Alumni Spotlight – Darryl Engler ‘65

Aside from his family – wife Pat (Williams) ’64 and daughter Lori ’92 – Darryl Engler identifies two forces driving his life: mathematics and music. The former became his vocation, leading to a career as a math and computer science teacher in Southern York County School District. The latter became a passionate avocation, leading to a potpourri of musical experiences he describes as a “hodgepodge.”

He took a liking to the French horn early on and considers it his principal instrument, the one he played in concert band. But they didn’t have French horns in marching band, so he took up the drums. For orchestra, he learned to play the tympani. When a dance band was organized at the school, he learned to play the alto saxophone (after being given the instrument and a fingering chart only a week before auditions).

Outside school, he played bugle in a local drum and bugle corps and Eb Alto horn in the Glen Rock Band. Oh – and he learned to play the piano after his mother showed him where Middle ‘C’ was. “I already knew how to read music,” he explains. “The rest I just figured out. I never taught anyone how to play the piano though. I’m not sure I’m doing the right things with my fingers.” In a short time, he could play all the tunes in the church hymnal with four-part harmony. (Did he say “hodgepodge?”)

He also performed in the junior and senior plays, the basketball pep band, and played mandolin in a student organized folk-singing group.

In school, he recalls his best subject being math, and he took as many courses as Susquehannock offered, continuing its study when he attended Ursinus College after graduation in 1965.

But even as a math major at one of Pennsylvania’s most demanding colleges, Darryl found time to pursue his musical interests.  Ursinus – with a strong affiliation with the United Church of Christ at the time – had required chapel. The student organist was graduating and Darryl offered to take his place, despite the fact that he had no training on this new instrument. After figuring out the organ stops and pedals, he auditioned and was selected for the position. Part of his duties included directing the student chorus. He has the distinction of being the school’s last student organist, with chapel being eliminated as a requirement in his senior year.

In the summers, he worked at a variety of construction jobs for Irv Rappoldt, a prominent local builder. Eventually, he became skilled in electrical work, an occupation that served him well, leading to a successful part time and summer career in later life. “I did part-time electrical work to support my teaching habit,” he jokes. “You really couldn’t make much of a living as a teacher back then.”

His teaching career began in 1969 at Southern Middle School, after being hired out of Ursinus by the new principal, Gerry Miller. He taught general math in his first year, but was soon teaching advanced courses and was named department head after only one year.

When computer sciences came onto the national scene in public schools, Darryl urged Southern to join the movement. Initially he met resistance, but was persistent. “It was around 1983 that I was able to get a single Radio Shack TRS-80 in the budget. Then, everyone got excited about what it could do and we immediately needed a five-year plan to get things going. They put me in charge with an annual equipment budget of $25,000 per year – and that was K-12!” he remembers. Darryl’s assignment was in addition to his teaching load to start, but he was later made full-time Director of Computer Services.  He retired from Southern in 1999, leaving behind one of the premier computer curriculums in Pennsylvania.

Of course, throughout all these years, he remained active in the “other half” of his professional life – music. He continued playing the organ and was the regular organist at Trinity United Church of Christ in Glen Rock for many years. He started signing with the Glen Rock Carolers in 1971 and has been with that organization continuously since that date, currently serving as its director. One of the carolers talked him into singing with the White Rose Chorus – a barbershop group – and he was soon asked to direct the group.

He became active in the York Little Theatre as a musical director for many shows throughout a 10 year period. He also directed shows at Susquehannock, and is currently the musical director for Central York High School’s musical theater program.

Also in his “retirement”, he works for Wilkes University teaching at least two graduate level computer courses every semester.

And in his spare time, he joins wife Pat and visits daughter, Lori, in Florida, where she works in the Human Resources Department at the Disney Corporate Office.

Thanks to Darryl Engler, Class of 1965, for making us Warrior Proud.