by jphilo | May 18, 2015 | Current Events
A while back, one of Gravel Road’s top ten post listed many lessons learned from Roger Hallum, high school drama coach in the late 1960s through the mid-1970s. The response to the post by his former students was heartening and eventually resulted in the creation of a website in his honor to promote the Roger Hallum Scholarship Fund. It’s my pleasure to introduce you to Roger Hallum, a most extraordinary teacher.
When I say, “Jump,” you ask “How high?” Those words ring in the ears of Roger Hallum’s students decades after he uttered them. Hallum, Le Mars High School speech and drama coach from 1969-1975 was speaking to a tough crowd–three dozen or more high schoolers who comprised the cast and crew of 1971 fall play, You Can’t Take It with You.
Hallum’s students took his words seriously and jumped as high as they could whenever he asked. In turn, he believed in them and trusted them to do more than they thought they could do. The lives of those students were profoundly impacted by Hallum’s wisdom, humor, and faith in their abilities.
Several months ago, Chris Lindell, ’74 learned that Hallum had died on July 1, 2009. He passed the news along via Facebook, and his former students began to share their favorite memories of him. Funny stories about standing on stage and hearing his voice booming from somewhere in the dark theater. Practical advice useful to this day: “When you’re going to give a speech, never say ‘I’m gonna talk about’ about what you’re gonna talk about.” And regret that “I don’t think I ever saw him after he left and I’ve always wished I’d had.”
Eventually, Hallum’s former students created a scholarship to honor Hallum’s wisdom, humor, and faith in their abilities. Through the Roger Hallum Memorial Scholarship, they hope to pass along his confidence in young people to today’s LCHS graduates.
The scholarship fund is available to Le Mars Community High School graduating seniors who are pursuing a college degree in the creative arts. The fund is administered by the Le Mars Community School District Foundation. Donations are tax deductible and may be sent to the following address:
Le Mars Community School District Foundation – Roger Hallum Fund
940 Lincoln Street SW
Le Mars, IA 51031
More information about the scholarship fund, Hallum’s biography, and a picture gallery can be found at www.hallumscholarship.org. Questions can be directed to Jolene Stratton Philo, ’74 at jolene@hallumscholarship.org or to Chris Lindell, ’74 at chris@hallumscholarship.org.
Former students of Mr. Hallum are invited to leave a tribute or share a favorite memory about him on the tribute page at the Roger Hallum Scholarship website.
by jphilo | Mar 12, 2015 | Three Thoughts for Thursday
- How long until March Madness
is over begins?
- What can be sweeter than being the center of your grandchild’s world when you go to visit?
- Sometimes when a person sees her high school drama coach‘s show notes, though she hasn’t seen his handwriting in over 40 years, she can immediately begin to cry. Don’t ask how I know this.
by jphilo | Oct 14, 2014 | Reflections on the Past, Top Ten Tuesday
On last week’s road trip, I spent an evening with one of my best friends from high school. Every time we–or any of our high school crowd–get together, we remember why we were (and still are) good friends. And we remember and miss what was best about those fleeting and powerful years.
10. Throwing good luck pennies on the Pizza Hut roof.
9. Sitting in the stands and talking with friends during basketball and football games…and even watching the games now and then.
8. English and history classes.
7. Being part of a group that made sure everyone had a date for Homecoming, Twirp, and Prom.
6. The speech and drama teacher, Mr. Hallum, who demanded the best from his students and gave so much of his time to help them grow.
5. Looooong weekend band and speech trips on very uncomfortable school buses.
4. Marching and concert band during the school year and city band in the summer.
3. Church youth group and our leaders, Ron and Barb Ritchie.
2. Play rehearsals.
1. The best friends a person could ever have (in alphabetical order): Cheri, Jacki, Jane, Katie, Mary Anne, and Roxanne.
Okay, so what’s missing about what you miss about high school? Leave a comment.
by jphilo | Oct 14, 2013 | Out and About
Today, I can’t wait to spend the day with a high school bestie. How do I know she’s a bestie?
Because we, and two other girls, met on the first day of ninth grade.
When I looked like the girl in the picture above.
Even so, the four of us remained friends.
Not just that year, but throughout high school.
To this very day
I’m not someone who wishes to go back to high school and relive it because those were the best years of my life. Because, even though my high school years were very good, now is the best time of my life.
My husband and I are happy.
Our kids are raised.
Our grandson is perfect.
Camp Dorothy is a hoot.
I love my job.
But if I could have one thing back from high school, I would choose time with my besties. Because we went from ugly ducklings–besties, rest assured I would never post your 9th grade school pictures here–to swans together.
We studied together,
auditioned en masse for plays and speech,
joined the same clubs,
attended cast parties,
pined over the same boys,
hung out at one another’s houses,
threw pennies on the roof of Pizza Hut,
went to youth group,
and had more slumber parties than you can shake a stick at.
If I could choose one day to relive, it would be when we went all the way to Sioux City–just us 4 girls, no parents–to have our senior pictures (see below) taken and then out to a Chinese restaurant afterwards.
The memory of that day is precious.
The memory of this day will be precious, too.
One day with a high school bestie.
When we’re both old enough
to recognize the value of one day,
the value of health to enjoy it,
the value of friendships that span decades,
the value of what we had then,
the value of what we have now,
and the wisdom to be grateful.
by jphilo | May 30, 2011 | Reflections on the Past
The peonies are late this year. Only one bush has flowers on this late Memorial Day, and just a few of it’s pink buds braved the morning’s unaccustomed heat and this spring’s too familiar fierce wind.
But those blushing blossoms were enough to spark memories of Memorial Day city band concerts and my high school friends. We donned our white shirts and black pants, dug our instruments out from under the pile of three-ring binders and notebooks dumped in bedroom corners after the last day of school, and made our way to the red stone courthouse where the concerts were held.
I walked the four blocks, greeted now and then by peonies waving in the wind, their lovely faces bathed in perfume and ants. Some homes had only bush or two, while others sported long rows bending under the weight of red, white, or pink flowers.
The peonies were my favorite part of the concert, outside of seeing my friends. I was not much of a musician, but oboists are a scarce breed, and the band needed someone to warm the second chair seat. Oboe scores of patriotic music consist mostly of rests.
So I had plenty of time to make faces at friends making music….
Kim and her trilling flute,
Bill and Ann hitting the after beats on their French horns,
Chris standing in the back plinking on the string bass,
Bill, Jacki, and Steve sounding smooth in the saxophone section,
Jane and John playing alto and bass clarinet,
Mary Ann’s bassoon towering above us all.
And more faces at the friends who came to listen…
Cherie,
Roxie,
Katie,
Dean,
Richard,
Lowell,
sitting together on a blanket, swaying with music, along with the peonies, to John Phillip Sousa marches, Aaron Copeland’s swelling numbers, George M. Cohan patriotic show tunes, and the National Anthem.
I haven’t touched an oboe or played in a band for over twenty years. But this Memorial Day, when the first bright pink blossom waved in the wind, I heard the music again. The Washington Post March, Appalachian Spring, I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy, The National Anthem.
I missed the music.
I missed counting rests.
I missed making faces.
I missed those dear, old friends.
Wherever they are this Memorial Day, whatever they are doing, I hope they remember the music. And I hope the peonies are blooming.
