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Shirley Gutsch says, It s time to retire

By ROWENA PLETT

Staff writer

How does an individual know when it's time to retire from a lifetime career? For Shirley Gutsch of Burdick, it had to feel right. She has spent 45 of the past 50 years as an elementary school teacher.

She is retiring this spring from her position as a second-grade teacher at Centre Elementary School, Lost Springs.

She said she debated retiring the last couple of years but it didn't seem right.

"Now I'm ready," she said. "It feels right.

"People ask me if it was boring to do the same thing so many years, but I tell them it wasn't boring. It's been interesting to watch my students grow and develop."

Gutsch graduated from Wilsey High School as Shirley Smithson. After graduating from Emporia State University in 1958, she taught two years in Wichita and one in Santa Ana, Calif.

After she and Dean Gutsch of Burdick were married, she taught second grade in Herington for one year.

She quit teaching when their daughter, Dawn was born. They had two more daughters in the next three years.

She returned to teaching when she was asked to fulfill a teacher's term for the second half of the year at Tampa Elementary School. For one and one-half years, she taught first and second grade.

In the fall of 1967, she began teaching kindergarten at Lost Springs. At that time, John Kleiber taught seventh and eighth grade, and there were three other teachers and no secretary.

Many of her students were the younger members of large farm families living in the area.

Gutsch taught a total of 45 students, 24 in the morning, and 21 in the afternoon.

"I spent all my time, including lunch, recess, and music, with the students," she said.

Now students leave the room to go to computer lab, library, music, and reading.

Gutsch switched to second grade in 1982.

She was head teacher at CES for many years and led faculty meetings in the absence of an administrator. Occasionally, she handled discipline problems.

"Sometimes I was the one to lock up the doors after a special event," she said.

"Show and Tell" still is a favorite event for the students. They also enjoy "sharing" on Mondays.

Gutsch wishes she had kept a journal to record some of the things her students, especially her kindergartners said: "They say such cute things."

She said her students think it's neat that she has been teaching so long. A favorite question was: "Did you teach my dad?" Or "Did you teach my mom?"

The only problem with an affirmative answer was that other students were disappointed when they couldn't lay claim to that distinction in their own families.

The 70-year-old teacher is looking forward to taking life easier.

She and Dean, who is a cattleman, don't plan to do a lot of traveling, but they will have ample time for attending activities involving their five grandchildren as they grow up and go through school. The couple also enjoys day trips, browsing antique shops and the like.

Gutsch also looks forward to having more time to tend to her various hobbies.

"It will be nice not to have to get up early in the morning," she said.

The Gutsches will be married 45 years in June. Daughter Dawn and husband, Chad Wilkins live in Osage City. Darla and her husband, Glen Stout, live in Madison, and daughter Deena Abbott lives in Topeka.

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