Teacher begins 40th year at Campbell, which celebrates its 40th year

Robert Marrs poses with a cake marking the start of Campbell Middle School’s 40th year. The Texas History teacher begins his 40th year – all at Campbell.

Robert Marrs never planned to still be teaching at Campbell Middle School 40 years after the campus opened its doors.

In leading up to the first day of classes, Campbell faculty and staff celebrated the beginning of the school’s 40th year of existence. And there was Marrs, preparing as well, and receiving plenty of admiration after a photo of him posing with a 40th anniversary cake – for the school though it fits both in this case – was posted on Campbell’s Twitter feed.

“Mr. Marrs is amazing,” said one reply to the tweet. “Was there when I went to Campbell in 85-87 and when my daughter was there in 08-11.”

Said another: “(Marrs has) been teaching as long as rap has been a genre.”

Marrs, who teaches Texas History and serves as the social studies department chair emeritus at Campbell, did have opportunities to move and continue his career at other schools. But it just never happened.

“And to be honest, those who know me know that I really don’t like change,” Marrs said.

In 1978, then Campbell Junior High School was new but not without a few hitches. The floorplan was an open concept – Marrs taught in a four-room suite with two others teachers who taught Texas History and another who taught U.S. History. Grading work and issuing grades were done by hand.

“When asked what former Campbell Gator remember about their middle school years, many of them quickly reply, ‘Mr. Marrs!’” said Laura Perry, Campbell principal. 

“Before ‘History Alive’ was alive, Mr. Marrs was bringing campfire stories, cattle drives and life on the missions alive in his Texas history classroom. Students remember his stories.”

And all the technology and social media that dominate the world today?

“For the most part did not exist,” Marrs said. “This has been the hardest thing for me to adapt to is the regular use of technology today. I’m kind of old fashioned when it comes to these things. It gives the younger teachers something to laugh about.”

Marrs doesn’t have any concrete plans but has thought about retiring after this school year. He estimates he’s taught between 4,000-4,500 students and coached another 500 in the 25 years he took on those duties as well. A number have reached out since his photo landed on Twitter, which included parents who were former Campbell students along with their children. It also included co-workers and fellow teachers who at one time sat in Marrs’ classroom.

“I am very proud and honored to have been a part of Campbell Middle School for all these years,” Marrs said. “I could have moved…but Campbell feels like my second home.”