One of my favorite TV programs, CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood, must have spent a third of Sunday’s show acknowledging the passing of important people in the year 2014.
Bernice Schultz was not among them although to my mind she should have been.
Mrs. Schultz died at her home in Winter Park, Florida a week before Christmas. She’d made it to age 96.
I’m guessing that nearly everyone who’s enjoyed a smidgen of success in life, had a special school teacher to thank for helping them turn a critical corner and make some key life decisions. For me, that teacher was Mrs. Schultz.
Bernice Schultz teacher extraordinaire 1962
I had a bad case of insecurity when entering high school in 1961. First off, I was fat. Second off, my older brother, Denny, who had graduated the year before, had set quite a precedent for me to follow; not athletically or scholastically but by being one of the popular “cool” kids who not only had the greatest duck butt haircut but also the uncanny ability, with his quick wit, to charm teachers and fellow students into liking him. (He would have been a state champion debater if he’d only joined the club.) And, third off, I was convinced that nobody understood or appreciated me..except for my cousin Grouse (Lawrence Gruseth) who had his own set of challenges.
I was pretty tall and knew how to play sports but was so self conscious about the possibility that coach Harry Prendergast would have me be part of the “skins” team during basketball practice, I never went out for the team in High School. Because of my size, he also wanted me to try out to play center on the football team. I didn’t dare tell him about my claustrophobia and the thought of how being at the bottom of a pile of guys would kill me. One day when it was raining hard, I didn’t show up for practice and was kicked off the squad. Humiliation..but no tears from me.
So, there I was with only Grouse to share my thoughts and dreams with about being a rock and roll or broadcasting star.
Grouse (Lawrence Gruseth) and me providing entertainment for the school Christmas party in the Volga High School Gym 1961.
We wanted the same exact things he and I..but in that year of 1961, life really went haywire when throat cancer first took the voice and then the life of Grouse’s Mom..my aunt.. Esther. Grouse, his dad and brother were absolutely lost without her and until they got a housekeeper a year or so later, needed all the help they could get. More on that in a minute.
It was clear from the first moment I stepped into Mrs. Schultz’s English class that she wasn’t like any teacher I’d had. She made it clear right off the bat that we weren’t kids anymore and she wasn’t about to treat us like it; Learn or burn..it was up to us.
This stuff is going to be important in our lives and it’s her job to get it through our thick skulls. She knew all about the English language, including some of its more colorful words which she wasn’t afraid to use in order to emphasize a point when the situation warranted. But if anybody needed help, she’d make time to see you got it.
Toward the end of that first year she had me stay after class one day for a chat. “Doug, I don’t know why you can’t seem to get the grammar part of the curriculum but your writing is not bad. I want you to take journalism classes next year and I’d like you to work on the school paper..okay?” Well, she knew I’d probably never figure out how to diagram a sentence or know a predicate from a dangling participle but that day gave me a boatload of confidence. Over the next three years, she was my go-to source for advice on just about everything..be it English, Journalism or life in general. I’m also quite sure she was the one who put a bug in the ear of Kenneth Joy about casting me in the one act play he was directing for which I won best actor in the regional contest. I’ve since learned she made dozens..perhaps hundreds of other students feel just as special..but at the time it felt like just me….oh, and cousin Grouse.
That’s me wearing the black shirt at the typewriter with Mrs. Schultz over my shoulder. Cousin Grouse is typing at the right.
I asked if he’d write a few lines about his experience at a most critical time:
After mom died, Mrs. Schultz took a lot of interest in my well being. For some reason she became worried about my shoes being worn down on the heel…She evidently thought that I had a plethora of writing talent, so she took it upon herself to get me an after school and Saturday job with Pat Leary at the Volga Tribune. That evolved into a full time summer job with plenty of time off for rock and roll jobs. For SDSU journalism-printing students spending a quarter term at the Shotgun was the equivalent of an internship. This meant that I was in contact with just about every journalism student to graduate from SDSU from ’62 thru 68. So, after I got married and decided that I’d better get a degree, journalism was the most prudent choice of majors. Broadcast journalism was new at SDSU and sounded much more exciting than print…so that’s the direction I chose. We ran out of money after my junior year so I applied for a job in continuity at KELO….got it and started writing commercials and booth announcing. After a couple years, we returned to SDSU, finished the coursework and went to KSOO-TV. In short, if Mrs. Schultz had not taken an interest in me as a person and gone out of her way to get me that little job at the Volga Tribune only the good Lord knows what would have become of me.
Because Mrs. Schultz had inspired us both in the field of journalism, Grouse and I were the natural choices to portray Chet Huntly and David Brinkley in reading the class prophecy during the Junior Senior Class banquet. Wh0 could have imagined it would be the first of thousands of scripts that would pass through our hands.
Mrs. Schultz and her late husband, Glenn, were instrumental in reorganizing Volga High School into the current Sioux Valley High School District; consolidating Volga, Bruce and Sinai. She stayed on at Volga until age 70 and then embarked on a snowbird lifestyle full of travel adventures eventually settling in Florida with her daughter Patti.
A lot of times, former students don’t get a chance to tell teachers how much of a positive influence they had on their lives. That’s not the case, though, with me and Mrs. Schultz. Ooops, Mrs. Schultz and “I”..no wait, Mrs. Schultz and “me.” Oh, hell.
30 years ago, for some odd reason, the principal asked me to be commencement speaker at my alma mater. Not only was my mom in the audience but so was Mrs. Schultz. I made sure to share the above stories at that time and on other occasions when our paths crossed over the years. She never failed to enjoy taking full credit with her usual gap toothed grin followed by a hearty laugh.
I was hoping to write a few words on the Funeral Home obituary web site..but it turns out..she apparently didn’t have a funeral in Winter Park..just went directly to the crematory.
That sounds like Mrs. Schultz. “Do your best work..then get the hell out without a lot of fanfare.”
Somebody is apparently planning a memorial service for her in Volga sometime.
I hope so. I know a lot of us would like to drink a toast to the old girl.
22 Responses
You are so right about many adults being able to identify a teacher or two who made a big impact on our lives. I can think of a couple from about 45 years ago, and wish I had made an effort to find them and thank them. I’m sure your Mrs. Schultz was thrilled to know she made a difference.
It is true, Mrs Schultz had a huge impact on everyone she taught at Volga High School! She was kind & yet she was firm. We knew what she expected of us & we did our best to please her. Blessed be her memory!
Doug, do you really think Mrs Schultz would have allowed anyone to use a spell check program and use an incorrect homonym? I ask because, although I was a chemistry major, I do not believe: ‘but you’re writing is not bad’ is correct (although you’re is spelled correctly).
She taught you better than that.
Oh, man Dave. That’s one of my pet peeves; not understanding the your/ you’re difference. I’ve since made the correction and know how it happened. I initially planned to say “but you’re not a bad writer.’ Uffda.
Oh Doug, I so enjoyed reading this about Mrs. Schultz! She made a difference in many lives and I know she was loved by many. I once cut my finger badly by putting it through the glass window in the OLD building………..Bryan Bjerke gallantly took me to Dr. Peeke and he sewed it up and when we got back to school she pinned a handmade “medal” of bravery on me! Wonder if she knew we were racing down the steps to see who could make it out to lunch the fastest? Maybe the medal would have been for something else? I loved working on the school paper with her guidance. Actually I think she wrote most of it and we just wrote the headlines. Fun memories! Thank you for honoring her so well!
Doug——
Great blog. In that pic— top left is Sylvia Wosje, editor, Mrs. Schultz, Linda Sandman, Grouse and I think Curt Thompson. In front is Bill Van Beek and Marilyn Strande. Do you believe suits in high school journalism class!!!
Bill, you didn’t mention that it’s you..Mr. VanBeek pictured in the lower left of the typing picture next to Marilyn. In the extreme upper right is Mrs. Schultz’s son Michael..not Curt. I scanned these images from yearbooks which accounts for the poor quality and explains why so many are all dressed up. It was yearbook picture day..so we were posing.
Doug,
Thanks for your blog, I too have wonderful memories of Mrs. Shultz. However, my initial memories weren’t always positive, they were however very educational. It seems to me, as I matriculated through SVHS, and showed proper respect, Mrs. Shultz, grew more fond of me and my peers. She, had a unique way of keeping underclass men, humble, and in proper check. I, really grew to appreciate her as I moved along at SVHS. What a fine teacher we had there.
I enjoyed your article!! She encouraged me to become a teacher!! Currently in my 37th year of teaching — 29 years in Kindergarten! The rest were in grades 1-4! What a great role model!! Strict– but loving and caring!! She was a blessing to so many!!
Doug,
Thanks for your blog and for remembering my mother, Mrs. Schultz. After all these years I thought for sure many would have forgotten about their old teacher. I am continuing to find out the many lives she did touch, whether good memories or bad, and the impact she had on so many. She truly loved to teach. I have planned to celebrate her life with a memorial service in May or June in Volga. As I write this, I realize she is watching my grammar usage from the great classroom beyond. She just wanted all of us to be best we could be. Hope many can join the celebration in Volga. Thanks for all the supportive and fond Mrs. Schultz memories.
Very nice blog Doug. My comparable mentors were two from 5th grade through my sophomore year in Howard. Jim Cordts in athletics and Mike Dahlen in band. Mr. Cordts recently passed away and he’ll always be that to me…Mr….pure class. I’m trying to hook up with another Mr, Dahlen, who I haven’ seen in over 40 years. My mom keeps in touch with his wife Jan. I’m hoping we can Skype or something soon.
Thank you Doug! It’s so heartwarming for us to read a tribute like this and to know how much her work was appreciated. The last time I saw her, we talked about how many lives she touched in the many years of teaching. Great to hear it from one of those lives.
It was wonderful to go down memory lane with you, Doug! Mrs. Schultz also gave me a much needed confidence boost by getting me to write feature stories for the school newspaper. We always worked on the paper at her home, and I felt very special getting to go there.
I also had Mrs. Schultz for my junior year of English. One day she read a poem to us and got really choked up. I was actually embarrassed for her and couldn’t even look up though I was in the first row. Years later, I read certain poems aloud to some of my classes and got choked up too. I’d always think of her and figure that we old English teachers are just a bit more emotional than some others.
Rest in Peace, Bernice, you were a great teacher!
Oh Doug, what memories this brings back! Mrs. Schultz was a legend. An amazing woman indeed to live 96 years, and live them to the fullest. Thanks for sharing the past.
Thank you to Doug Lund for bringing back memories from half a century ago when I ran The Volga Tribune. (Two relatives have forwarded Doug’s post to me.) We (Bernice and I) started the “departmental newspaper” for Volga High School with a page of The Tribune called The Cossack. I never had any problems with the staff that I remember; they always met the deadlines and their manuscripts were readable and error-free. On press day, we’d print enough extra Cossacks, trim them and they’d get distributed to the student body at VHS. That was back in the days of hot-metal composition, so I worked almost every Tuesday night, making up pages. Her husband, Glenn, would come down to the shop, perch on a stool and we’d discuss politics and school district reorganization, a hot topic in the early ‘sixties.
Bernice insisted on correct grammar and spelling, two traits which I then considered routine (and, it turns out, under-appreciated.)
Count on me to be at that memorial service in June!
Patrick Leary, Volga Tribune manager, 1959-63
Doug Lund: thanks for the memories; well done.
Gotta ask about the guitar photo; what a great illustration of that great time….when freshman were performing rock and roll….
What kind of guitar were you playing and where is it?
It looks as if your cousin was playing a Fender Strat? Does he still have it?
Can I have it?
Do you guys still play?
Stephen: Grouse is playing a Telecaster. I’m on a Sears Silvertone. Both are long gone. We both continued playing in bands. I switched to drums..grouse strictly vocals. As lead singer of “Scotty Lee and the Stingrays” Grouse was inducted into the South Dakota Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. As a member of the SDRRMA Board of Directors, it was my honor not only to emcee the event for many years but to present my cousin with the plaque.
Doug what a great blog. Bernice was a great teacher so many fond memories of her classes and also has a neighbor. She will be missed. You knew when you went to her English class that there was no monkey business. I also got to know her well when working for Glenn in the City Auditors Office. They made a very special couple. I will be there at her memorial service. We know she is in a better place now. God Bless you Patty. Our prayers are with you.
Mike always talked about Mrs. Schultz,and then he chuckle,always said she cared about everyone,she made it to the Class of 64 40th Reunion,everyone there enjoyed seeing her.She may be gone but will never be forgotten.
Doug, It was interesting to read about Mrs. Schultz as I worked with her for three years at the Volga high School. Really a great article, and thanks for the information.
I finally just saw this blog. I learned a lot about you I didn’t know. What a wonderful tribute, and a great reminder to all of us to let our special teachers know what they meant to us. I’ve been fortunate to have many; the most treasured memories are of my Whittier Junior High days (1978-81). The entire staff there was amazing – Mrs. Goss, Mr. Elverud, the Dannenbrinks, just to name a few!
Well written, Doug; enjoyed reading & remembering! I remember being in Mrs. Schultz’s release-time class, & along w/my fellow classmates she called us her “reluctant dragons”…apparently we weren’t learning quickly enough to suit her on that particular day. I didn’t learn to appreciate her special humor until taking English classes in high school…one time she drew a small circle on the blackboard & made one of the male students stand w/his nose in the circle until he decided to behave in class. The rest of us in class made sure not to laugh, or we’d probably be standing up there w/him. She made learning interesting & fun, & at the same time was a very good disciplinarian…also enjoyed working on the school newspaper w/her & the other students. A very important date in history, & being in her classroom at the time, when we received the news that President Kennedy had been shot…especially stands out in my memory. It hit her & our class very hard…that’s just not something that happens on a normal school day! I, too, look forward to honoring her at a memorial service this summer.
As a side note, Doug…want to let you know how enjoyable it was to attend school dances where you, Lawrence & your band mates played for us. I think I have an old photo showing your band playing for a dance in our VHS school gym; those were fun times!