Bob House will probably remember Isaac Newton for quite some time.

The famous scientist was House's final answer to the $1 million question posed by Regis Philbin during Monday night's taping of ABC-TV's “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” (the show aired Tuesday). And boy, did it pay off.

Just two weeks after completing his second year as a teacher at Starr's Mill High School, House became the fourth contestant on the phenomenally successful game show to go the distance.

With two lifelines remaining for the last question — Which of the following men does not have a chemical element named after him? — House used his 50-50 lifeline to eliminate Niels Bohr and Enrico Fermi. That left Newton and Albert Einstein.

Speaking with The Citizen Wednesday morning by phone from New York, House said he was pretty sure the answer was Newton, but just to make certain he phoned Donna Cates, a science teacher at Starr's Mill. She confirmed it for him immediately, and he was home free.

With his wife Sheila, a science teacher at Sandy Creek High School, at his side, House made the obligatory rounds of celebrity interviews Wednesday, starting early with an appearance on “Good Morning America.” That was followed by a spot on (of course) “Live with Regis and Kathie Lee” and a taped interview with “Access Hollywood.”

Bob and Sheila moved to Meriwether County in February with their two children, nine-year-old Logan (a student at Peeples Elementary) and four-year-old Shelby. Before that, they lived in Peachtree City.

While Sheila plans to stay at Sandy Creek for the coming year, Bob will be moving to Pike County High School in Zebulun. He teaches history.

Each “Millionaire” contestant submits five names of potential “Phone a Friend” lifelines. All five of House's names were of Starr's Mill teachers, in a variety of subjects: Cates; Laura Voyles (English); Carsten Reichel (social studies); Charlotte Robinson (U.S. history); and Becky Ryckeley (European history, chairman of school's history department).

Ironically, all but Cates were at the same house waiting for the chance to be called. All were told to stay by the phone from 4-7 p.m. in case they were needed.

House won $200 in a previous episode, then had to return to finish his run. The first show, seen Sunday night, was actually taped two weeks earlier, and Bob and Sheila were flown back to New York for the second taping.

At her Newnan home Monday night with some friends, Cates got the customary call from the show's producers letting her know the taping was about to start. When the phone rang again at about 4:35, she assumed it was to tell her he was finished, since it had taken so much time for them to get back to her.

That changed when she heard the voice on the line. “It was Regis,” she said. “I got nervous in a hurry.”

One of her fears before the show was that she would be one of the many phone friends who ramble for the entire 30 seconds or must confess on national TV that they do not know the answer. She did nothing of the sort, saying later that she and House were most fortunate to get the question they got. “Any ninth-grader just finishing a physical science class should have gotten that,” she said.

As expected, everyone Cates has talked to since House's big win has asked her what her cut will be. She says she doesn't expect anything, although dinner would be nice.

“I don't think he needed me,” she said. “I think it was just a comfort.”

As for House, he has said that he plans to pay off some debts and get his wife a new car with part of the winnings. In answering another often-asked question, he called Regis “a very nice guy.”

He plans to keep in touch with his former Starr's Mill students, mainly by watching sporting events. He coached volleyball, basketball and soccer at the school.

Starr's Mill Principal Sam Sweat was among those in front of their sets Tuesday night. “I thought it was fantastic,” he said. “I'm very happy for Bob House and his family.”

Acknowledging that this is a “big” boost for the school, Sweat added, “I think our students and faculty are on top of the world.”

House is the second “Millionaire” contestant with a Peachtree City connection. Planterra Ridge resident John Bernard appeared several months ago but was unable to get into the hot seat.

“I want to say `Hi' to all my students and thank them for their support,” he said in concluding this interview, making that statement his — what else? — final answer.

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