Mary Poker Page

Left Milwaukee after graduating from Marquette in 1978 to become news reporter in Chicago (The Daily Herald.) Moved on to PR with Big 8 (back then, at least) firm: Touche Ross now Deloitte & Touche. Finally, headed communications consulting practice for Buck Consultants. Married along the way, got masters from Northwestern, started having bambinos, chose to stay home after bambino #2 & moved to Maine in 1996 for then-spouse's career. Love Maine--walking distance from ocean, beautiful vistas and kids know how to surf. Split with husband several years ago but remain very happy in Cape Elizabeth. Enjoy running, nordic skiing, gardening, beach days and time with many friends now spread across country. Summers are great (no school) but love teaching world & US history 'cause I can connect the past to today's hot issues and help teens make sense of the modern world.

We all must have attended Custer at the height--in terms of sheer numbers--of the baby boom. I recall jammed hallways, crammed classrooms and bottle-necks on the stairs. However, also recall fondly teachers who cared and made connections with their students AND who loved their subjects. (Ms. Olsen and the old, male chem teacher whose name escapes me right now!) Anyone else out there work as a Custer hostess? Got to skip class to greet "distinguished" guests but had to wear white wool blazer and red wool skirt--whatever happened to those uniforms? Also loved trying to find the general unknown or something like that, in Chem II by mixing and heating chemicals.