‘No ordinary high school’: Retiring Instructor of English Timothy Johnson reflects on his 20-year career at Interlochen Arts Academy
Johnson shares his favorite memories of his lifelong relationship with Interlochen—from listening to ‘Lucia di Lammermoor’ on IPR to leading Bloomsday celebrations in Mott Rotunda.
Timothy Johnson (center) poses with Interlochen Provost Camille Colatosti (left) and President Trey Devey (right) after receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Timothy J. Johnson has held many roles in his lifetime: Writer, educator, journalist, editor, proofreader, bartender, and restaurateur.
His globe-trotting career has seen him tend bar at Manhattan’s famous Russian Tea Room and teach in the People’s Republic of China. But for the past two decades, Johnson has served as Instructor of English at Interlochen Arts Academy—instilling a deep and lasting love for literature in hundreds of young artists.
“Literature exists at the nexus between arts and academics, and for any aspiring artist, the study of this art form is invaluable,” Johnson said. “Literature teaches us how to be human. All literature is story, and as humans, we are hard-wired for story—we lean in reflexively: Go on. Tell me more. Don’t stop now!”
Beloved by his students for his wry humor, generosity of spirit, and cerebral yet soulful approach to teaching literature, Johnson has received numerous accolades for his role as an educator, including Scholastic’s Gold Medal for Outstanding Educator. In May, Johnson was awarded Interlochen’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his unwavering belief in the transformative power of literature and his enduring commitment to his students.
This May, Johnson will retire after 20 years of service at Interlochen Arts Academy. We caught up with Johnson to learn more about his favorite memories, proudest moments, and plans for retirement.
How did you realize teaching was your calling?
I’m not sure about the whole idea of a “calling.” Calls can come from different directions, and frankly, a lot of what we end up doing in this life depends on time, place, and circumstance.
I came from a family of educators; both my parents were teachers, and four out of five of my siblings also became teachers. My graduate education prepared me for college-level teaching, and while I did a bit of that, including a year-long appointment in the People’s Republic of China, I was more interested as a young writer in a career that actually involved writing.
I spent a busy apprenticeship working for a small-town daily newspaper; I loved it but the hours were crazy and the pay was absurdly low. I jumped at a chance to write for corporate publications, where I could set my own schedule and the pay was absurdly high—but the work itself was soul-crushing. I also spent a good number of years tending bar, most enjoyably at the famous Russian Tea Room in Manhattan, and another decade opening and running a nationally-recognized restaurant with my wife and little sister here in northern Michigan. As I look back, all of these roles seem to have called to me, and they were all rewarding in their own way. I think they all made me a better teacher, too.
How did you first hear about Interlochen? What inspired you to apply for your position?
My parents were both art lovers, and growing up in Benzonia I can’t remember a time when I didn’t know about Interlochen. My mother loved classical music, and especially opera, so the radio dial was permanently set to 88.7. I’ll never forget coming home from school one day and finding her in tears, listening to the end of Lucia di Lammermoor. My parents raised a large family on a school teacher’s budget, but somehow they found the means to take us to plays and concerts at Interlochen with some regularity. Actually, they had known about Interlochen before they moved here in the late 50’s, and considered it a strong point in northern Michigan’s favor! When my wife and I moved back to Michigan ourselves and I saw a posting for a part-time teaching gig at Interlochen Arts Academy, my application was in the mail the same day.
You first taught at Interlochen for a few years in the 1990s before joining the faculty again in the early 2000s. What brought you back to Interlochen?
Much as I admired Interlochen, I didn’t imagine a full-time teaching career here. For one thing, I had never aspired to be a high school teacher; having observed at close range the amount of work my parents did, I was clear-eyed about the effort required.
But Interlochen was no ordinary high school. Working with passionate young artists whose families truly valued education proved to be an extraordinary experience. The faculty that surrounded me was also extraordinary, both in the arts and academics. Imagine being invited as an English teacher to fashion curricula that both reflected and expressed my own literary passions. This was an unheard-of teacherly freedom. Small class sizes also held great appeal, and the opportunity to attend a continuous stream of plays, concerts, and exhibitions.
What are some of your fondest memories of Interlochen? Any stories you’d like to share?
Back in the day we put together an annual Bloomsday celebration in the Mott Rotunda to honor the publication of James Joyce’s Ulysses—Irish songs, Irish dance, Irish food, and student presentations that were related in one way or another to Ireland and/or Joyce. It was a great event.
I remember once, a Theatre major proposed to adapt a scene from the novel and present it as a monologue. Sounded good.
Well, the scene she chose was Molly Bloom’s finale, which is pretty racy to say the least. So, there we were, a hundred-plus students and quite a few faculty members, and of course, right then is when a dean decided to show up. The young woman was in costume, layers of which she removed as the monologue proceeded, until our Molly Bloom was wearing nothing but actual bloomers and a whale-bone corset. I came within millimeters of calling for her to stop, but honestly, she was doing terrific work. It was both spellbinding and dumbfounding on so many levels.
As the piece came to a close she sank to the floor amidst the discarded layers of her costume and passionately uttered those famous final words that close the novel: “Yes I said Yes I will Yes.” To his everlasting credit, the dean was among the first to break into applause, and before leaving the rotunda he leaned over to murmur “THAT was AMAZING!”
Looking back on your career at Interlochen, what are you most proud of?
There’s a lot of day-to-day work teachers do. In my discipline it’s everything from parts of speech to analytical/interpretive strategies to the planning and execution of essays. But honestly, the thing I’m most proud of is the success I’ve had helping many students cultivate a genuine appreciation for the beauty and complexity of great literary art. It’s very affirming when they thank me for this.
What will you miss most about teaching at Interlochen?
My students, and our discussions. Those wonderful moments when you watch the lights go on.
What’s next for you? Any plans for retirement?
I re-read everything that I teach, and of course there are the hundreds of student papers every year, so I’m really looking forward to more time for my own reading. New books, but also old books that have long been on my list—Proust and Trollope, finishing the Faulkner canon, maybe Finnegan’s Wake but probably not. Also reclaiming my writerly self. Greater political activism, as the times clearly require it. Travel, family, movies, friends, and gardening. I have no worries about keeping busy!
