The Post & Mail
October 29, 2010
By Becky Hand
Remembering Bob Brittain
Post & Mail photo/Becky Hand — Colleagues of Bob Brittain pose at the Bob Brittain Memorial next to the CCHS library Wednesday. The tree in the foreground was donated by speech and debate coaches from northern Indiana, in Brittain’s honor; the bench, purchased by the CCHS Alumni Association. In front, Tom Lough and Barb Pentangelo and in back Andrew Thompson, Kristin Rentschler and Gregg Goewert.
“I’ve missed him a lot this year,” said Columbia City High School English teacher Tom Lough of a colleague who died unexpectedly in April — Bob Brittain.
Brittain was an icon in the speech and debate department at CCHS for years. And he was known not only in Indiana, but throughout the U.S. and beyond.
His former competitors, debate coaches from northern Indiana including Plymouth, Chesterton, Fort Wayne schools and South Bend schools, passed the hat and purchased a tree in Brittain’s memory which has been planted near the library at the high school.
“It’s a good choice, by the library,” Lough said. “Someone will say ‘who is this Bob guy?’ And someone will know.”
Beside the tree is a bench purchased by the Alumni Association in Brittain’s honor. Eventually a plaque will be placed there with his name.
Brittain graduated from Columbia City High School in 1964, earned his Bachelor’s Degree in English from Indiana University in 1968 and returned to his high school as a teacher and speech and debate coach that year.
Retiring in 2004, he remained very much a part of the program in an advisory role.
Brittain’s memberships included the National Forensic League, state and national chapters; the National Council of Teachers of English; and the Teacher’s Association, local state and national. He served on the board of directors of the Whitley County Literacy Council, the Bowen Center for Human Services, the Peabody Public Library, the Columbia City Kiwanis Club and was the president of the CCHS Alumni Association at the time of his death.
“He was an integral part of our Alumni Association,” said his successor, Andrew Thompson. “He did a tremendous job.”
Brittain had developed the Alumni Association scholarship fund, from which the first two scholarships were given in May of this year.
He would have been the presenter but for his untimely death in April.
Many of his former students and colleagues posted about their relationship to Brittain shortly after his death, speaking often of his accepting no less than the best from his charges.
While they spoke of disliking the work, they also admitted their lives were made much easier after his influence, because of that very work ethic.
Cassandra Petrie, this year’s Whitley County Junior Miss gave credit to Brittain for her skills in the interview portion of the program.
Aaron Dicker, who has been hired as Speech and Debate Coach this year at CCHS, remembered his predecessor from his days in high school debate at South Side High School in Fort Wayne.
“He was a very personable person,” Dicker said, telling how Brittain would give money for lunches if his students hadn’t brought enough.
He also spoke of Brittain’s reputation being nationwide and even worldwide for excellence in speech and debate.
When asked how he would fill Brittain’s shoes, Dicker replied simply, “It’s impossible.”
The fourth annual CCHS Alumni Association Legacy Golf Outing was held on Saturday, September 25, at Eagle Glen Golf Course in Columbia City. The results were:
| 1st Place - Team Score 57: | Natosha Wood, Class of "08" |
| Ryan Wood, Class of "80" | |
| Jeff Wright, Class of "80" | |
| Mike Collier |
| 2nd Place - Team Score 58: | Ryan Modglin, Class of "03" |
| Brad Lowe, Class of "04" | |
| Randy Smith, Class of "03" | |
| Steve Smith, Class of "76" |
| 3rd Place - Team Score 58: | Neil Cooper, Class of "57" |
| Russel Erne, Class of "57" | |
| Randall Carpenter, Class of "57" | |
| Rex Carpenter, Class of "57" |
Other winners were:
Long drive (women): Natosha Wood
Long drive (men): Randall Carpenter
Closest to the pin # 2: Phil Zent
Closest to the pin # 17: Josh Lickey
Greg Norman autographed flag: Dave Leininger, Class of "87"
A special thanks to our hole sponsors and Eagle Glen for hosting our Tournament.
Next year's alumni outing will be on Saturday, September 17, 2011.
Thanks also to the golf committe, Barb Knuth, and Sheryl Schuman for their help.
The “Teddy L. Gruver” Founder’s Trophy is currently on display in the main office at Columbia City High School, 600 North Whitley Street, Columbia City, IN. Winners of this fourth annual event will have their names added to the trophy and a photo of the winning team will be displayed in the CCHS main office.
The fourth annual CCHS Alumni Association Legacy Golf Outing will be held on Saturday, September 25, at Eagle Glen Golf Course in Columbia City. It is open to all who love the game, not just CCHS alumni.
The event is more about fun, sportsmanship, and fundraising to benefit current CCHS students and the community than about superior golf skills or winning the golf tournament.
All monies raised from sponsorships, donations by patrons & golfers of monetary gifts or prizes will be placed in the Whitley County Community Foundation and used for scholarships and awards or grants to supplement CCHS curricular or extra curricular activities (student activities, Renaissance program, Eagles In Flight).
This event made possible by hole sponsors with special help from Bobick's Golf, Eagle Glen Golf Course and Espich Printing.
The tournament will be 18 holes, with a 4-person Florida Scramble format. Shotgun starts begin at approximately 1:15 p.m. Check in 12:00 Noon and the range will be available to warm up and get ready for a fun event.
Please join us on Saturday, September 25, 2010. Click here for entry & sponsorship forms and promotional flyer. If you have questions, please call Eagle Glen Golf Course (248-4653) or Barb Knuth at the CCHS main office (244-6136 ext. 3207), or email Andrew Thompson at
The “Teddy L. Gruver” Founder’s Trophy is currently on display in the main office at Columbia City High School, 600 North Whitley Street, Columbia City, IN. Winners of this fourth annual event will have their names added to the trophy and a photo of the winning team will be displayed in the CCHS main office.
Before clicking on a link for a form, there are a few things you need to know:
1. The forms are in Adobe PDF format, and many of you already have Adobe Reader on your computers. If a window opens asking whether you want to download and install Adobe Reader, answer yes. It is a free program and safe to download. Depending upon your internet connection, the file may take a couple of minutes to load.
2. After you click on one of the form links below, an Adobe Reader window opens in your browser. You may increase the size of print by clicking on the "+" to the right of the % in the Adobe Reader menu bar.
3. To print a form, click on the printer icon in the Adobe Reader menu bar.
4. To return to this page from a form, click the Back button on your browser.
Click here for 2010 CCHSAA Legacy Golf Outing Signup/Sponsor Form
Click here for 2010 CCHSAA Legacy Golf Outing Flyer
The Woodham family enjoyed a trip to Teton National Park (July 10, 2010, to celebrate 50 years of being a family. On the trip were son Eric, daugher Kathryn Woodham Theobald, husband Jerry T. and son Cooper; daughter Audrey Woodham Raaycroft, husband Ted R. and daughter Ellie & Son Cameron.
We hiked, white water rafted, horse back rode and spent a day fishing on Jackson Lake. We watched old faithful on a trip to Yellowstone park. Other highlights included an evening at the Jackson Hole rodeo, gondola rides to the summit of one of the Tetons and a fun day at the Jackson 4th of Julyl parade followed by spectacular fireworks that evening.
It is a trip that we will remember as a family highlight that was sealed by a 50th dinner sponsored by our children.
Submitted by Reg & Ruth Woodham
CCHS Alumni Association will award its first scholarships in 2010. Two $500 scholarships will be given, one for a student starting a four year program and a second one for a student starting a two year program.
Click here for printable pdf of this page & application form
Application Deadline May 1, 2010
Criteria
(Same for both scholarships)
1. Will attend a four-year accredited post high school institution of higher learning or be enrolled in an accredited post high school program less than four years in length.
2. A CCHS graduate of the Class of 2010.
3. GPA reflective of respectable academic growth.
4. Major participation in two or more CCHS extra-curricular activities.
5. Receiving less than $3,000 in other scholarships and no fee reductions from the institution student is attending.
6. Active service to the community in Whitley County or Columbia City.
(Can count a school-based service activity IF NOT LISTED as one of the extra curricular activities in Number 4. (May also include church or other non-school based service activities.)
7. The ideal recipient of this scholarship will be a CCHS graduate who has been actively involved in several extra-curricular activities, major service activities, and have a grade point average reflective of respectable academic growth. This student will have a four-year involvement in the activities listed below. This student will also be fully involved in high school classes during the final tri-semester of the senior year.
8. The scholarship is one-time & non-renewable.
Click here for printable pdf of this page & application form
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