I believe that the way Harker turned out is overwhelmingly determined by the values and dedication of the Nichols family. – Leon Khaimovich
Howard leading a personal development class in 1987. Carrie Varr pictured at right.
n Remembrance Excerpt Pat Walsh, Gr. 5 teacher I came to Harker in 1976 for what I thought was going to be a summer job. Howard Nichols is the reason I am still here today. He was a great boss, mentor and friend. Howard knew how to make his teachers and staff feel valued and appreciated. He worked side by side with us. He celebrated our achievements, he mourned our losses, but most importantly, it didn’t matter if you were a teacher, a staff member, a gardener, a custodian or secretary, his door was always open if you needed him. He was always eager to do what he could to help. To illustrate this, I’d like to share a few stories that have stayed with me over the years.
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I came to Harker in 1976 for what I thought was going to be a summer job. Howard Nichols is the reason I am still here today.
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In 1976, I was 23 years old and there was a little emergency on campus. Dan Gelineau was trying to pull together a crew to work after hours to get our buses ready for the CHP inspection the next day. The floors of one of the buses needed to be stripped, new flooring had to be layed, and all of the seats reinstalled. We also had to do some interior painting. There was a Harker News — February 09, Howard Nichols Memorial
Howard making his usual rounds at an annual Family and Alumni Picnic in 1983.
crew of about six or seven, including Dan Gelineau, Jeff Haugaard, and yes, the 36-year-old headmaster whom I barely knew at that point. We didn’t finish until well after midnight, and Howard was with us until the end, even springing for a few beers when the task was completed. That summer night made me think, “I could work for this guy for more than just a summer.” It wasn’t long after that when I was in Howard’s office, and he was trying to sell me on teaching full time at Harker. He told me what I needed to hear – that I’d be able to afford to raise a family while working at Harker. On that he has been more than true to his word.
For me, Harker is home not just because I grew up there, but because he made it a place that was difficult to leave behind. – Casey Near
I have many fond memories of Howard. For years, the boarding program was an important piece of the school. Many of the teachers worked part time in the dorms. Even Howard was still working in the dorms when I started at Harker, but he turned his reigns as duty master over to me in February of 1977. Howard continued to have a soft spot in his heart for the boarders. Legend has it that he never missed a