school.
I think it would be great to honor someone who had a direct impact on the school and students during his long career there, and to bring awareness of a local connection to important historical events. Given our history of racism in this county, we are incredibly lucky that a Black man who made such an impact for our country gave so much to our students. We should celebrate our good fortune by honoring him.
He took time to get to know each student personally and showed interest in their situation, making him the most effective teacher I have ever known. Extremely intelligent academically, with the warmest personality; a very rare combination, and a very special person. He earned and deserves the honor of remembrance.
My son was his student, and thought himself lucky to have such a caring teacher.
As a 81 grad, his life was a legacy , and well known teacher too

I would still prefer it to be Drake High, but, barring that it would be an honor to remember and share his accomplishments as the new name.

Archie welcomed all into his classroom, whether one was enrolled in his class or not, with no judgement. It was a safe and creative place where curiosity was nurtured and respect was shown to all. He was humble and genuinely interested to hear student's thoughts on any topic. He would recount tales of his journey when asked, but downplayed the significance. He preferred looking forward, not back. I learned a lot from him about how everyone deserves respect and everyone's opinion matters. It was my great fortune to have had the chance to spend time with him.
Great Teacher
Archie, was kind, patient, an inspiration. My math teacher, our friend, our mentor
Full on American hero speaks to me if a Black Life that Matters
I haven’t had a personal experience with him, but I believe that if our school is to be named after a person, it should be after Archie. He’s had a powerful impact on our school and community, so this would be a wonderful way to honor his legacy.
Super inspiring person
It is long past due that this society honor public school teachers, such as Mr. Williams, for the hard, and underpaid job they do every day to educate America's future leaders. In a community of such overwhelming white privilege and wealth, where so many feel entitled to any conveniences and castigate public school teachers at every turn, it will be quite refreshing to see the name of the high school reflect diversity and opposition to this condition.
When my son graduated from Drake in 2004 he was the recipient of the Archie Williams Scholarship. What an incredible honor for him and our family.
I would be delighted to have the school renamed after such a well rounded, inspirational teacher as Archie Williams. When I was touring colleges with my teenage son and saw the photo of his Olympic race on the wall and showed my son. I then researched his accomplishments and was blown away by the rich array of contributions he had made in his lifetime. It simultaneously saddened me to discover how little I knew about him when ai was at Drake since I didn’t get to take classes with him and simultaneously inspired me as a late in life athlete to compete in a world competition in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and win two gold medals. When I attended high school at what is now Archie Williams high school, there were very few avenues for girls to become athletes and even fewer for them to have recognition.

As for the history classes when I attended in the 1970s I certainly would have paid more attention and been more engaged had there been inclusion of more well rounded individuals like Archie Williams that I could relate to far better than names of mostly white conquerors and dates of their wars. The history of those who engaged in different endeavors that I was interested in such as science and medicine or those who were female or BIPOC was negligible. I had to discover that on my own and sadly, I am still astounded when some of the lost history is finally retrieved and I realize how much it would have inspired me when I was entering into adulthood to have known about that history at a younger age.

When I discovered the documentary Olympic Pride: American Prejudice I was astounded the implications of that pivotal event fro the civil rights movement. I felt resentful that this type of rich history was buried for so long. I immediately let my sister, Linda Burger Grafstrom, know about this documentary because she loves American History and teaches it to continuing education students in Southern California. My sister was very appreciative because it is one of the few films she has found that really actively engaged her students.

More personally, if I could go back in time and had known about Archie William’s carrier in aviation, I would have loved to have asked him advice about how to pursue a path in that direction or towards NASA. I did find my way to a rewarding alternate career. Nevertheless, I want the current generation of students to have an easier path and to have much more diverse role models than were available to me.

As a female who attended Archie Williams high school in the 1970s, I simply could not relate to a pirate, financed by Queen Elizabeth I, as the least bit inspirational. I have zero nostalgia about that name. I have no fear whatsoever that Sir Francis Drake’s name will ever disappear thanks to the plethora of instant streaming platforms that have popularized numerous docudramas about Elizabethan England. It is not necessary to preserve his name on an educational institution since he never contributed anything to education.

I had Archie for computers - he always went the extra mile to help a kid out in trouble or who needed more attention. While I didn't need it myself, even my inward focused 16 year old self could see how he help others. Not only does he represent "old drake" value, but he lived it too.
It’s remarkable that the school wasn’t renamed for Archie years ago. What school would not honor a national hero/Olympian who taught at it for decades and was beloved by his students? Let’s get this done: Archie’s name honors the school’s history and his story offers much to learn for current and future students. It’s a school name EVERYONE can be proud of.
When I told my parents the names of my teachers at Drake one semester in 1985, my history and sports-loving father stopped me. "Did you say Archie Williams?" My father knew exactly who Archie was and all that he had achieved as an African-American Olympic medalist in Nazi Germany. What he didn't know was that Archie was a humble, kind, gentle man and a wonderful, devoted educator. He loved Drake and every student on that sublime campus. Archie personified everything that is good in our country: inclusion, compassion, and working together for better outcomes. If the name of my alma mater must change I can think of no better name than Archie Williams High School. The Williams Pirates has a nice ring to it.
Growing up in Marin there are certain stories you don't get to learn about in school. This is one I would have liked to share with people when they visit.
Archie Williams was an incredible community member, educator, and kind human being. We need to remember his legacy and strive to follow his example of community service. It would be an honor to pass by Archie Williams High and remember Archie's legacy. It would be an honor to have my children attend school there.
This is a Marin County man of color who has not been recognized and deserves the honor for service to country, school and community. We should not miss this opportunity!
Archie was a true teacher of kids. His ability to teach and bring curriculum to layman’s terms to help the student understand was unmatched. His patience and willingness were god sent. He was a true friend and a wonderful educator. His legacy stands alone as well.
A positive roll model for students, athletes and teachers alike
I was there when he was teaching, admired him
he got me through math. Made it so I understood how to get the answer.
How lucky we were to have Archie Williams in our midst! And how lucky we are to have the chance to honor his legacy - not only for 1327, but for the district, and for all of Marin.
“Drake” is an embarrassment. Let’s change it to a name we can all be proud of.