The Jewel of Walker Junior High School--Class Takes Shine to Lapidary Teacher

Walking into Walter M. Johnson’s life is a never-ending adventure.

For instance, in his two-story Anaheim home, visitors will see magnificent chandeliers, antique furniture, 60 working antique clocks, a jewelry workshop and Misty, who sometimes struts around in a mink coat and diamond-studded collar.

Never mind that Misty is a miniature schnauzer or that the coat matches the one worn by Johnson’s wife, Donna, 43, a third-grade teacher. More down to earth, the Johnson togetherness includes baking bread weekly for their dinner table.

In his garages, Johnson cares for nine antique cars that he personally restored and, of course, he gets stares of envy when he drives a like-new 1961 Imperial Le Baron to work.

“I love life, and I like being busy,” said Johnson, who was born on an Indian reservation in Standing Rock, S.D., and now fancies the elegant life. “I would rather wear out than rust out.”

On his off time he makes jeweled rings, oil paints and sculpts statues, sometimes embedding them with rubies, diamonds, gold nuggets or sapphires.

Despite all those interests, Johnson’s strong suit is his role as a jewelry and lapidary teacher at Walker Junior High School in La Palma. He believes that it is the only junior high jewelry and lapidary class in the country.

“I’m a teacher, and that’s my major interest,” said Johnson, a Chapman College graduate who daily preaches the work ethic to his young students. Twice weekly he instructs adult education classes in jewelry-making, feeling that “it will give them something to do when everyone goes on a four-day work week.”

But his young students, whom he sometimes invites on rock-hunting field trips in his recreation vehicle, are his favorites and vice versa, considering that his classes are all over-enrolled with 38 students.

“I think junior high is refreshing,” said Johnson, a former medic during the Korean War who has been teaching since 1961. “They are always receptive to new ideas, new thinking and new techniques.” Despite great fondness for his students, he is a taskmaster.

“I teach each class as if it’s my last one,” he said. “I want the kids to get something out of it.” Only recently, Johnson and other teachers shared honors after the school was named a Distinguished Winner in the California School Recognition Program, the only Orange County junior high school to be selected.

He often gives precious stones to his pupils but demands that they identify the piece and mount and otherwise finish it before they can officially claim it.

“That helps them to understand the need to learn how to read and use math which comes into play when cutting a stone,” said Johnson, who wears a different jeweled bolo tie each day from his colorful collection of 300.

“It’s my trademark,” he said.

The other teams might have wondered about William Graham, a 15-year-old Kennedy High School sophomore with a 169 league bowling average, who was subbing on different bowling squads at Aztec Bowl in Buena Park on recent back-to-back nights.

He bowled perfect 300 games both nights. They were his first and second and both were later sanctioned by the American Bowling Congress.

What was unusual about his two perfect games is his bowling style. William is a palm bowler and doesn’t bowl with his thumb in the thumb hole.

Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda was the honoree at a $100-a-plate benefit dinner in Garden Grove where he was “roasted” by a series of Orange County speakers. One of them revealed Lasorda’s favorite motto: “Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.”

Saint Joseph Hospital’s one-day workshop on “Kids on Their Own at Home,” offered to children ages 8 to 11 who spend hours alone after school because of working parents, seemed ideal to promote self-responsibility and safety.

“We wanted to teach latchkey children how to assert themselves, how to answer phones and doors,” said Health Educator Cathy Fluck, 34, of Fountain Valley “and generally give good information about the pitfalls of being home alone. We also wanted to help them create a safer environment while home alone.”

The 2 1/2-hour workshop would have cost $2 per child. The class was canceled for lack of interest.

Acknowledgments--Orange Coast College sophomore Brent Place, of Corona del Mar, was named to Student Assn. Community College governing board, a statewide group representing the interests of 1.3 million community college students in California.