March 03, 2011
Editor:
Dave Uphoff
Art Oldenburg will celebrate his 90th birthday this weekend. Anyone who attended Minonk Grade School in the 1950's through the 1970's probably had Mr. Oldenburg as their 8th grade teacher. It doesn't seem that long ago I could hear his voice emanating from the halls of the grade school as he was teaching a class. I lived across the street from the grade school and spent 4 months confined in bed with rheumatic fever in 1955. During that dismal period of my life I could hear all kinds of sounds from my bedroom and I distinctly remember hearing Mr. Oldenburg's voice, as it was loud.I do not mention this in a derogatory manner, but rather to reveal the passion and importance he placed on teaching. He was a very good teacher who expected discipline and attention from his students and in return he earned the respect of his students. I remember a prophetic statement Mr. Oldenburg made in one of my classes almost 60 years ago. We were discussing the Weekly Reader which covered current events. Mr. Oldenburg told us when we became adults we would have to deal with the problems that would arise in the Middle East. How true those words were. I have more memories of Mr. Oldenburg as a coach since he was my coach for three years in grade school. Back in the early 1950's, the downstairs of the grade school was one big room with a concrete floor gymnasium that had a stage at the south end and a basketball hoop at the north end. This is where kids learned to play basketball in the early 1950's. The ceiling of the room was only 10 feet high which meant the basketball hoop was only 9 feet high. This also meant to make a basket you either had to bounce the ball off the ceiling into the basket, which some did occasionally, or shoot a line drive at the basketball with no arch.
|
Because of this low ceiling, most basketball players at Minonk Grade School would shoot line drive shots to the basket, that is, until Coach Oldenburg took charge when we practiced at the Minonk High School gymnasium. Every basketball player from my era can remember the same refrain Mr. Oldenburg would constantly repeat at practice - ARCH THE BALL . Eventually, we did learn how to arch the ball and to good results as Coach Oldenburg had a great record as a basketball coach at Minonk Grade School.  Every year the grade school team had a winning record under Coach Oldenburg. But the 1952-53 team was the best team, being led by Chuck Marshall who was almost a one man team. The Lighweight team actually got to the state tournament that year which was held in Minonk. Minonk was beat by Plainfield in the first game and Bartonville went on to win the state tournament.
Art Oldenburg went from being a teacher and coach to Principal of Minonk Grade School. In addition to being an educator, Mr. Oldenburg served his country in World War II, raised a family with his wife Rosemary, is active in his church and is a volunteer in this community. I and the community wish a very happy 90th birthday to Art Oldenburg!
|
To reply to this editorial in the email section
click here
Your letter will be published in the email section. Viewers
are welcome to submit a guest editorial.
|
|