Alumni remember ?blessings? of St. Michael School at a special service

For alumni and former faculty of St. Michael Lutheran School of Belknap Township, Sunday?s service at the adjacent church offered an opportunity to reflect back and celebrate the past. The church sanctuary was filled to capacity, with seating according to years of attendance at St. Michael, starting with alumni from the 1920s and working up to the present. Doris Nagel was the oldest living graduate in attendance. She last went to school at St. Michael in 1929. The oldest living member of St. Michael Church, who attended the school, is Raymond Schalk, 89. He was not able to attend the service because he is recovering at Rogers City Rehabilitation Center from a farming accident.

Former students sat on the left, while the right side pews were for former faculty members and administrators. There was a slide show, films from the 1960s in the school gym, and many old photos on the walls that were dusted off just for this occasion.

AFTER THE worship service, the Rev. Mark Pflug went through the history of the school, which started teaching children of the area in four locations in Presque Isle County in 1874, and received comments from those in the audience. Several letters from former students and teachers were read. It was a bittersweet experience for those who hold St. Michael near and dear to their hearts. Former principal Rodney Goehmann, who taught at St. Michael School for 15 years, said the years spent at the school were the best of his life.

?With all the memories I have here, it?s hard to see it close,? said Goehmann. ?I have a lot of fond memories. It?s a real warm, loving, family group ? I just feel like I?m back home.? This will be the final year of separate identity for St. Michael as the congregation has voted to pursue Christian Education in association with St. John Lutheran School in Rogers City. Goehmann, who has been the superintendent of the Les Cheneaux School District in the Cedarville area for the last four years, said he would not give up hope that the school might reopen. ?I don?t second guess the congregation?s decision to do it,? said Goehmann, ?(But) if circumstances change and there?s an influx of jobs in the community, and affordable housing in the community, and more kids?if we had 20 kids and they could reopen it, that would be great.?

SOME FORMER teachers recalled getting their start in Belknap and how the church membership was very forgiving to young ?wet-behind-the-ears? teachers, said Frank Brehmer, who started teaching at the school in 1953. ?I think the nice thing about it is that I came here fresh out of college and I had about 40 students, six first graders, and I thought I knew how to teach, but you have to work, and the congregation was willing to work with me.? Brehmer reminisced with former students Harlan Hardies and Roger Fleming in the lobby of the school building they all grew up in.

?I had to hold back tears a little bit at times, but it has been a very enjoyable day to see the old teachers and classmates,? said Hardies, who calls Brehmer the best teacher he ever had. Fleming said ?It was just a love to be here to see all of my old teachers and classmates. It was just a joy to be able to come back to St. Michael?s. My heart is still here and I?ve never forgotten it.? Brehmer said, ?It was a great time. I spent seven wonderful years here. I think it?s a shame to close the school down but in this day and age, things have to move on and the change that has to occur because of the population changes. I think they?ve taken the best route.? Fleming said he shed some tears, but believes there is a need to look forward because Christian education will continue in the community at St. John.

PFLUG WAS amazed that while they were trying to give thanks to teachers for their service, many of them wanted to express appreciation for the privilege of being able to teach in such a special place. ?The dedication and love that they still have for this congregation, and for the students, is remarkable,? said Pflug. During Pflug?s sermon, he gave thanks for

the many blessings bestowed on the school. ?Today we say thank you to you who were shepherds of our lambs, both teachers and the pastors, who have given unselfishly and sacrificially of the best of themselves and of their faith, to bless young people in all of the years of this place,? Pflug said.

?A cry of thanksgiving goes up to God for all the members?the school board members, the PTL, the helpers, the aides, the providers, who have made this school a living and loving reality for so many years, even beyond what anybody would have guessed would be the limit of what we could do to have and keep our own school.

?Remember with thanksgiving the blessings of this place.?