Colbert Davis is Chair of the Science Department at Saint Mary's College High School in Berkeley. He graduated from Saint Mary's in 1962 and has taught there since 1968, which makes him a Lasallian educator of the "old school." "To me," he says, "Lasallian means being with the students, as Saint La Salle said, from morning to night. And it's not just being present. It's how you are present. You must live out what you expect them to do. They see through what's false. And after all, living it is the sum of the Lasallian virtues."

He is also a Lasallian of the "new school," and the newest thing in the 137-year history of Saint Mary's is coeducation, which began in 1995. Mr. Davis says, "I was in favor of coeducation for 20 years before we did it, and in our debates I represented the pro-coed side pretty effectively." Janet Hack, the school's college counselor, remembers those days. "Colbert felt that the young men of Saint Mary's were missing a part of their education that would allow them to be more effective in the real world. He also felt strongly that girls should be able to benefit from a Saint Mary's education." And the benefits are certainly there. Melissa Graviss, a teacher of Chemistry, has been at Saint Mary's for four years and has written a Master's thesis on how female students learn science. "Most of the research," Ms. Graviss says, "indicates that girls participate and achieve more in a single-sex setting, particularly in math and science. But my experience at Saint Mary's is that our girls are more confident and more assertive of their needs than the average high school student. The atmosphere is more family-like and the girls seem to feel more comfortable with their intelligence. Colbert's classroom is a popular hangout spot for students, and he fosters personal relationships with them. This atmosphere is very supportive for our female students."

Mr. Davis feels responsible for being supportive to all students, and the tough transition some students experience from grammar school to high school has drawn his particular attention. "In our science curriculum," Mr. Davis explains, "we keep the freshmen what I call 'tumbled,' rather than 'tracked.' Everybody takes Freshman Natural Science, which is team-taught by three senior teachers in rotation, so that by the year's end each teacher has worked with each of the students and we have a better idea about who is ready for Biology and so on. This program has been in effect for six years. Our graduates come out with the scientific background to compete in the best public and private universities. But we're also committed to bringing out the best in all our students. We're here for a diversity of students, including students who are, well, just regular students."

Mr. Davis' latest contribution to Saint Mary's is unofficial but significant: "I've made myself an informal expert on funding for college. Saint Mary's is a unique community, with a diverse ethnic population. And when these kids are well trained, they are highly desirable to the top private colleges who are trying to make their student bodies more representative of America. Our students have the skills, but not always the funding. I help them go after that."

His particular Virtues from the Lasallian list? "Patience," he says. "And Gentleness. Those are basic. Calmness. Learning to really listen and really see. Of course, that comes with experience." He has held various deanships, but recently he has focused again on classroom teaching. "I like it best. It's fun. And the kids are so nurturing. They come into the lab and just, you know, hang around." Yes, we've noticed.