Liz Goldsmith Palmer

Profile Updated: April 5, 2014
Liz Goldsmith
Residing In: Rincon, PR USA
Spouse/Partner: gary john palmer
Web Site: http://epalmer1890.blogspot.com
Occupation: retired middle school science teacher
Children: Susan 1981, graduated Johns Hopkins University 2007, Health Research Informatics coordinator for Kauli
Yes! Attending Reunion
Grandchildren:

crossing our fingers and toes

Name your top five songs during high school.

From the senior Caferteria jukebox:

Whole Lotta Love Led Zeppelin
Honky Tonk Women Rolling Stones
You Can't Always Get What You Want -Rolling Stone
Bad Moon Rising Creedence Clearwater Revival
Evil Ways Santana s
Here Comes The Sun Beatles
We're Not Gonna Take It The Who
Up On Cripple Creek The Band
Lay Lady Lay Bob Dylan
Aquarius / Let The Sun Shine In 5th Dimension

I am a avid Stones fan.

Name your favorite teacher(s) at WJ.

Miss Brown - Home EC

My Story:

1973 graduated from UMCP
1973 married 1st time on April fool's day and engaged on Halloween to a future MD archeologist (Pre-Colombian/Woodland) and Executive Director for the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland
1973-1974 med techican at the NIH, Nuclear Medicine, isotope studies used to track cancer tumors
1974-1976 med technologist HEW Clinic 4th & D st. SW, DC
1976-1979 med technologist American Red Cross Research Center, Bethesda- early studies in chromosomes mapping linked to inherited diseases
1979 moved to Salisbury, Md and purchased a 1908 farm house, rented rooms to college students and new teachers
1979-1980 med technologist at PRMC
1980-2000 middle school, high school, and community college science teacher
1981 birth of daughter
1985 married and moved to Ocean Pines, MD
1985 graduated from Salisbury University in Education, Science, MA
1986-1999 speaker at the National Science Teacher Assoc. (NSTA), MD Science Teachers (MAST), Environmental Science Teachers of MD, People to People Teachers conference in Barcelona, Spain
1998 my science students won the Water Quality of MD award for 5yrs studies on the headwaters of the Pocomoke River
1986-2000 affiliated and participated with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. water quality, forest restoration, and yearly canoe and fishing workboat trips on the Wicomico, Pocomoke, and Nanitcoke Rivers.
2000 retired on disability from teaching after students assault in classroom
2000-2006 Somerset Co, MD Librarian - Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - computer lab grant writer , manager, and implementation of Homework Help lab (computer training for all ages). MS Office, health, law, genealogy, and computer basics.
2006-2007 Johns Hopkins Hospital/University AIDS ward as budget analysis
2007-2008 clerk at TLC The lower tri-county clinics on eastern shore, MD
2008 caretaker for seriously ill mother in law
2009 retired
2009-2012 active member of Democratic Women of Worcester CO., MD, Habitat for Humanity, Ocean Pines clubs: Pioneer Crafts club, Garden club, Dem Women's Reading club, Democratic Party of Worcester Co , OP library volunteer
2010 seasonal rental home in Rincon, PR
2012 build full time home in Rincon, PR and sold Ocean Pines Home
Presently active in Animal Rescue Foundation, PR and IFC International Friendship Club as webmaster, volunteer at the Children's Library in Mayaguez input book data into the new digital catalog, Kauli

School Story:

1966 moved from Phoenix, Arizona to Bethesda . Father was a USPH officer transferred from Indian Health Service to Parklawn, US Public Health Service.

I am a military brat who had attended 9 different schools before WJHS and stayed no more that 4years in each state. I have attended some form of educational institution in Seattle, Tacomoa, WA, Winona, Ellicott City, Winona, MN, Front Royal,VA, Scottsdale & Phoenix since I was 2 yrs. old.

It was in culture shock from the move west coast to east coast. I wore go go boots in Sept. and people told me it was not snowing. I spoke west coast slang which no one understood. Also I have a Jewish last name but I was Roman Catholic. I was told by some Jewish acquaintances that I should wear a crucifix necklace so I would not confuse any Jewish boys. I was taller than most girls with large hands and feet. I felt like I was one of a kind. I did not fit in socially.

Of course, every girl hates PE class but I remember waiting in line for the release bell, and a mean girl told me that I would be cute if I was a boy with my wavy hair,tall, long eyelashes, and strong jawline (tall dark and handsome?)

The academic program at WJHS was grilling. I was an A/B honor roll student since 3rd grade and now I was struggling by with C's. My middle eastern history & current affairs called World history class and chemistry class was torture since I ill equipped with a lacking background knowledge.

Mid year in my sophomore year, I was switched from A classes and put in a B sections. MD tracks students by A,B,C - A outstanding, B average, C below average. After being placed in B sections, I began to not care about school achievement and just got by with C/Bs. These incidents changed my self view. Did not discover that I was Dyslexic until I was 35 yrs old while I going for my Masters at SU.

My reaction was I was not to attend college. I thought it would be too difficult. SO I applied to the Washington Secretary School but my parents rejected this idea. So I applied to only one school, UMCP. I could only pay for one college application fee. I was shocked that I was accepted. I was ranked in the top half of my class because my freshman credits from Arcadia High School were all A and one B in PE.
I moved from home 2nd half of freshman year to come a live-in nanny, cook, children's chauffeur, and housekeeper to an Royal Iran /American Jewish couple with 2 sweet girls 3 and 5 yrs. old. Their mother was in her last year at UMCP's Library Science MA program and husband took a job at Stanford.For 3yrs, I worked part time at the NIH for the Deputy Director, Dr. Thomas Chalmers in his Liver Library to pay for all of my college and living expenses. He offered to pay for my medical physician degree but I declined because I did not have the confidence and belief that I was smart enough to become a Dr.

I did not participate in after school programs because I was the afternoon/evening/weekend caretaker for my much younger 3 brothers; 2, 5, and 8 yrs old. I had few friends which were acquaintances really since I was always homebound.

My batiks was placed in the Art Show 1967 but my parents and I did not attend since I was told that art was frivolous and could not support yourself as an artist. My favorite artist is Vincent Van Gogh .

The best memory I have of WJHS was Gourmet Foods/ Family Living. I loved to cook and work as a team in the kitchen. Going food shopping in the "magic Bus" with my cooking team mates. I developed life long friendships with one student.

I have no pictures in the yearbooks except the portrait. No one remembers me at three class reunions I have attended. The last one I attended I took my daughter and sat with the industrial arts students. Very few friends attend them and even fewer on on this website. I remember the names of a few students that were sitting alphabetically in homeroom because that did not change from year to year.

My college room mate stole my yearbooks and mailed them back in 2009 when she was moving even though I thought they were worthless. I threw them out. I did not have one signature because I receive my yearbook too late for friends to write in. ( last period of last day)

I have lost touch after many years with some friends, kept in touch with a few, and regain contact thru FB with others. I would like to renew friends as FB friends.

I was in a group of outcasts, not a academic, athlete, drama, or artist/musician; not straight ( different meaning in 1969) nor a head. In high school I loved music, art, dramatics, cooking, biological science and nature.

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Liz Goldsmith Palmer has a birthday today. New comment added.
Dec 05, 2018 at 4:39 PM

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Posted: Dec 24, 2016 at 9:35 AM
WJHS 1968 Junior/ Senior
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Rincon 2010
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Palmer Family Christmas 2013