I fondly remember my First Grade teacher, Mrs Thelma Finkeldey, along with her purple hair. She was an influence I’ve never forgotten, even though First Grade ended fifty eight years ago, in 1962. From grade school through grad school, I had a number of teachers. Many were good, some were bad, and several were forgettable. A few were special. Mrs. Finkeldey was one of the special ones. All teachers should have such a lasting impact on their students.

She was one of a kind for many reasons, but the first thing you noticed was her hair. It was purple, or green, or pink, changing with regularity. It turned out her younger sister was a cosmetologist in Ottawa and dyed Thelma’s hair different colors. It was pretty amazing, and made her stand out among the other teachers, who all seemed staid in comparison. We kids thought it was great, although I don’t know what the other teachers made of it.

More importantly, she made school fun. Learning was always an adventure in her class, no matter the subject. I remember one exercise which went on over several days, or weeks. We made the classroom into a “city” and each of us had a different job. Each of us made our office out of a book cover and set it on our desk. I was the radio broadcaster. My friend Howard was the banker, and cut up the money we could use at Ralph Syverson’s pizza parlor. As the Fire Chief, Leonard kept us all safe. Looking back, I’m sure we learned about math, money, working together, jobs, and any number of other subjects. At the time, it just seemed fun. Amazingly, my mom saved the book cover for ABCD Radio Station and gave it to me several decades later.

We also performed plays in class. Sometimes “live”, sometimes with puppets. Howard and Mooie (Mary) both distinctly remember performing in Sleeping Beauty. Howard was horrified when he learned he needed to kiss Sleeping Beauty (Mooie) to wake her. Seeking help from Mrs Finkeldey, she advised him to fake it. Howard air-kissed Mooie from about a foot away…. 😉

And while we focused on reading, writing, and ‘rithmetic, I also distinctly remember science “classes” in first grade. I think even us kids were aware of the Space Race with the Soviet Union. On February 20th, 1962, a little over halfway through our school year, astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth. Mrs Finkeldey talked about Glenn, and taught us about the solar system and the (then nine) planets. If memory serves me correctly, there was a mobile of the planets hanging in the classroom. Combining current events and science for first graders….who knew?

When I completed First Grade in June of 1962, Mrs. Finkeldey, sent a promotion letter to my parents. You can see in the letter she starts by mentioning “Kieth has made excellent progress…”. I assume since she used my correct name the next four times, I really was promoted. ;-). Joking aside, it amazes me that I have such clear memories of First Grade. I have to believe she is the reason.

I moved on to Miss Williams and Second Grade the next year. Mrs Finkeldey moved on as well. Prior to coming to McKinley, she previously taught in Effingham and Rockford, Illinois. She moved back home to Ottawa after her husband passed away, and only taught at McKinley a year or two, before retiring as an Illinois teacher. She left Ottawa after our year, and moved to Gary, Indiana, A few years later, while teaching Third Grade in Gary, she had a student by the name of Michael Jackson. Yes, that Michael Jackson.

Several years later in 1976, Mrs. Finkeldey passed away at the age of seventy. She is now buried in Effingham.

I was recently thinking about Mrs Finkeldey and some of my other “special” teachers over the years. People who were influencers, or motivators, or later, mentors. It seems a bit silly to reminisce about First Grade, and yet, Mrs. Finkeldey has stayed in my memory, while other teachers have faded away. Talking with some of my old classmates, they too remember her, and not just for her colorful hair. People remember math classes, learning to read, and the teaching and singing of Christmas songs as the holidays approached. A couple listed her as one of the influences in becoming a teacher. Other friends became involved in acting. And me? I’ve had a lifelong interest and belief in science. Although never a scientist, I became an engineer, and I can’t help but think Mrs Finkeldey was one of the reasons.

This year, with the CoronaVirus, we all know school ended differently for most kids. Distant learning became necessary, with physical classroom time eliminated. I know most parents carried a heavy load ensuring their children were educated over the last several months. My hope and bet is there were also several Mrs. Finkeldeys keeping school fun and interesting, no matter the circumstances.

…Teach, your children well…

Addendum:

• Mrs Finkeldey did teach Michael Jackson for Third Grade. Here’s an article with her sister, Kay Halterman reminiscing about it: http://wischlist.com/2009/06/the-michael-jackson-story-you-havent-read/

• Kay Halterman was the younger sister who became a cosmetologist, and colored Thelma’s hair. According to Kay’s daughter, Judy Wunderlich, Kay was entering different styling competitions, and sometimes practiced on Thelma.

• Many thanks to my Kindergarten teacher, Charlean Grobe, along with classmates Howard Johnson, Tim Stouffer, Mary “Mooie” Cunningham, Lynn Galley Robinson, Joy Starjak Algate, Leonard Mayberry, and Darlene Burke Vanchura for their memories. While not all were in Mrs Finkeldey’s class, all remembered her hair. It seems purple was a favorite color.

• Special thanks to Judy Wunderlich, Thelma Finkeldey’s niece. She provided additional background information on her “Aunt Dorrit” (what they called her), and her mother Kay, the cosmetologist responsible for that colorful hair.