The Past Catches Up to Me

Over the past year I had the experience of reuniting with former students and colleagues from teaching. I also got to participate in a reunion of former Irving staff and students. All of the experiences had a profound affect.

We enter education as a career for a lot of reasons. We like kids, we have something we like to teach, but we all want to make a difference in the world. These reunions are a gift to former educators as we see the long term results of our labors. This is the pay-off.

Albany-Garden Plain Reunion

Early last summer, a former student, Curt, stopped by my home. He had gotten my address from my friend Gerry. Curt was making a delivery in Bloomington, and just stopped by. It was a complete and wonderful surprise. We talked about his days in Albany and what he was doing currently. I told him about the Facebook group I started, but he wasn’t on Facebook. Before he left he gave his business card with his email. I walked him out to his truck, and turned and said “Thank you”. He wanted me to know I had had an impact on his life. It is the greatest gift he could have given me.

There were two Albany reunions. The first planned last October by former colleague Austin Wallestad (PE), and with support from Gerry Kreuder (he literally taught everything except science), was to bring together former staff members. We had a decent turnout although I was the only one from outside of the area.

We talked, and ate , and shared some fond, and some not so fond, memories of teaching in the two schools. I really enjoyed seeing so many people who shared so much from my early years in education.

Although the lunch was nice, the best part was a visit to the Albany building. The school had been closed for a number of years due to lack of enrollment. This was quite sad as it had such an effect on the town. It had been sold and turned into a church.

Waiting in the school were a number of former students. This was impromptu as I had made the request for the teachers to visit the school through our Facebook group. The former students responded by showing up too. I had also emailed Curt to let him know about the staff visit. Now adults in their 50’s, they shared some memories. It wasn’t just seeing them, it was what their presence said to all of us. We impacted their lives. We taught, and disciplined, in the best way we could. They told us it benefited them. I heard “thank you” said to many of the teachers present. I still tear up when I think about it. Curt was one of the people there.

We wandered around the building. Much of it had been remodeled to suit the church. However, my old science room was nearly intact, as was the gym, where we had such wonderful basketball memories.

The result of the first impromptu reunion, was a planned reunion for this past August. This reunion was part of an Albany Fest and it was organized by former students Jim Holcomb and Jeff Holesinger who still live in the area.

Gerry and Linda Kreuder and  I attended and brought photos and other memorabilia for our years in Albany. Gerry even brought some paddles. Yes, we used a paddle for disciplinary action. Although I am not proud that I used physical punishment in my early career, I have to acknowledge, in that time and place it was effective. I know this because former students have told me so. Instead of resentment of the actions we took, these adults thanked us for dealing with problems swiftly and fairly. I don’t recall anyone being suspended from school in those days in the early 70’s. By the way, I never saw Gerry use any of his famous paddles. He sometimes threatened, but I don’t think he had the heart to use them.

The summer event was not well attended, but those who came shared stories and positive memories. We looked at photos together, and made new photos. Some of the former students brought their grandchildren with them. None of us look the same, and I had to ask names. It was a nice three hours along the banks of the Mississippi. Curt was one of the attendees along with another Kurt. Both had been students and basketball players on my teams. 

Unfortunately the small numbers for Albany fest were a reminder that closing the school was a very negative impact on the town.

Irving School Reunion

Before I started a Facebook page for Albany and Garden Plain , I joined a group for Irving School. This was the inspiration for the Albany-GP group. The Irving group was started by Mel “Duke” Babb to reconnect to students who had attended Irving School . His focus was on the building that existed when he lived in Bloomington. This group was highly successful and led to the sharing of many photos and memories. It also led to a reunion of students on Septmeber 7.This reunion was planned by Dave Sage. Dave, a former Irving student, is also a former city council member. He knows how to organize.

I came to the reunion at Dave’s request. He knew I had studied the history of the school. Dave wanted to reunite students who had attended the “old” Irving building. This building was one of three constructed on the same site. It was built in 1905 and demolished in 1975. It was a beautifully designed school by architect Arthur Pillsbury.

In 1945, Irving added a junior high program. It was one of three is Bloomington District 87. In 1949, a “junior high” addition was placed on the north end of the building. This part of the old building was remodeled, but remained when the “new” building was opened in 1975. It was the part of the school Duke Babb wanted to see when he and I visited the school.

The remodeled junior high wing is what those attending the reunion wanted to see. There were memories that reappeared as they walked into the learning center. They shared stories from the cafeteria and the gym. Although much changed by the remodeling in 1975, they could recall the configuration of the gym locker rooms and classrooms now gone or re-purposed. They would explain how they were terrified children walking down the hallway to visit the upstairs principal’s office.

To me the most lasting impact was encounter I saw in the learning center entrance. One former student, now herself a teacher, was moved to tears to see her former second grade teacher, Peggy Costigan (then Johnston). Like the both of them, I had tears in my eyes, as they hugged and shared memories.

Special thanks are due to the organizers of these events. Without Austin and Jim Albany would not have happened. Without Duke and Dave, Irving would not have happened. Their spouses also deserve a lot of thanks for all the contacts and refreshments and support they provided.  It takes a lot of time to organize these events when all the rest of us do is show up.

The shared memories are wonderful. The descriptions of a school through the eyes of children who are now adults, is fun to hear. Still, it is the emotion which I will carry from these events. Adults sharing that they knew we cared for them when they were children. Former teachers sharing how they felt they were as much a family as a faculty. People reliving those moments when they were bought together through the necessity of education and the benefit of a bond of caring. What a nice way to spend a couple of afternoons.