Wrightstown school honors longtime teacher

Alice Petermann, fresh out of Manitowoc's Silver Lake College, accepted her first teaching position at St. Paul School in Wrightstown more than 25 years ago because she needed a job.

She said she thought she might only stay a couple years, but then "I fell in love with the place, the people and the community."

This fall she starts her 26th year at the school teaching a combination seventh and eighth grades.

Last spring her students, colleagues and St. Paul parishioners returned her love by declaring May 16 "Alice Petermann Day".

According to Carol Hoard, St. Paul's principal, and Petermann, the celebration began with the teachers presenting Petermann with a corsage and a poem they had written about her.

The day also included a special Mass during which the fifth, sixth and seventh grades presented her with a basket with all the makings for coffee. The teachers' poem described how Petermann likes to start each day with a smile and a cup of coffee.

A luncheon, reception and time after school with staff were also part of the event.

Petermann is especially proud of the memory scrapbook she was presented. Hoard explained that in early spring the school began contacting former students, colleagues, parents and parishioners asking them to write letters relating their memories of Petermann.

Judy Smits, a parent, compiled the letters into the scrapbook, decorating it with cutouts, lace, flowers and stickers. The book is tied with a gold bow.

Petermann said she decided she wanted to become a teacher when she was nine. "For the wrong reasons," she laughed. "I wanted to wear a dress each day."

She explained that, as a child, she thought, "Teachers were always so pretty." In those days, teachers wore dresses, sometimes high heels and make-up. "They just were always so put together and personable and friendly. That appealed to me."

As the oldest child, she continued, she helped her younger brothers with their homework. "Teaching is part of who I am," she said.

She earned two degrees at Silver Lake, one in elementary education, the other in special education. Petermann said she has never used the second degree.

She taught fourth grade the first nine or ten years at St. Paul, then seventh grade for the same period. She has taught combination grades. During 2001-02, she taught a combination sixth and seventh grades. She will have those same students this year.

Petermann sees herself as "a bit old-fashioned teacher". She said she still likes straight rows in the classroom and work done neatly.

She added that she wore dresses to her job a lot longer than many of her colleagues.

Social studies and reading are her favorite subjects. She enjoys teaching about other countries and cultures.

She also wants her students to develop self-discipline. She tells them that "a lot of what they have to do in life has to come from within."

She said that she advises them not to push "what's wrong off onto someone else, to own up to what you do, take credit for what's good and take charge of what is not good and work to change it."

Hoard pointed out, "She respects the kids in her classroom, the kids respect her."

The principal described Petermann as a "Christian role model. . .She takes God's message and puts it into action constantly."

Petermann believes her mission as a Catholic teacher is to open her students' hearts to God, "to let them know God is there for them, even at those times in their lives when they think God isn't there and maybe they resist God, to know that eventually they'll find (Him)."