Two recent events brought home the unique and enduring nature of the student-teacher bond.
Peter Gasparino is a beloved teacher who taught at St. Mary High School in Greenwich for many years. He also was line coach on the football team. Recently his former students from the '60's and '70's feted Pete at an event informally named "Pasta with Pete." St. Mary High School closed years ago and invitations were spread informally by word of mouth but on one night in late May twenty-five men in their fifties and sixties showed up and spoke eloquently about the influence Peter Gasparino had on their lives. Peter Tesei honored him by naming May 23, 2013 "Peter Gasparino Day" in Greenwich. This turns out to be the second day named for Pete. October 8, 2012 was also Peter Gasparino Day as he was honored as "Man of the Year" by the St. Lawrence Club. Pete is an engaging speaker who regales audiences with stories about his years at St. Mary's and on the Greenwich BET, sprinkled with Pete's liberal politics. Pete's former students intend to continue to honor him and to tease out his unique philosophy on life, politics and football by taking him out to dinner and plying him with pasta.
On June 8, 2013, I attended a memorial service for Fred Wagner, legendary English Professor who taught at Hamilton College from 1969 until 1995. Fred passed away on October 28, 2012 at age 84. A seminar room full of former students made the pilgrimage to Clinton, New York to honor their mentor and friend and to share stories of his humor and humanity. Fred loved to teach and excelled at drawing out students to participate fully in class. His dry sense of humor and deep chortling laugh were infectious and made him the most popular professor on campus. In his own words:"Teaching was the center of my life," Fred Wagner said. "I put everything aside for teaching -- preparing for classes, correcting essays, having discussion groups. I never planned to retire. I suppose I had assumed one day I'd just drop dead in front of a class, and that would be it. If I hadn't had a stroke in '92, I would have kept right on teaching."To quote from his necrology: "His gentle humor, infinite patience, and true commitment to free expression endeared “Daddy Wags” to those fortunate enough to find a place in his courses."
As the child of a former Greenwich school teacher and the brother of a current teacher at Central Middle School, I am familiar with the strong bond between students and teacher. My mother Marie C. Krumeich taught third grade in Greenwich for 27 years. My brother Chris has taught special education students for over 25 years. My Mom is frequently stopped on the street by former students who reminisce about their time as her students, which invariably refers to their parts in her annual Thanksgiving play. My brother's former students and their parents often ask me whether I am related to "Mr. K" and then extol his virtues as a teacher and how much they owe him for what he taught his students.
My daughters are planning to become teachers. They probably will never make a lot of money, but I cannot think of any other profession that has such a profound, enduring and positive effect on the lives of others.
