“Dr. Barber --- ‘Big Jake’ --- was principal at Cypress Junior High when I was there in 7th, 8th, and 9th grade. He was one of those principals that everybody loved and respected. He was the only principal I ever knew who could walk into an assembly with 1300 kids and when he stepped up on that stage, everybody’d get quiet. If he had to substitute, to sit in for a teacher, and he found out you were having trouble with your class work, he’d sit down and tutor you. We had several good teachers there at Cypress, teachers who had a heart to teach. When he passed, everybody who knew Dr. Barber wanted to go to his funeral, but by the time some of us found out, they had already buried him. He was a wonderful kind of principal. I'll never forget him."
Darrell's principal at Cypress Junior High School was Dr. James Barber, who passed on November 7, 2006. Numerous students and friends signed the online guest book.