

Point Loma High School Alumni Hall of Fame
Interview with Kermeen Punky Fristrom
PLHS Teacher/FB Coach 1956-1980
**Special thanks to Gaye Baldauf Macy for meticulously transcribing each video.
Click for Video links (Timestamps noted) and written Transcript links..

How 'Punky' Fristrom came to PLHS, Coaching, Social climate changes:
https://youtu.be/fn4zu54HE9w?si=gWQ4pNqBD2wYFf_N
00:00 From German class at Harvard to English teacher at PLHS
Recruiting from across the country when BabyBoomers were growing up (SD
added 30,000 students in 1956
6:00 Interested in coaching….Bennie Edens intro
10:51 Common Core Curriculum
12:10 PL/OB social climate and Politics
15:00 Integration (1 or 2 students of color in the beginning of his career. Bussing brought in more); Outstanding athletes; Hispanics; (White student asked
“Why can’t Hispanics become part of the High School the way Blacks did?”
​
Students and his style of teaching:
https://youtu.be/vVbObDZhpf8?si=B2xO-9SDxKmwJy54
1:50 Students: Cramers, Verhoye, McKenzie, Conner, Showley, Finley/Wyatt
14:30 Teaching styles (Drama in the classroom)
15:50 Sand in the classroom story (with mites)
18:00 Making a story into a musical, Desk arrangement in a circle.
Seminar’s beginnings
23:00 Common Core Curriculum
​​​ Greatest complement to PLHS and teachers:
https://youtu.be/gVFmRlGU1j0?si=AboqoyGX2rkjulWq
​
PLHS Attributes, Principals and Teachers:
https://youtu.be/I6H6asK8LK0?si=FElIp0f1cCfgrO8j
1:28 PLHS Attributes, Principals of note
Admin and collaborators
(Sprungman and the value of romanticism vs neoclassicism)
Janitor who was founder of Bottom Scratcher who the surfers looked up to
20:00 Summer school 1974 with Mike Lorch
21:20 Hill and Wilson…..and the rumors; John LaMott


