Mrs. Harriet Hammond (Photo – PHS)
Pasadena High School announced the passing of Mrs. Harriet Hammond.
By Thomas Holmes and Vincent Ton
Throughout her 40-year career at PHS, Hammond taught countless students, inspired many colleagues, and created a treasure trove of lasting memories and lessons.
In the classroom, she was a devout educator, truly believing that every student had the potential to excel in mathematics. For students who faced hurdles or had questions, Mrs. Hammond always made herself available, either during the early morning hours or in the late afternoon, for tutoring and mentoring services. Her coursework was challenging yet motivating, her teaching style memorable and caring.
Outside of the classroom, it was a common sight to see Mrs. Hammond cheering on the athletes, musicians, and dancers on Friday nights. For many years, Mrs. Hammond led a legion of Bulldogs to victory at the annual Math Field Day competition. She supported student entrepreneurship as a Faculty Advisor for Junior Achievement and was always a reliable customer during fundraising events and food fairs.
Mrs. Hammond left an everlasting impact on the Pasadena High School community during her tenure. Even as her students graduated, class by class, she continued to reach out with greetings and warm wishes during the holiday seasons. More touching, Mrs. Hammond always inquired about one’s future plans and life updates while sharing some of her own.
Since her retirement in 2020, we have greatly missed seeing her on campus every day. Through great sorrow and boundless appreciation, we say goodbye to this remarkable woman.
Rest in peace, Mrs. Hammond.
> The Hammond Family asks that all cards be sent to PHS. Services are planned to be held in California, with more information to come.
Thomas Holmes, PHS ’19, is the Communications Specialist at Pasadena High School and a Communications – Public Relations student at Cal Poly Pomona. Vincent Ton, PHS ’19, is the Programs Coordinator at the Office of Student/Faculty Programs at Caltech. He’s a graduate of UC Santa Barbara.
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Mrs. Harriet Hammond was very dear to me. I first knew her as my Sunday school teacher I later knew her as my math teacher and tutor. As many of you have already attested to, she went well beyond her call of duty as a teacher, she’s mentored many of us. She’s encouraged us to look past our perceived insufficiencies and to strive for excellence. She taught us to never give up, instead work smarter, not necessarily harder.
She was with me every step of my formative years of life. It was her husband, Reverend Albert Hammond, that lead my marriage ceremony in 1993.
An angle has gone home to glory. May we each strive guide others through life using our God given gifts. Thank you Mrs. Hammond for showing us the way.
— Kenya Etim FKA Kenya Watson
Her dedication to teaching and children was beyond compare. When my son’s father died (he was in her class that year), she took the time to speak to me and told me she would keep an eye on him. She did. My son has fond memories of her.
So sad- she was an amazing teacher and mentor. She was my kids’ teacher but she was the one who convinced me I could teach too.