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Today's Featured Biography

 
Madeleine Mailhiot Ruiz

It is wonderful to see the class of 65 reaching out to everyone.

After graduation, I went on to attend Chicago State College, and then transferred to Illinois State in the fall of 1967. I was a comprehensive major in Physical Education (both major and minor) and graduated in 1969 with a BS in Education. Luckily, that was one of the last great years for teachers coming out of college and I was scouted by several good schools. But, dumb as it may sound, I was looking for a school with a similar make-up to DDE, and so I finally signed with Bloom in Chicago Heights. I was amazed at the curriculum that was offered and enjoyed going to school every day. Over the years the curriculum changed greatly, but I hung in there. In 1976, I went back to Govenor's State and was recertified to teach reading. As a result of my recertification, I soon found myself teaching English as well as Reading. The change was immense, but it sure was nice not having to walk out to the fields fall and spring. Teaching PE can be hard on the joints, and having four walls around you when you teach can really be a plus. Later, Bloom decided that we needed fewer teachers, so those of us that weren't RIFed, were asked to teach out of our fields so I soon found myself teaching PE, English and Reading classes all in the same day. It kept me on my feet, and I never knew from year to year whether I would have 1 PE or 2 PE or 4 English, or what. It was really fun when I would have a student in first period English and then third hour PE. I think I was the only teacher in history that could assign laps of the gym because they didn't turn in their homework, or forgot to bring their book.

In 1971, I met my husband Pete who at that time was a Police counselor at the school. I'm sure some of you will remember that in 1969, Bloom was experiencing race riots due to problems in the community. It made teaching a unique experience to say the least. It didn't take us long to figure out that the students would riot so that they could go home for the day, and we would have to stay and discuss why the little lovelies didn't like each other. Pete's program was an off shoot to the problem, so I guess you can say that the riots brought us together. It gave us great stories to share with the boys when they were old enough to understand. Anyway, Pete and I were married in 1972 and are planning to celebrate 35 happy years this comming October 21st.

We have two sons, Marc, born in 1978 who has his CDL and drives the big rigs, and Paul born in 1980, who works with his father in his Allstate insurance office and full time for Borders book company. He is half finished with his search for a degree in Education, he originally wanted to teach English and Theater like his mom, but I think he has decided that he likes the book business and may stay with that, who knows. OOOO to be young again!!

In 2002 I retired after 33 years at Bloom. Pete and I are still in the area, living in Crete, Il, but are hoping to relocate to the Tucson, Arizona area in the next year or so. One of the benefits of teaching is being able to retire at 55, but unfortunately I had to marry someone in the private sector, so I'm waiting patiently for him to reach 63 so that we can ride off into the sunset together.

As I said at the beginning of my bio, I do think often of DDE and the fun that I had in the PE and Music area. It seemed at the time that the friendships we made would be forever, but somehow, time gets away from us. I would love to hear from all of you and reestablish contact. I suppose it is not that long until forty five years will be upon us. Until then.

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