Longtime NHS teachers to retire

Newton High School is losing two of its most familiar faces — today is the last day for teachers Ruth DenHartog and Bev Thomas.

Both DenHartog and Thomas have been with the district for 40 years and started their Newton teaching careers at the now-defunct Central Junior High School, currently the site of Newton’s Fareway grocery store.

For Thomas, the secret to teaching has always been simple — be prepared and stay organized. On Tuesday, Thomas brought in a scrapbook she made to hold the memories from a career spanning four decades. As she pages through the book, the Family and Consumer Science instructor said even though she’ll miss teaching, she knew she was ready to retire when the district announced it would offer an early retirement package to eligible teachers earlier this year.

“It’s time, education’s changed and I want to have time to enjoy my family,” Thomas said.

Education isn’t the only thing that’s changed since Thomas came to Newton after a short stint in Northeast Iowa’s Galva High School. Thomas still has a copy of her first contract, which paid her $4,450 as a part-time teacher. There were no computers in the classrooms then, students typed papers and essays on typewriters, using carbon copy sheets and mimeograph machines to make duplicates. Even now, Thomas can still remember the distinct smell of the mimeograph ink.

“I always loved the smell of those when we were done,” Thomas said. “I wonder now what effect that had on us.”

Now students turn in assignments using iPads. Instead of heading to the library they’re apt to look up whatever they need to know with their smartphones. Thomas has tried to change with the times, For years she’s been fine-tuning her operation, something she’s proud to have in place for the teacher who’ll replace her.

Year after year, she’d been coming back to school in June to get things ready for the upcoming year, her classroom stuffed with pattern books, lesson plans and classroom materials, making sure everything was ready when school started again in the fall.

“I’ve left a lot of material here for them to use,” Thomas said. “I’m leaving her a rich room full of ideas.”

On the other side of the high school, DenHartog is also making plans to leave behind much of material she’s collected over the years. A “world-class scavenger.” Now, she’ll start collecting those same things for some of the art projects she’s planned to work on once she retires.

“If I do, it’ll be with myself and my family,” DenHartog said. “I’ll do more with it if I have a chance.”

DenHartog points to a pile of shoe boxes she uses to store materials for her classes.

“It’s hard to collect enough shoe boxes. You’re always trying to collect enough junk, enough stuff that can be remade and reused,” DenHartog said.

Even though she’s retiring this year, DenHartog said she still hopes to come back and work as a substitute next year. She’s not quite ready to leave everything behind. She knows she’ll miss the familiar routine she’s held onto for so long, coming in early each morning to fire the pottery kilns, loading and unloading student projects and getting ready to start the day. Working with the students is she’ll miss the most.

“When the light bulb goes off in kids when they’ve got a great idea and they want to go with it, that’s the best part,” DenHartog said.

In addition to teaching art, DenHartog has also worked one on one with students for years. When injury or illness kept students from getting to school DenHartog went to them, helping her pupils work through their assignments to stay on track to graduate. Often, when students have been concerned about going back to school after a long absence, it was DenHartog who encouraged them.

“I like getting to know them one on one,” DenHartog said. “They can be fearful about going back, and transitioning into a regular school day.”

For many former students, DenHartog is a coveted addition to their Facebook friends list. She has a rule that she’ll only accept students after they’ve been out of high school for four years, but she loves to keep track of the progress they’ve made.

Over the years DenHartog had a number of students go on to successful careers in the arts — from landscape artists, professional painters, potters, and several who work in the fashion industry.

“It’s been fun to look back over the years and see students successes, whether it’s a career or a pastime,” DenHartog said. “I’m so pleased to see students get recognition.”

Like Thomas, DenHartog hopes to travel after her retirement. She’s excited to explore Iowa, and to have a chance to see some of the state’s lesser known sites. Both women admit they’ll miss the routines they’ve known for years.

For years Thomas has organized the high school’s annual retirement breakfast. This year she realized instead of hosting the event her colleagues will be toasting her retirement, a feeling she’s still not used to.

“When you’ve had your hands in that for so many years, it’s hard not to contribute something,” Thomas said. “It didn’t really hit me until last week when I wondered why I had so much free time.”

For 40 years Thomas was used to coming into school during June, making sure she had everything ready to go. Now, after Thursday’s breakfast, there will be nothing left to do except enjoy her retirement. Both Thomas and DenHartog will leave behind a lifetime of memories, lesson plans, and classrooms stuffed to the brim with ideas.

“Usually I’m here in June. When I leave on Thursday I’m done,” Thomas said.

Contact David Dolmage at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or ddolmage@newtondailynews.com