Grace Lutheran

4th - 8th Grade
1975-1980

What an incredible learning opportunity. We had the luck of being some of the last classes in Concordia Teacher's College student laboratory. We always had music, art, and religion as a full class. However, all the other studies could have student teachers involved. We had the newest teaching techniques, smaller student to teacher ratios, and one heck of a great time. We would compete to learn more - happily.



4th Grade - Mr. Krauss
Not much to say about Mr. Krauss or 4th grade for that matter.

Spent most of the year adjusting from moving from the city to the suburbs.

Our neighborhood in the city had drastically changed. We used to play outside in the streets until the street lights came on. When they cut down a big tree we would all climb on it over and under for at least a good week.

By the time we moved there were prostitutes on the corner, and daily gunshots in the street.

Was strange moving into a house 1/3 the size without a dog kennel in the yard.

Not as strange as my grandfather's funeral the first month of 4th grade. While at his gravesite standing beside the casket I looked down and saw my name.

We had pets, a kennel and much older relatives so death or a funeral was not so weird. No, just out and out unsettling to see your name on a gravestone with a birth and death date.

Started reading my mother's parapsychology books. Also, Edgar A. Poe became a good read.



5th Grade - Ms. Kruse: Actually had "Common Sense" listed on school supplies, and sent one of my classmates home for coming to school without it. She had a dried out Iguana in the classroom. Owned several kitties - a white one that was deaf. Would always point to things with her middle finger - a gas in 5th grade.

We made a rock in Ms. Kruse's class. Many of my fellow students have said they still have their's. She taught us about types of rocks, plus the difference between stalagtites and stalagmites.

Every year her class would draw think green shamrock drawings. Every year it snowed the next day.


6th Grade - Mrs. Uitti: She reminds me of Ms. Crabtree from the Little Rascals. She was sweet, quiet, and had everybody's attention. She was also the mother of one of our classmates. She was also in charge of the 7th and 8th grade cheer leaders.


In 6th grade we had to make a Country Notebook. Import, export, population, location, language, history, food... We had a student teacher from Mesopotamia that year. He talked to us about where he lived.

I think that was the year that one of the teachers brought us chocolate covered insects. Let's just say that if you have the choice between grasshoppers or ants - choose ants.


7th Grade - Mr. Mortensen: What can I say about him? Reminds me of Pat Sajak. A mighty nice guy I must say. Enstroms were the bane of his P.E. existance. Well, at least us first four were. He used to verbally push us around the track. I don't run - I walk.


8th Grade - Mr. Koenig: He was very professional. The next year he became principal of the school.


Mr. Bauman - Our choir teacher. He had once taught the Vienna Boys Chorus. He could get music out of a tone deaf child's head. We won state competitions year after year. Saw him drag a student out of class by his ear. We once practiced for the Christmas pageant to the point of three students passing out at the front of the church. Good times. Good times. In all actuality, I love this man dearly for the music he brought into my life.


Gunther - the bus driver and school custodian. He was old school German. All of us children were respectfully frightened of him. You got on the bus, sat down and behaved. The year of the big blizzard with all the school closings never affected us. Our school was heated and free of snow. He made to every house on the pick-up route and also picked up students and teachers not on the regular route. Most amazing thing I ever saw him do, and he did it often, was to kick a ball OVER the three story school.


In 8th grade you could take on added responsibilites. I got to run the schools supply store before school. A small roll out desk with pens, paper, pencils and erasers. And, at the end of the school day would help the kindergarteners get on their shoes and button up for the bus.

Every year Grace had a large school fair. I can still remember all the fudge and homemade pickles. YUM!