Clyde’s Corner: Good ol’ Katz Elementary School, we miss you
by Clyde Whitaker
Hello again, everyone. Here we go, full speed ahead into February 2025 already, and I’m happy! Golf season is just around the corner, I hope 😊.
As I was thinking about my story for February, I was drawing a blank, which happens to us writers once in a while. So, I did what I do sometimes when this happens. I get in my truck and drive around, looking for something to inspire me for my next story.
That is what happened this eighth day of January, 2025. I drove over to Munith and parked in the old Eldon E. Katz Elementary School parking lot to ponder my next move.
As I was sitting there, looking out across the now-vacant field that held many memories of the hours spent playing out there, it happened!
Listening to the “Sirius 70s on 7” channel in my truck, the song “My Old School,” sung by Steely Dan, came over my speakers. That’s it! I had my inspiration for a story. Sitting at my old school when that song came on—it doesn’t get any better.
Katz Elementary School had classrooms for kindergarten through the sixth grade. Information I could gather says that the elementary school was built in 1925 and closed in 2005.
I started attending Katz Elementary in the fourth grade, after we moved from the Krummrey Farm in Stockbridge to a nice house on Territorial Road, just outside of Munith.
It was a little different, beginning with having to make new friends, such as Patty Kitley, Charlene Wright, John Stanfield, Jimmy Stevens, and Dawne Batdorff, to name a few.
The teacher who had a huge impact on me was Mrs. Mitchell, my fifth grade teacher. She was a very stern teacher, but she was fair. She was tall and that made her even more intimidating. She helped me learn self control and how to stay on task with my homework. She really did care for her students.
Truth be told, I think all of us kids liked recess the best. The boys played football and the girls would swing around on the maypole. I couldn’t swing on the maypole, it made me dizzy!
Being in Michigan, we often got our share of snow. One day during recess, we had snow that really packed together. All of us guys rolled and rolled a ball of snow until it was about 4 feet tall. We played king of the hill, jumping up and trying to knock each other off.
When it was my turn, I jumped on top of the snowball, and fended off the guys the best I could. My friend Jimmy Stevens took a shot at my feet, knocking me down, and in the process I hit my tailbone full force. That was the worst pain I had ever felt, and I was done with king of the hill!
All of our teachers tried their best to educate us, and we were very lucky to have them. One teacher in particular took an interest in my singing. Miss Pryor was our music teacher and, somehow, she convinced me to sing in front of the whole school at our Christmas pageant. Perhaps Miss Pryor heard that country music star Loretta Lynn was my cousin? (My mom and Loretta were first cousins.) For whatever reason I got that singing slot, and it went well. I can definitely say my first public singing experience left me with fonder memories than king of the hill!
Looking back on all those memories, I know all of us who had the privilege of attending Katz Elementary are better off for it. Even though Katz Elementary is no more, the memories we have of our teachers and each other will never die. It was definitely a special place and time.
Clyde Whitaker is a 1973 Stockbridge graduate. He and his wife, Mary, raised four children in Stockbridge, and they still reside in the Stockbridge area.
by Clyde Whitaker
Hello again, everyone. Here we go, full speed ahead into February 2025 already, and I’m happy! Golf season is just around the corner, I hope 😊.
As I was thinking about my story for February, I was drawing a blank, which happens to us writers once in a while. So, I did what I do sometimes when this happens. I get in my truck and drive around, looking for something to inspire me for my next story.
That is what happened this eighth day of January, 2025. I drove over to Munith and parked in the old Eldon E. Katz Elementary School parking lot to ponder my next move.
As I was sitting there, looking out across the now-vacant field that held many memories of the hours spent playing out there, it happened!
Listening to the “Sirius 70s on 7” channel in my truck, the song “My Old School,” sung by Steely Dan, came over my speakers. That’s it! I had my inspiration for a story. Sitting at my old school when that song came on—it doesn’t get any better.
Katz Elementary School had classrooms for kindergarten through the sixth grade. Information I could gather says that the elementary school was built in 1925 and closed in 2005.
I started attending Katz Elementary in the fourth grade, after we moved from the Krummrey Farm in Stockbridge to a nice house on Territorial Road, just outside of Munith.
It was a little different, beginning with having to make new friends, such as Patty Kitley, Charlene Wright, John Stanfield, Jimmy Stevens, and Dawne Batdorff, to name a few.
The teacher who had a huge impact on me was Mrs. Mitchell, my fifth grade teacher. She was a very stern teacher, but she was fair. She was tall and that made her even more intimidating. She helped me learn self control and how to stay on task with my homework. She really did care for her students.
Truth be told, I think all of us kids liked recess the best. The boys played football and the girls would swing around on the maypole. I couldn’t swing on the maypole, it made me dizzy!
Being in Michigan, we often got our share of snow. One day during recess, we had snow that really packed together. All of us guys rolled and rolled a ball of snow until it was about 4 feet tall. We played king of the hill, jumping up and trying to knock each other off.
When it was my turn, I jumped on top of the snowball, and fended off the guys the best I could. My friend Jimmy Stevens took a shot at my feet, knocking me down, and in the process I hit my tailbone full force. That was the worst pain I had ever felt, and I was done with king of the hill!
All of our teachers tried their best to educate us, and we were very lucky to have them. One teacher in particular took an interest in my singing. Miss Pryor was our music teacher and, somehow, she convinced me to sing in front of the whole school at our Christmas pageant. Perhaps Miss Pryor heard that country music star Loretta Lynn was my cousin? (My mom and Loretta were first cousins.) For whatever reason I got that singing slot, and it went well. I can definitely say my first public singing experience left me with fonder memories than king of the hill!
Looking back on all those memories, I know all of us who had the privilege of attending Katz Elementary are better off for it. Even though Katz Elementary is no more, the memories we have of our teachers and each other will never die. It was definitely a special place and time.
Eldon E. Katz Elementary School in Munith is vacant now, but it was a vibrant place back in the
day. Clyde Whitaker attended the school for fourth through sixth grade. Photo credits Clyde Whitaker
Back in Clyde Whitaker’s elementary school days, students looked forward to recess on the Katz Elementary School playground, shown here with ball fields in the back.
Clyde Whitaker is a 1973 Stockbridge graduate. He and his wife, Mary, raised four children in Stockbridge, and they still reside in the Stockbridge area.
