Michael Jordan plays ball. William Shakespeare wrote plays. Robert Payne teaches, but now, after 42 years and over 400 classes, Latin teacher Payne is retiring from CHS.

Payne arrived at CHS in 1967, three years after the school opened. He has worked for every principal the school has ever had, and has experienced six decades of different students.

“Students haven’t changed since I was kid,” Payne said. “In a lot of ways it is the same. Students are unarmed for the circumstances of growing up. Those who can adapt, begin to.”

But it is not just the students who have changed. For the first half of his career, he worked in the social studies department, teaching U.S. History, Philosophy and Comparative Religions before switching over to become the primary Latin teacher at CHS.

Immediately following graduate school, Payne began to work at a bank, however he switched to teaching because of the admiration he had for his teachers while in school. Growing up, he never pictured himself as a teacher, but realized that he was suited for the job.

“I ended up with qualities I never thought I would have,” he said. “I have patience and was able to adapt. I have enjoyed the camaraderie among the teachers.”

Along with teaching current teachers at CHS while they were students such as English teacher Carol Zepp, Payne has taught some CHS alumni and their kids.

“On parent’s night, some parents will come up to me and tell me I had them,” he said.
Sophomore Jalal Batem is one of those kids. His mom had Payne for World History when she attended CHS, and now he has him for Latin.

“He is really laid back,” Batem said. “He makes class fun and is really funny, but we still learn.”
Some students are wondering if Payne will ever come back to teaching or to CHS.
“I don’t think [I’ll miss teaching],” he said. “I have a new lease on life. I don’t think I will [come back and sub]. I’ll leave it open but am not committed.”