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From the February 11, 2000 edition of the Chicago Tribune: "Harry Pritikin saw plenty of his former high school players and students. Whether it was to reminisce over a championship season or catch up with the coach who had changed their lives, dozens of Bowen High School alumni kept in touch. 'He was a father figure,' said Dolph Grundman, 58, who played football and basketball for Mr. Pritikin from 1954 to 1958. 'He was a supportive and kind person who wanted to make sure that young people were successful.' Mr. Pritikin, 85, a renowned figure in Chicago high school sports, died of cancer Tuesday, Feb. 8, at his home in Destin, Fla. "He was one of the great coaches of the times," said Jerome Holtzman, a former Chicago Tribune baseball writer and now the official historian of baseball. 'He had a lot of fire and he demanded a lot from his players. He was a disciplinarian.' His accomplishments in 32 years as a baseball, football and basketball coach at Bowen High included the state baseball championship in 1954, the Public League baseball title in 1971 and six league championship game appearances. Mr. Pritikin was inducted into the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame and the Illinois Central Officials Association Hall of Fame for football and basketball. He also worked as a scout for major league baseball teams. He is perhaps best remembered for the interest he took in his players' education. As a standout basketball player, Grundman remembered feeling a bit cocky after a particularly good game. 'Coach told me that all the newspapers clippings on my games couldn't buy me a cup of coffee,' Grundman said. 'Back then, he was attempting to put sports in perspective, and I have remembered that for all of my life.' Mr. Pritikin retired from Bowen in 1978 and recently moved to Florida to be closer to his family. 'He was as much a mentor to us as he was to his players,' said his daughter Gail. 'He would expect you to do your best and he would help you do it. And he had a terrific sense of humor.' Survivors include another daughter, Carol Pritikin-Ogilvie; and a son, Jim Kauffman." |
From the September 3, 1999 edition of the Chicago Tribune: "Hildegarde Romberg, 97, who spent a career in the Chicago Public Schools, was a member of the Presidential Commission on Education when America cringed to the beeping of the Soviet sputnik satellite overhead and painstakingly culled her life savings until she had amassed millions of dollars. Ms. Romberg died in her Irvine, Calif., home on Aug. 27. A three-time graduate of the University of Chicago who was troubled by the lack of attention given to German-American culture after two world wars, Ms. Romberg recently gave $2 million to sponsor lectures, scholarships and a professorship in Germanic studies at the university. Of great interest to Ms. Romberg were German-language novels written in America during the 19th Century. The writings largely have been ignored by scholars of American literature, even though the books had significant audiences at the time they were written. While details of her bequest were ironed out during the past five years, University of Chicago spokesman Christopher Perrius said, a number of people at the university became familiar with the self- reliant woman. 'She (was) a very spunky and independent woman," Perrius said. "She has, in a real, significant way, sparked interest in the study of an area of American culture that's been missing before.' 'She was sharp, very aware. She just kept thoroughly up to date on matters from politics to baseball', said Ms. Romberg's grandniece Ellen Mugar. "She was very connected with young people. Her grandnieces and nephews, she connected very well with us." In addition, Ms. Romberg kept family connections alive with relatives in Germany, Mugar said. A lifelong educator, Ms. Romberg received a bachelor's degree in mathematics in 1921 and, two years later, began a 44-year career with the Chicago Public Schools, for which she taught math, science and physical education. In 1929, she became a school principal, and she eventually rose to become a district superintendent. Ms. Romberg later returned to study at the University of Chicago, earning a master's degree in education in 1935 and a doctorate in the same field in 1950. During the Depression, she lived in the McCormick YWCA, a nod to the money-saving habits she maintained throughout her life. When she flew from California to Chicago for the second lecture on German- American culture funded by her bequest, it was rumored in university circles that she flew coach. 'She was very frugal,' said her grandniece. Born the youngest of seven children to German immigrant parents in Chicago, Ms. Romberg never married. She is survived by two nieces, Elizabeth Streit and Helen Mugar; and many grandnieces and grandnephews." |
From the May 10, 2000 edition of the Chicago Tribune: "Louis Wasserman trained World War II soldiers for combat, taught overmatched athletes to play like contenders and turned an sparagus patch into a South Holland summer camp that delighted children for nearly 40 years. Mr. Wasserman, 87, a West Side native who learned from his own athletic success and became a influential football coach and fixture for thousands of children at camps in northern Wisconsin and Chicago, died Monday, May 8, in the Heartland Nursing Home in Homewood. 'His guiding principle was that boys and girls could find themselves through athletics,' said his son, Rick. Orphaned after both parents died during a flu epidemic, Mr. Wasserman was raised by his oldest brother, Nathan. He attended Parker High School on the South Side and spent his teenage summers working at Camp Menominee, his brother's summer camp now located in Eagle River, Wis. Relatives said Mr. Wasserman's coaching and camping careers were born during those summers. A standout football and basketball player who also competed in Golden Gloves boxing competitions, Mr. Wasserman thrived as he taught and played sports. After attending Purdue University and graduating from the University of Illinois with a degree in physical education, Mr. Wasserman taught at Harper High School before he enlisted in the Army in 1941. Relatives said he further honed his leadership and coaching skills as a company officer, supervising soldiers' boot camp training. 'It built his idea of the correct way to condition young people,' his son said.'When he got out of the Army he rewrote everything he learned toward working with young people.' He returned to Chicago and Harper High School in 1946, before becoming the head football coach at Bowen High School. He inherited a losing team but quickly earned athletes' respect by combining tough talk--a favorite phrase was "he's got no guts!"--and encouraging words. In South Holland, Mr. Wasserman founded the Shoreland Day Camp in 1950 and in 1954, the River Oaks Day Camp. Children throughout the city flocked to both camps, attracted by recommendations from athletic coaches and the fine reputation Mr. Wasserman earned in his years as a teenage camp counselor. He designed the camp's city-block sized campus, building special mini-playing fields and a shallow swimming pool to accommodate young campers. He funded "camperships" so poor children could share in the fun and gave many of his students their first job. Mr. Wasserman sold the camp in 1990. In addition to his son, survivors include a grandson." |
From the Chicago Tribune archives: March 1, 1962 - "E. Marie Puder, beloved daughter of the late Fred and Maude Puder; dear sister of Maude J. Puder. Funeral services 4:30 p. m. Thursday, at Blake-Lamb Chapel, 79th Street at Loomis Blvd. Burial Oak Hill Cemetery, Evansville, Ind." September 9, 1975 - "Mass for William P. Hearne, retired principal of Gage Park High School, will be said at 10:30 a. m. Friday in St. Agnes Catholic Church, 2648 Pershing Road. Mr. Hearne, of Chicago, died Tuesday in Mercy Hospital. He was a former math teacher at Quigley South High School and former pricipial of Bowen High School. Surviving are his widow, Mary; and a brother Maurice." May 2, 1981 - "Services for Eli J. Goldberg, 74, a retired Principal at Bowen High School will be at 2 PM Monday in the chapel at 5206 N. Broadway. Mr. Goldberg of 5000 S. East End Ave. died Thursday in Skokie Valley Community Hospital, Skokie. He had served as both Principal and Assistant Principa at Bowen and held several administrative positions in the Chicago Public Schools before retiring in the mid-1970s..." Mr. Goldberg attended the 10th Anniversary Reunion of the January class. May 4, 1985 - "Mass for Loretta J. Fitzgerald, 70, a retired teacher, will be said at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Our Lady of the Ridge Catholic Church, 10800 S. Oxford Ave., Chicago Ridge. Miss Fitzgerald died Saturday in Christ Hospital, Oak Lawn. She taught mathematics and was a counselor at Bowen High School, on the Southeast Side, when she retired in 1965. She is survived by a sister." September 10, 1985 - "A memorial service for Carl Roy Gustafson, 64, of South Holland, a retired teacher, will be held at 8 p.m. Wednesday in the United Presbyterian Church, 16440 Cottage Grove Ave., South Holland. He died Saturday in Ingalls Memorial Hospital, Harvey. Mr. Gustafson, who retired in 1983, was an art instructor for 27 years at Bowen High School, 2710 E. 89th St. He was a veteran of World War II. Mr. Gustafson is survived by his wife, Ruth; a son, Carl W.; and a sister." February 22, 1990 - "Isabelle O. Smith, 79, of Downers Grove, a physical education teacher in Chicago for more than 40 years, died Wednesday at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston. Born in Chicago, Miss Smith lived most of her life in Chicago and moved to Downers Grove about 15 years ago. She was a physical education teacher and guidance counselor in the Chicago public schools for 43 years, ending her career at Bowen High School. In 1933, Miss Smith was a "Modern Mermaid" in the Century of Progress fair in Chicago. Survivors include many nieces and nephews. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at the Blake-Lamb Funeral Home, Illinois Highway 53 and Short Street, Lisle." March 30, 1991 - "Edythe M. Lynch, 92, former head of the Bowen High School English department in Chicago and a pioneer school counselor, died Thursday in Pleasant View Luther Home in Ottawa, Ill. A native of Rockford, she graduated from Chicago Normal Teachers College in 1918 and from the University of Chicago in 1923. Miss Lynch received a master's degree from Columbia University in 1933. From 1937 to 1964, she headed the Chicago Guidance Assembly. Vice President Hubert Humphrey in the mid-1960s selected her to serve on the board of the National Vocational Counseling Program. There were no immediate survivors. Services for Miss Lynch will be Saturday in La Salle." July 20, 2007 - "Doris Karpen, beloved sister of J. Martin, Elizabeth, the late Jane K. Stein, Sam and Richard; loving aunt of Barbara A. Pikscher, Debbe J. Stein, Linda Nachman, Peter and Anne Pleatman. A memorial service will be held at the convenience of the family. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of donations in her name to the charity of your choice. Coglianese Funeral Home, 630-654-8484." Miss Karpen taught English at Bowen beginning in 1955. She retired around 1972 and suffered a debilitating stroke in 1966. She was a resident of Hinsdale, IL and was 98 years old when she died. Don Larson has a very interesting recollection of Miss Karpen on his website Time Out of Mind. |
From the May 6, 1965 edition of the Chicago Tribune " 'She instilled a desire to learn in her students' said Eli Goldberg, assistant principal of Bowen High School. He was referring to Mrs. Thekla Gysel Robinson, former teacher of French at the high school. The Bowen PTA...has petitioned the board of education to name a school building on the south side for Mrs. Robinson. A teacher at Bowen for 21 years, Mrs. Robinson died of cancer in July, 1961 at age 61. Her husband, Edward G. lives at 8120 Clyde Ave. He is retired from Morgan Park High, where he was engineer and custodian. Goldberg said Mrs. Robinson was conscientious in her teaching; had great integrity; and had strong rapport with students and faculty. Mrs. Robinson was graduated from Bowen High School and the University of Chicago. She was the daughter of a Swiss veterinarian, Dr. Robert Gysel, and was reared on the south side. She taught kindergarten at the Warren school, then taught at Kelly High school before moving to Bowen. In 1958 mrs. Robinson was decorated by the French government for her promotion of French culture in the United States. She was presented the Chevalier de Palmes Academiques by Consul General Jean Beliard. She adopted two orphans in Valencienne, France to whom she and her classes sent monthly packages. Mrs. Robinson was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, national fraternity for academic women, and was active in Les Rosettes et Rubans de France, an organization of women honored by the French government." |
Teachers Share Joys of the Past - Three Begin & Finish Their Careers Together Three teachers at Bowen High School, who began their careers together during World War I, recently retired after 137 years of combined service. After this many years of gently placing the future into the hands of thousands of students, the teachers agree that education's most important role is to "help the students grow in stature as well as wisdom." The three have been treated to a round of faculty parties and received 45 year service pins. Miss Edythe M. Lynch, 1401 E. 55th St., says that "rapport is the essential quality of teaching. You have to communicate or you are not teaching." Miss Lynch was an English teacher before becoming one of the city's first "adjustment" teachers and head of the Guidance Department at Bowen in 1937. When speaking, Miss Lynch punctates her ideas with hand movements and pauses for agreement from her two friends before firing off another opinion. "Today there is too much of a mad scramble for credits in the training of teachers," says Miss Lynch and adds "Teachers have to remember a child is hearing information for the first time. A really gifted teacher senses the student's feeling of discovery and enthusiasm." Mrs. Mildred Caldwell, Downers Grove, who has brought many awards to the school as band and orchestra teacher continued Miss Lynch's thought. "A teacher has to make the subject appealing and attractive," says Mrs. Caldwell. "I give my students the best music there is and they end up whistling it in the hall. The cigarette companies are taking care of the popular music," she says with a quiet little smile in her eyes. Mrs. Caldwell started Bowen's band in 1932 with seven students. In 1933 the band played at the Chicago World's Fair and since has played for many national occasions including the funerals of presidents Roosevelt and Kennedy. Proud of the more than 70 students who were in the band this year, Mrs. Caldwell believes that the "band is a recreational activity on a cultural level for all students. It's democracy in action," she explains, "because it's succesful when all are working together while each student has the opportunity to perfect himself within the group. The students have gone out all over the world," she continues, "to the Battle of the Bulge, D-Day, the Far East." And her joy of being a band teacher was expressed when she quietly said " We send students out into the world and celebrate when history comes to our door." The quality needed by teachers says the third member, Miss Loretta Fitzgerald, 7800 South Shore Dr., is an eight letter word "patience." A Mathematics teacher for more than 30 years at Bowen, Miss Fitzgerald has been in the Guidance Department for the last three years. Her position includes vocational and psychological guidance. "I have found," says Miss Fitzgerald,"that if you just let the students talk to you, and carefully listen to them, they solve their own problems." For students with more serious problems, such as repeated absences, Miss Fitzgerald says, "I try to stress the value of education. Once they find out more doors will open with a high school diploma, most of them come back. Although Miss Fitzgerald did not teach the experimental "new math" prgram at Bowen, she says "Especially if students are going to college, they need both the traditional and new math in order to get along". The three teachers attended Chicago Teachers College and the University of Chicago together. They then taught the elementary grades, junior high school, and eventually Bowen's students. "We are now teaching the children of the children we taught then," says Miss Lynch. "Teachers are not collecting as much service as we have, and service gives stability and adds growth to a school," she said. Adapted from a June 28, 1964 Chicago Tribune article. |
Ruth Barlow Retirement---Describes Pupils of 42 Years, Downgrades 'Good Old Days' "The good old days" of education weren't really that good according to Miss Ruth Barlow, Assistant Principal at Bowen High School. Miss Barlow who is leaving her post January 25,1965 has been at Bowen for more than 36 years and a school teacher for 42 years. "Teaching is the same essentially," Miss Barlow said, "But it has undergone some refinement. Youngsters today have better opportunities with more teachers, counselors, and better courses. Now it is possible for a high school student to get 14 to 16 hours of credit toward college. That's almost a whole quarter head start. Chicago schools have made good headway in reducing class sizes, too. I recall a 5th grade class with 57 students, and classes of 45 students were not that uncommon." Miss Barlow said that when she began teaching at Beale Elementary School, 60th and Peoria Streets, in 1922, counselors were not used. Now they are active throughout the school system. "Students haven't changed," she said, "Human nature is about the same year after year. They are more concerned about education now. And they should be! Now you can't get a job sweeping floors without at high school diploma." Miss Barlow said she's a teacher first and an administrator next. "You can run along without a principal, but not without a teacher," she said. For 29 of her 42 years in Chicago schools, Miss Barlow was a teacher. She taught for 6 years at Beale and 23 years at Bowen before being appointed vocational advisor in 1951. She said she often used her travel experiences in teaching. "It was a tremendous help. I had seen the places we were talking about and could really describe them." She has done a considerable amount of traveling, having visited Europe four times, Mexico twice, all the Canadian provinces, the Mediterranean, the Near East, South America, and 48 of the 50 states. Her plans, naturally, include a great deal of traveling. A dinner in Miss Barlow's honor is being planned for January 11 at Vogel's Restaurant, 112th and Indianapolis Blvd. The dinner is being sponsored by the Bowen Alumni Association, the Bowen PTA, Bowen Boosters, Bowen Council, the South Chicago Chamber of Commerce, and the Bowen Social Club. Eli Goldberg, Bowen's other Assistant Principal, will be Toastmaster. Samuel Nowinson, District 17 Superintendent of Schools, will speak. Other speakers will include Bowen Principal Dr. Lorraine Sullivan and former Bowen principals Dr. Vincent Conroy, Dr. Ellen Brachtl, Dr. Hildegard Romberg, William Hearne, and Robert Keenan. Adapted from a January 10, 1965 Chicago Tribune article. |