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Martin Helmer
Hatteberg's People
Reporter: Larry Hatteberg
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May 25, 2003--On Hatteberg's People, Martin Helmer has been a principal at the same school for 36 years. He now holds the record for longevity at a single school. He presided, until Friday, over the Tescott Grade School in
Tescott, Kansas. |
"At the end like this, you are just trying to bring it to a close."
For this quiet man, for most of his life, there has been only one job. This one! As he walked down the halls on the last hour of the last day, a teacher asked him to walk down a specific hall. In that hall, were several classrooms of children, waiting to give him gift.
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"Oh wow, man."
A teacher quieted the students as he talked about the gift.
"On behalf of the Tescott Grade School and all the teachers and all the
staff, we want to present you with 'Chalking up 36 years of great plans
and memories'
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Then, in unison, the students all chimed;
"Thank you Mr. Helmer."
Visibly moved, Mr. Helmer responded; "You know about the nicest gift I could have had as a last year principal is having a bunch of kids like you that have been so well behaved. Even Alan Farley over here."
Later, just before the last bell, the principal leaned back in his chair, his thoughts on the next few minutes.
"It's going to be sad, can't do it forever." |
Then the moment got lighter and he told this reporter about an article that had appeared that morning in the Salina Journal.
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"This is kind of funny, I knew there was going to be an article about me in the Salina Journal and they said it might be in the front page. Well guess what got on the front page? The dog from Solomon that wound up in Marietta, Georgia, that would up on the front page and I got third billing, but I'm still happy about that."
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As he walked the halls, just before the last bell his thoughts were about the job he had been doing for the last 36 years.
"I have a great sense of purpose for what I do and I think the job is more important than ever. And I've been thankful to have a job all these years with great meaning and great purpose and I have never been bored."
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"I will never be a part of their lives in the same way again so that will be sad."
"It's a passage you know. I'm entering into a new phase in my life. I knew this couldn't go on forever."
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Outside, as the buses waited to pick up the children, Helmer was visibly moved by the moment. Never again would he do this.
"That's the trouble, you put your life into something and you pay the price."
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The price, of course, is how this long-time principal feels emotionally---the last day wasn't easy -- but it was the cap of a satisfying career.
"The longer I've worked the more I've realized how important it is to work with children.
"It is such a privilege." |
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