Saturday, October 21, 2017

Edifice Complex, Green Mountain Style

Kathie and I are being inducted into the Green Mountain High School Hall of Fame next month.  The principal sent an email informing us.  When I first learned of this, I was momentarily taken aback. I immediately figured the nominating committee had to be composed of lots of our former students and probably not that many former administrators or colleagues.  I could understand former ad types and colleagues nominating Kathie, but those last years at good old GMHS I had a rocky relationship with the powers that be.  And I have to say that walking out of that building twelve years ago was an even more wonderful feeling than walking into it 35 years earlier.  In fact, I promised myself that I would never set foot in that building again and so far I've kept that promise.

The thing that is interesting me is my reaction to this honor.  I had heard a few years ago that Green Mountain was considering a hall of fame and they were asking for suggestions for inductees.  It never occurred to me they would be nominating teachers, so I thought it was a nifty idea and I started thinking of kids' names.  I came up with a ton of them.  But if I had thought teachers would be nominated, I would have rolled my eyes at the whole idea.  If I had thought Kathie and I would be among the inductees (Dale Moore, Dennis Shepherd, and Bruce Rolfing are the other honorees), I still would have rolled my eyes, but only for a second or two.  Then I would have happily acquiesced.

In my humble opinion, it is silly to choose individuals to be honored in something as artificial as a hall of fame.  It is kind of like being a restaurant reviewer writing an article ranking the best hamburgers in town.  The critic might choose the smash burger at Elways.  Of course, other critics would just as confidently choose the one at Park Burger.  They would both be correct.

The same thing with all this hall of fame business.  In the spirit of full disclosure, I think Kathie and I deserve this honor.  I would like to think that most of our students and colleagues would agree.  But there are so many others that similarly deserve to be the first inductees.

Dawn Troup would be the first name out of my mouth.  Next to Kathie, Dawn taught me more about teaching than anyone.

Ken Weaver is another.  He and I spent years together acting as union reps.  We played tennis in the summer.  We drank together every Friday afternoon.  He was the guy at faculty picnic everyone gathered around.

Cindy Fite.  How could there be a hall of fame that doesn't include her.  She had her finger in every aspect of Green Mountain and her students loved and respected her.

Gerry Oehm should be there right next to Denny and lets not forget Orval Seaman.  These guys made the math department in their image.

Bud Simmons ran the best theater program in the county.  I can't imagine anyone living through Bud's drama mill without looking back on every moment with fondness and laughter.

Don't worry.  I won't bother you with a list of worthy students.  If I did that I would be writing the rest of the day.

I will say again that I have my doubts about this hall of fame business.  Is there going to be a plaque somewhere affixed to a wall at school?  Will it be in a special case?  Will people walk by it in reverence?  Will former students, parents, and colleagues make pilgrimages to school to see the plaque in the flesh?

In the best of all possible worlds, there would be nothing approaching that.  I think our country has always suffered from an edifice complex.  We build monuments to things that end up being more important than the things themselves.  I can say that I love good old GMHS and also say that I never want to set foot inside the building again and it won't be a contradiction.  Let's face it.  The building sucks.  The first incarnation had a woefully inadequate HVAC system which was exacerbated by a paucity of windows.  The second incarnation--the remodel--was built on the airport terminal model with departments and kids spread out all over the place.  Science in concourse C.  Language Arts, concourse A, etc.

Green Mountain will always be about people.  It was the Williams family.  The Andersons.  The Monsons.  It was all those teachers I "nominated" above.  It was a steady stream of baby teachers who  wanted nothing more than to help kids.  It was Ted Fulte and Steve Meininger in the music department getting things out of those kids that outstripped all expectations.

So I am going to go to this thing.  I will not roll my eyes.  I will accept the honor in the name of all those kids and families and teachers that I have loved over the years.  It will be a good night.

I only have two things on my mind.  First, I hope the food at the banquet is not too terrible.  Second, I'm wondering when they are going to ask me to come in to get measured for my bust.