Mr. Earl Holtz

I would like to nominate Mr. Earl Holtz for Lifetime Achievement Award. He started teaching in a one-room school house, I think it was Oak Dale. At that time he was teaching my mother and my uncle.

In his early years he taught at some of the outlying schools, Wilson, Dundas, Claremont, Calhoun, and then Cherry Street for years. Mr. Holtz was principal at Cherry Street School too. He coached basketball and taught school at the same time, won Teacher of the Year for Richland County in 195859 school year.

Mr. Holtz taught Sunday School for several years at Mt. Gilead Church. He was highly thought of. Mr. Holtz owned and farmed a farm along with teaching school.

Besides teaching us at school, he and his wife had students in their home -- doing hay rides, fishing, and many other activities. Mr. & Mrs. Holtz treated his students like their own. Earl & Ida did not have children of their own. The students became part of their extended family. Mr. Holtz was one of the best teacher ever.

Submitted by Rebecca Lawley Swisher Class of 1967

I would like to support the nomination for Mr Holtz. He was my fourth grade teacher at Cherry School. He was the first male teacher I ever had. He was so kind and caring if his students.

I also remember he and his wife inviting our class to their house where we played games and I think had a wiener roast. I also remember him reading chapter books to us. No one made a peap during those times, we were all mesmerized. We could all see the words come to life as he read.

I still often think of him as I read to my grandchildren and hope to instill as great a love of reading in them as Mr Holtz did for me.  

From Lisa (Scranton) Weiler