Armand Zimmermann
With a methodology that was never confined to the four walls of a classroom nor the covers of a textbook nor an inviolable lesson plan, Armand Zimmermann once expressed his philosophy of teaching in the words of Joseph Conrad: "My job is to make you see."
Born in New Haven in June 1912, Armand graduated from Hillhouse High School in 1928. Undeterred by his father's opposition to college, he enrolled at Yale University and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1932 with a triple major: English literature, French literature, and music. After graduation, he continued at Yale in the drama school, receiving a Master of Fine Arts in playwrighting and directing in 1940.
Then off to New York, with thousands of others in search of work in the theater! Discouraged when one of the members of the cooperative theater company for which he was assistant stage manager absconded with the group's funds, Armand returned to New Haven and worked selling tires and batteries before taking a full-time job as a truck driver for a meat distributor. Finally, with the support and encouragement of his wife, Eleanor, he enrolled at New Haven State Teachers College (now Southern Connecticut State College) and received a master's degree in education in 1955.
For three years he taught at Prospect Community School and spent his summers as a story teller at a day camp. In July 1958 Armand accepted a job teaching sophomore English at Branford High School, where he remained until 1983. In addition to teaching he chaired the English Department for 15 years, served as liaison for the New Haven Educational Center for the Arts, co-chaired the Branford High School Bowl team, and chaired the Independent Study Committee.
Contesting a state statute, the Teachers Retirement Act, which forced mandatory retirement at age 70, in 1972 Armand successfully appealed to the Branford Board of Education for a one year extension of his contract. When a second attempt the following year failed and Armand was forced to leave Branford High School, he persisted in his love of education and his love of students and accepted a teaching job at a private school in Madison, where he taught language, literature, and arts.
Armand's love of drama and the theater continued throughout his life; even during his teaching career he produced and directed plays at many community theaters, served as president of the Connecticut Drama Association, and had an award-winning one act play, "A Dream," produced at Yale. In addition, he was an instructor at the former New Haven College (now University of New Haven), University of Bridgeport, and South Central Community College and was a John Hay Fellow in Humanities at William College. He was also active at Congregation Mishkan Israel in Hamden, where his sons, Peter and Remy, were Bar Mitzvahed and confirmed.
Among his other distinctions, Armand Zimmermann was named Branford Citizen of the Year in 1983. The following year the University of New Haven awarded him an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degree "in recognition of his contributions to the field of education," a distinction he shared that year with former Yale professor, author, and lecturer Cleanth Brooks.
When he passed away on December I, 1994, Armand Zimmermann left behind not only his family and friends but also hundreds of Branford High School former students whom he taught to see. His legacy to education and to drama continues in three scholarships awarded annually in his name by the Connecticut Drama Association in acting, staging, and costuming.
Born in New Haven in June 1912, Armand graduated from Hillhouse High School in 1928. Undeterred by his father's opposition to college, he enrolled at Yale University and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1932 with a triple major: English literature, French literature, and music. After graduation, he continued at Yale in the drama school, receiving a Master of Fine Arts in playwrighting and directing in 1940.
Then off to New York, with thousands of others in search of work in the theater! Discouraged when one of the members of the cooperative theater company for which he was assistant stage manager absconded with the group's funds, Armand returned to New Haven and worked selling tires and batteries before taking a full-time job as a truck driver for a meat distributor. Finally, with the support and encouragement of his wife, Eleanor, he enrolled at New Haven State Teachers College (now Southern Connecticut State College) and received a master's degree in education in 1955.
For three years he taught at Prospect Community School and spent his summers as a story teller at a day camp. In July 1958 Armand accepted a job teaching sophomore English at Branford High School, where he remained until 1983. In addition to teaching he chaired the English Department for 15 years, served as liaison for the New Haven Educational Center for the Arts, co-chaired the Branford High School Bowl team, and chaired the Independent Study Committee.
Contesting a state statute, the Teachers Retirement Act, which forced mandatory retirement at age 70, in 1972 Armand successfully appealed to the Branford Board of Education for a one year extension of his contract. When a second attempt the following year failed and Armand was forced to leave Branford High School, he persisted in his love of education and his love of students and accepted a teaching job at a private school in Madison, where he taught language, literature, and arts.
Armand's love of drama and the theater continued throughout his life; even during his teaching career he produced and directed plays at many community theaters, served as president of the Connecticut Drama Association, and had an award-winning one act play, "A Dream," produced at Yale. In addition, he was an instructor at the former New Haven College (now University of New Haven), University of Bridgeport, and South Central Community College and was a John Hay Fellow in Humanities at William College. He was also active at Congregation Mishkan Israel in Hamden, where his sons, Peter and Remy, were Bar Mitzvahed and confirmed.
Among his other distinctions, Armand Zimmermann was named Branford Citizen of the Year in 1983. The following year the University of New Haven awarded him an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degree "in recognition of his contributions to the field of education," a distinction he shared that year with former Yale professor, author, and lecturer Cleanth Brooks.
When he passed away on December I, 1994, Armand Zimmermann left behind not only his family and friends but also hundreds of Branford High School former students whom he taught to see. His legacy to education and to drama continues in three scholarships awarded annually in his name by the Connecticut Drama Association in acting, staging, and costuming.