In Memoriam
Nick Schloeder Always Coach Schloeder
mac barrett ’67
Nicholas Schloeder walked into our classroom on the opening day of American history in September 1961 and greeted us with, “Gentlemen, I’m going to do everything in my power to make this course as difficult as I can.” Eventually, we referred to this remark as Mr. Schloeder’s first day intimidation routine. I was 12 and a seventh grader (First Form, Upper School). His reputation as a tough guy preceded him. We’d heard about his Jersey accent, brief mention of his experience as a Golden Gloves boxer, and of a wife who was a former Miss New Jersey. We knew that Mr. Callard had hired him in 1958 to help diversify the School.
I received a dismal 48 on my first quiz because I was too slow in completing the exercise. Better days were ahead. On Monday, October 2, for extra credit on a test we were asked to identify Tracy Stallard. The day before, Stallard, then a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, threw the pitch at Yankee Stadium that Roger Maris hit to pass Babe Ruth and claim what at that time was baseball’s single season home run record. As an athlete who was razor sharp when it came to current events, Mr. Schloeder wanted to find out if his students were aware of Maris’ feat. It was the easiest extra credit I ever earned. I thrived in that course and did well the rest of the year. Why? Because our teacher made each class interesting and repeatedly challenged us. I also learned some early lessons about the importance of preparation. When he discussed politics, I listened and learned. Once again I was his student. It didn’t matter if our viewpoints differed. He was so interesting and his stories so entertaining that spending time with him virtually guaranteed a good day for me.
“Once you’ve played for him, you carry him with you forever. You hear his voice, you see his face, you long for his smile of approval, you remember his tongue-lashings and lectures. . . . The voice will tell you to pick yourself up, to set a goal, work harder than everybody else, stick to the basics, execute perfectly, be confident, be brave, and never, never quit. The voice is never far away.” – John Grisham, “Bleachers”
fall 2015
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