The following are a series of questions that were answered during an interview with Mr. Bertram, a teacher in the Social Studies department.
Q: How long have you been teaching?
A: 20 years
Q: Where else have you taught other than OC?
A: Florida, Portland, and Prague.
Q: Where did you go to school?
A: Florida State University and Concordia.
Q: What did you study there?
A: Anthropology, Spanish, and Education.
Q: What do you enjoy most about teaching history?
A: “History is life”
Q: What period of history do you enjoy learning about the most?
A: The 19th century, it’s a serious period of change. With things like the Civil War, and the Industrial Revolution, etc.
Q: What do you like to do in your free time?
A: Listen to music, I like all kinds of genre.
Q: What’s something you enjoy doing but don’t get to do often enough?
A: Hiking and camping.
Q: What’s something new that you want to try doing?
A: I want to learn a instrument, either the Guitar, and Banjo
Q: What type of music do you like the most?
A: I enjoy all types of genres.
Q: Who are some of your favorite bands?
A: Billie Holiday, Built to spill, Digable Planets, Fugazi, John Coltrane, John Prine, Dinosaur Jr, Modest Mouse, Joy Division, Pavement, Pixies, R.E.M., Televisión, Yo La Tengo.
Q: What are some of your favorite books?
A: I like to read books about history and music, no specific book.
Q: What are some of your favorite movies?
A: Ferris Bueller, Christmas Vacation, and Cult classics.
Q: Of all the places you have traveled, where have you enjoyed the most?
A: Prague, Cape Town, Croatia, Buenos Aires, and Portugal.
Q: Do you have any upcoming travel plans?
A: Paris, Belgium, and Liverpool.
Q: What’s your favorite meal?
A: Mexican, Pizza, and a Philly Cheesesteak.
Q: What’s a cause you feel strongly about?
A: I’m anti racist, in favor of civil and human rights, and believe we should do a better job in protecting the environment.
Q: Who is someone that you admire and why?
A: Bryan Stevenson, he’s an author and a civil rights activist.
Q: Do you have any kids and what are their ages?
A: Son and a Daughter, they are 11 and 10.
Q: What’s your favorite place to spend time in and around OC?
A: Canemah.
