 Rutherford's reputation as a teacher grew and more students enrolled in his classes.He taught at South San Francisco High School from 1949 to 1951 and at Capuchino High School from 1951 to 1954 and again from 1956 to 1959.From 1961 to 1964 he was a science consultant and director of the Science Humanities Project for the San Mateo Union High School District.