Home

AROUND THE TABLE

Journal Standard - Freeport, IL

Olga Gize Carlile is a columnist for The Journal-Standard. She can be reached at 232-0128 or e-mail her at olga.carlile@journalstandard.com.

Three sisters who taught 99 years in Freeport

This is the story of three sisters who taught in the Freeport school system for a total of 99 years - collectively.

These sisters - all dedicated teachers - made a difference in the lives of many students. In their classrooms over the years, They taught approximately 2,740 students.

The three are: Barbara Vietmeier, Juliet Asche and Rosie Schoonhoven.

We'll start with some interesting facts about, some common threads of, these three dedicated professionals - all three who taught in the same time period in Freeport public and private schools.

They taught in several buildings: Lincoln-Douglas, Empire, Center, Blackhawk, Jones Farrar Early Learning, Aquin, St. Joseph's, St. Thomas, Immanuel Lutheran, Harlem, Jane Addams, Carl Sandburg.

Left: Barbara Vietmeier & Rosie Schoonhoven - Right: Julie Asche with niece Taylor

Barbara taught 26 years; Julie, 32 years; and Rosie, 41 years.

All three have master's degrees. Barbara and Rosie in reading; Julie in curriculum and instruction. The starting salaries of all three were $10,000.

In college, they started out with majors in various fields before going into education. Barbara started out studying drama and medicine; Julie, music; and Rosie, business. Circumstances during their college years led them all into education.

Their life-long journey of learning started at home with their parents, John and Winifred Greve in German Valley, and their grandparents. The family influenced their teaching careers, motivated them to teach in an open-ended way using creativity, being positive, taking risks and fostering independence to create other life-long learners.

“We agree that none of this would have been possible without the support of our husbands and children,” said Rosie.

“All of our children are in careers that touch on education. However, Ben, the youngest child of the three of us, has chosen to go into the education field. At present, he is a senior at Illinois State university, majoring in education,” Rosie added.

The three sisters met to reminisce about their careers this past weekend.

As they leave their teaching careers, they're looking forward to new adventures in life with their families and friends. Though each retires from District 145, they hope to continue to play a part in the education of children.

Teaching has been the proud profession of this family for many, many years.

Their mother, Winifred Greve, was a teacher at German Valley in a one-room schoolhouse. Their great-grandfather, Dr. Albert Beyer, was instrumental in establishing the Pleasant Prairie Academy in German Valley and was the principal for many years. He also was pastor of the Silver Creek Reformed Church in German Valley.

The three Greve sisters had another sister who also was in education. The fourth Greve sister, Bonita, was a junior high school teacher who taught in several school districts until she died in 1988. She even substituted one semester in Freeport.

To think of the number of students they've touched with the magic of learning is amazing.

u u u

Schools are the most important resource of our nation or any nation. Our teachers are the linchpins of the success of our nation. They are the keys to a bright future for our students.

All of us who go through the school system owe a great debt of gratitude to our teachers and we thank God that in our country education is for all - for women as well as men. My mother firmly believed that when you educate a man, you educate an individual; when you educate a woman, you educate a family.

The story of the Greve sisters of German Valley is absolutely awesome.

How fortunate we are to have such dedicated teachers who, day after day, come into their pleasantly decorated classrooms.

Teachers who teach us to be ambitious and to have big dreams - these teachers of courage and dedication.

Barbara Vietmeier, Julie Asche & Rosalie Schoonhoven are family members of Jeff and Sharon Vietmeier - Owners/Operators of Sweet Water Golf -

WE ARE SO PROUD OF ALL OF YOU!!!