This is a site honoring Ralph Coate, who is retiring after 44 years of service as a life sciences teacher at the Meridian (formerly Macon) High School in Macon, Illinois.
The contents here has been gathered to be presented to Mr. Coate in book form later this year. Please don't blow the surprise for him! Share this URL with anyone else, but please don't tell Mr. Coate!!!
(To see the pages in sequence, use the "Newer Post" link which appears at the bottom of this column on each page.)
4 comments:
Constants in the universe.
Sun, Earth, Moon.
Illinois, Macon, Mr Coate.
Mr. Coate retire? I think not. He may not get paid for physically entering Macon High School (presently Meridian) again. But he's in the head of each and every student that's been in his classes, and apparently from reading some of the other blog entries, students that had never entered the confines of Macon High School (still presently Meridian). Wait! Has it changed? No, darn it. STILL Meridian.
Thanks Mr. Coate. You'll be teaching every one of us until we retire from life. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
Lee Connelly
Irvine, CA
Macon High School
Class of 1970
tpi-photo.net
The class of 1973 had Mr. Coate for a faculty sponsor, so his intimidating first impression was doubly frightening for these 65 freshmen. And I was among a select group getting a triple dose because Mr. Coate was also my bus driver. He once literally growled at a kid to get him to sit down. It was a low, menacing, hungry-lion-in-the-jungle sort of growl as opposed to the more regal but less threatening Mufasa-on-Pride Rock variety. And the message was this: “I am King of this bus and will do anything to keep order in my realm, so cross me at your own peril.”
I was sure someone would die on the road that year.
My most memorable encounter with Mr. Coate’s famously high expectations came when our class tried to mount a homecoming skit for the annual competition. As Freshmen, it was a given that we were not as clever as the Sophomores, not as funny as the Juniors, and certainly not daring as the Seniors. Our role in the contest was to be the doormat, nothing more. Green and feisty and more than a little ignorant, we were determined to use this opportunity to show everyone in the school we could be dangerous, so the skit was written to be as edgy and insulting as possible. The day before the contest, we performed our masterpiece for Mr. Coate’s approval and his reaction was breathtakingly straightforward.
“You will not perform this skit tomorrow,” he told us. “It would be an embarrassment for the Freshman Class.”
This was followed by a good amount of whining and complaining, which he quickly silenced.
“Rather than present this piece, it would be better for everyone if the Freshman had no skit at all. You could re-write it but time is short, so let’s just pull out. I have no problem with that, people. Do you?”
I went home crushed, but mulling it over through the afternoon and evening my despair turned into such a white-hot anger that I stayed up late writing an entirely new skit, though this time the target audience had narrowed from the entire school to just one stubborn teacher. I was going to show him.
The next day we met as a group and everyone was enthusiastic about the last minute rescue operation. We were completely energized by how deeply we had been wronged, and threw ourselves into a frenzy of preparation. We rehearsed that morning, performed for Mr. Coate at lunch, received his clearance, and put on our show in the gym that evening.
We won, of course, to the amazement of almost everyone.
Afterwards we felt about as smug as Freshmen can feel. We had proven him wrong, or so we thought. But after some reflection it became obvious that the exact opposite was true. We could do better, and he knew it. We had proven him right.
That was Mr. Coate’s victory, and it was a lasting gift he gave to the Class of ’73 when we were very young.
Dale Connelly
New Brighton, MN
Class of 1973
Wow! Mr. Coate retiring! That doesn't even sound right! What a wonderful example Mr. Coate set concerning the infamous Biblical principle: you shall reap what you sow. How true!
The great memories I have of Mr. Coate as my biology teacher and the ultimate track coach:
1. On my first day of freshman biology class, he had written on his blackboard, "this is not a dream, you are really back in school, now let's get to work". I remember thinking what have I gotten myself into here?
2. On the second day of biology class, Curt Marsh and I got "corrected" by Mr. Coate because every time he said "fatty acid" we giggled. Come on, we all know it sounded funny! Actually, Curt got corrected, I was busy getting the microscope out. Sorry Curt.
3. When he would ask the class a question, someone would answer and he would reply "absolutely wrong". I loved that because he said it with a slight grin.
4. As a coach, he would hold his strong arm out to make sure I stayed low coming out of those blocks - after popping my head on his arm, I stayed low.
5. When it was bone chilling cold outside at track practice and we just KNEW we would practice sprints in the gym, Mr. Coate said "let's go play out in the front yard" (again grinning). Brutal man - brutal.
6. I remember him asking Stacy Atteberry to hold me still so he could pour mercuracome on an open cinder cut from a track meet where I took a fall - not funny Mr. Coate!!!
7. I remember when our track team was simply dog tired at practice and he said "just remember, when your opponent wears down due to poor conditioning, you will be crossing the finish line." Mr. Coate should have been a 4 star general.
8. I remember Mr. Coate telling us it is possible to hide on a footbal field surrounded by many other players, but on the track you cannot hide - all that are watching will see if you have prepared or not prepared - so let's do some more sprints.
9. When I graduated from Macon, HOME OF THE IRONMEN, I hugged Mr. Coate and he said "I'll always count myself lucky for knowing you." That made me feel like the most important guy in the world at that moment. Thanks Mr. Coate.
10. Mr. Coate used to tell me that he thought eventually I would end up on a show like Hee Haw, telling corny jokes and entertaining folks. Well he was close - I'm a pastor. And the jokes have not become any better since 1983.
Mr. Coate - haven't seen you in many years but what you taught me in 4 years of my childhood goes far beyond track and biology. You instilled confidence in me, you showed me how to win and even how to lose as a gentleman. You taught me about sowing hard work into my life and reaping a great reward - long before I ever opened a Bible and discovered that unchanging principle. I wish you well in your retirement and I pray that you enjoy life to its fullest with your family. I assume they gave you a gold overhead projector as your retirement gift.
Love ya Mr. Coate
With all the respect I have,
John Snow
Class of 1983
Macon High School
If anyone is still reading this, Mr. Coate is very ill. He has only been given a few weeks to live. He is at home but very weak. Please pray for him.
Thank you.
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