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Memories of Derrill Tuttle
Derrill Tuttle remembered by a close friend,
One of the saddest days of my life was the funeral of my good friend Derrill Tuttle. We had a good friendship through high school that grew afterwards. He was a frequent visitor at our family cottage in Quebec Canada. He , wife Franny, children Andy and Halie came to our home in Sparta, NJ where Andy caught his first fish. Derrill gained 10 pounds that week (we drank a lot of beer) and never did loose it. He would remind me of this years later.
Derrill loved being a husband and father. He was the very best father that I could ever imagine. It was always easy to be a Tuttle in Derrill’s house. Not always so in the house he grew up in.
The year he graduated from East Tennessee State University the administration did not give him his diploma. Derrill had failed to pay a large library fine. It had ended in an argument with the college and Derrill skipped the graduation ceremonies and came home to Girard in anger and without a diploma.
Then one day he asked me to fly him to Tennessee to pay his fine and collect his diploma. It was a spectacular weather day when we headed South. When we got to East Tennessee State we took a cab to the library, paid the fine, and the librarian gave him his diploma. That was his graduation.
He needed his diploma because I had recently covered a school board meeting for my employer, the Warren Tribune. The Johnson Ohio Maplewood Elementary School needed a 6 th grade teacher. I told the superintendent I had a friend who wanted to teach. “Have him come see me. Tell him to bring his diploma,” the superintendent said.
It was at Maplewood that Derrill found himself. He was a natural teacher. He was always there to inspire his students, especially the ones lacking confidence.
Derrill was a natural athlete. Whether it be football (GHS Quarterback Senior Year), baseball, basketball or track, Derrill found it relatively easy to perform. But it was soon discovered that his really big gift was that he was able to show others the way. He made athletes out of the most unlikely students. Sports flourished at Maplewood elementary unlike any other elementary school in Trumbull County. In fact, today, there is a school system wide basketball tournament in the district that is called the Derrill Tuttle Memorial Basketball Tournament. Derrill started that Tournament more than 35 years ago.
It was not long before Derrill’s leadership abilities in all facets of teaching were recognized by the Superintendent of Schools. Derrill was soon made a principal. I have interviewed several teachers who worked under his administration. They told me he could inspire teachers just as naturally has he inspired students.
Derrill brought two buddies to Maplewood to teach. GHS students Derrill Meyers and Charlie Perko became teachers there and stayed until recent retirement.
Many classmates had the opportunity to meet Derrill's wife a few years after his death when I was honored to escort her to one of our reunions.
Derrill Tuttle’s friendship had a definitive effect on my life. I am a better person for having known him. Close friends like Derrill are few and far between. I miss him.---- Ed DeChant
Derrill Tuttle remembered by a life long friend and co- worker.
Derrill and I enjoyed the unique situation of being employed in the same office at the same time. He was the Elementary School Supervisor and I was the Secondary School Supervisor for the Ashtabula County Board of Education. We met in First Grade at North Avenue School and spent our entire time in the Girard Schools together.
One year we put together a complete collection of class pictures from First through Seventh Grade and were struck be the number of students in our class. He had the pictures for Grades 2, 3 and 6; I had Grades 1, 4, 5 and 7. For quite a few of those years, we had 40 plus students.
Memories were shared about North Avenue as a true “neighborhood school” where we attended during the day; and, after school, came together on the playground for non-directed youth activities which did not require adult supervision.
We remembered the Teachers and the order in which we had them—Miss Williams, Miss Morrall, Miss Fisher, Mrs. Wilson, Mrs. Davis, Mr. Raidel and Mr. Kennedy who shared teaching duties with Mr. Capone. More to the point, we remembered particular things: Phonics; Spelling Words Star Charts; “homework,”; and, the Augustus books that were read to us. Mr. Raidel—our first male teacher!—influenced both of us as a career role model choice. We also remembered that Mr. Capone gave both of us swats. Where the hell were the lawyers when we needed them?
Derrill and I noted and experienced the change that occurred in our society—specifically, the breakdown of family structure. We also agreed that the worst social policy disaster for the country was dropping the age of majority from 21 to 18.
Both of us felt that North Avenue and GHS of “Happy Days” were forever gone—never to be restored.
Derrill was committed to improving education. Despite his outward shyness, he was not one to tolerate excuses for sloppy work. He held himself and those he supervised to high expectations and got results. The great working relationship we had is a treasured memory. ----Pete Chila
All friends of Derrill are welcome to share their memories. Send them to eddechant@earthlink.net Please, lets do the same for other classmate friends who have departed. |