Four Faculty Legends Say Goodbye

Four Faculty Legends Say Goodbye BY JASON CRUZ ’12

FOUR OF LOYOLA’S LONGEST-TENURED EDUCATORS—English teacher Mr. Terry Caldwell, science teacher Mr. Gary Gatfield, history teacher Mr. Tom Goepel and mathematics teacher Mr. Roger Yano—will bid adieu to the school following their sabbaticals (Mr. Caldwell, Mr. Gatfield, Mr. Goepel) and retirement (Mr. Yano). This quartet of Loyola Legends has dedicated more than 175 years of service to the High, leaving indelible legacies that will undoubtedly live on at 1901 Venice Boulevard. They reflected on their fruitful careers at Loyola in the following Q&A:

Q: What are some changes you have seen or experienced during your time at Loyola?

MR. GATFIELD: The biggest change would have to be the physical evolution of the campus. I first started at Loyola in the fall of 1977. Caruso Hall, Pinney Hall, the new gym, the pool, the track, the soccer and baseball fields, the theater and music buildings and the new science building were all nonexistent. I would also have to include the renovations and air conditioning of the other buildings. Loyola Hall now has an elevator (which goes through what would be the old stacks from the boiler room in the basement of Loyola Hall)!

MR. YANO: Going all the way back to when I started, I remember we made copies with a mimeograph machine and did attendance and grades with paper and pencil. This may only be a sign of how things have changed, but perhaps does represent how teaching and learning are much different in this electronic age.

MR. CALDWELL: The joining of the lay and Jesuit educators to create a joint effort to preserve and promote Loyola’s Jesuit identity and mission amid the dwindling number of Jesuits back in the late 1970s and the early 1980s. Loyola has made significant strides to improve both faculty salaries and benefits as well as to retain the outstanding faculty, staff and administration it has today.

Q: The impact you have had on Cubs both personally and in the classroom is immeasurable. What can you say about the impact they have had on you as a teacher?

MR. GOEPEL: Reflecting on almost a half century of service, it’s not the stellar GPAs or SAT and AP scores that so many worked so hard to earn, but rather the character, generosity, kindness, discipline and maturity that so many so often exhibited that leave me all but speechless. I feel very fortunate to have known them.

MR. GATFIELD: Here are just a few examples… Every time I attend a Kairos, I am awed by the compassion and generosity of the students as they assist others in need. It touches my heart to see the good in others, and for a teacher, it’s an eye-opener. During reflections for Senior Projects, I am touched when a student tells his story on the people he serves. I myself always had an excuse why I could not find the time to serve. After this virus is taken care of, it is my hope to donate more time to serve the less fortunate.

MR. CALDWELL: Many Loyola alumni as far back as 1974 have thanked me for their job successes and levels of excellence in their job performances due to my classes during their formative years at Loyola. I know that I was always a teacher with high expectations of my students and that I would push them beyond their own perceived levels of excellence because I knew they had those talents and abilities within each one of them. All I had to do was bring those talents and work ethics out from each student to make them a stronger and more competent thinker, organizer and writer.

Q: What parts of Loyola will you hold close to your heart?

MR. GOEPEL: I was blessed over the decades with so many tremendous young men in the classroom seats around me, as well as on teams I coached or retreats and service projects in which I participated. With apologies to the Hollywood film title, I refer to these Cubs as The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. I’m also deeply indebted to the many great faculty and staff colleagues and friends with whom I was privileged to associate. I know for certain that they generously gave more to me than I did to them.

MR. YANO: I will especially miss the friendship of my colleagues—some whom I have known for many years, others with whom I had regular contact. They have been a source of support and encouragement through the years. Loyola has been blessed with a dedicated and skillful faculty and staff to serve the students. It was certainly a pleasure and a privilege to work with such caring people around me.

MR. GATFIELD: Loyola was my home away from home for 43 years… Everything that makes up Loyola will be missed.

MR. CALDWELL: Wow! There are so many things! I will miss my students lining up at my classroom door every single morning starting at 7:15 a.m. to seek individualized help. I will miss my colleagues who always met in the Faculty Lounge over coffee to talk shop, to share success stories about their students... I will miss serving on the Disciplinary Board and the Faculty Senate as well as serving as moderator of Windowpanes. I was part of Windowpanes back in 1974 and continued serving and moderating that publication up to 2020. Windowpanes will always be “my baby.” It brought me so much satisfaction and purpose to my job. Most of all, I will miss the spiritual and emotional bond I have had with my fellow colleagues, staff and administrators each day. I LOVED coming to work each day. It inspired me and gave me so much satisfaction to be with people whom I loved and respected so much.

Q: What are your hopes for the future of Loyola High School, and do you have any final thoughts or parting words to share with your former students and colleagues?

MR. GATFIELD: Cherish every minute of your time together! Cubs Forever. Cubs for Life.

MR. YANO: For me as an educator, my highest hope was that I could make a difference in the lives of my students. So it is most gratifying to hear when our students, through their experiences with us, have gone on to do the same with those around them. This is a part of Loyola’s legacy which I hope continues.

MR. GOEPEL: Loyola was an incredible place when I arrived in 1974 and is an even better institution today in so many ways. I fully expect this trend of positive growth and improvement to extend well into the future. To me, Loyola truly is the Magic Kingdom.

MR. CALDWELL: It has been an absolute honor and privilege to work with you or to teach you these past 47 years. You have all made me a better person and teacher with each passing year, and I will always be grateful for the sacred time we have spent together. My own children have become Catholic thanks to Loyola High School—my daughter was baptized into the Catholic faith at Loyola and was married at Loyola. My grandchildren were baptized at Loyola, and my wife’s memorial service after her passing due to cancer was held at Loyola. Loyola High School has been my pillar of strength and emotional support during every single stage of my life, and I will never forget this time. Loyola is truly sacred and will always be cherished by me and my family. Loyola has been my life, my love, my joy, my passion, and my purpose in life. Terry Caldwell

Gary Gatfield

Tom Goepel

Roger Yano

If you would like to send a note to any of the following teachers, please direct your messages via email to: Terry Caldwell (tcaldwell@loyolahs.edu); Gary Gatfield (gatfield@ca.rr.com); Tom Goepel (tgoepel@loyolahs.edu); and Roger Yano (rogeryano2@gmail.com).