Early Rush III, Senior Class President and Valedictorian of Patterson Park High School, Class of June 1948 (Photo: Clinton Adams, Patterson Press)

Interview by Clinton Adams

2013 marks a very important milestone in Patterson High School’s long history. This year’s seniors will be the 100th class to graduate from Patterson. (Although Patterson has not been around for 100 years yet, there was a time at Patterson’s previous location near Patterson Park when there were two separate graduations every year.)  To celebrate this special occassion, the Patterson Press is looking back to our school’s history and speaking with alumni to learn what Patterson was like when they were in school. In late December, 2012, the Patterson Press interviewed Mr. Early Rush III, Senior Class President and Valedictorian for the class of June 1948 at Patterson Park High School (the name our school used at its old location near Patterson Park).

Patterson Press: I understand you went to school during World War 2. Did school change a lot for you during that time period?

Early Rush: As kids, we were very involved in the war effort. We saved newspapers; we saved the foil from cigarette packages; we knitted blankets for veterans and for soldiers overseas. We had blackout curtains, air raid drills, and we had wardens in the area. We even had drills in school to keep us prepared for possible air strikes.

Patterson Press: You were Senior Class President when you graduated from Patterson. What did you have to do as President?

Early Rush: I didn’t really have to do anything. We had a lot of good students that were always in class and did what they had to do. We were really organized with everything. I was actually President for three years.

Patterson Press: What was the Patterson Press like when you were in school, and were there any big stories that the newspaper covered?

Early Rush: The newspaper was pretty good as I remember. I still have a few friends that were in the newspaper. The only big stories they ever really covered were sports. We had great football teams, great basketball teams. We had a great coach by the name of Irv Biasi. We had great sports teams overall.

Patterson Press: What did you do after you graduated from Patterson?

Early Rush: Well, after I graduated from Patterson I had an alternate appointment to the Naval Academy. But even after I took some of the tests, they didn’t take me. I had made no other plans to go to another school, primarily because my family couldn’t afford to send me to college, so therefore I couldn’t do anything. I was very fortunate, however. Through a friend, I was able to get into Western Maryland College which is now McDaniel college… I [later] graduated from West Point [the military academy for the Army] in 1953 and I went into the Army Corps of Engineers as a 2nd Lieutenant. I served for twenty-six and a half years. I went to graduate school at Princeton University and got a Master’s degree in Engineering, and I went to various service schools that the military provided, including the Army War College and the Navy General Staff College. I retired in 1980 as a full Colonel, and I thought that I had a really, really good career.

The Patterson Press would like to thank Mr. Rush for taking the time to talk to us. We wish him the best of luck in his retirement.