MONROE - Gil Jelinek has been retired since 1999, but many in Monroe remember him as the teacher who brought an unmatched enthusiasm to the classroom.
That same passion and excitement is still alive and well. It's just now focused on family, friends and Monroe, a place he never dreamed of leaving after landing a job with the school district right out of college.
He was born in Waukegan, Illinois, and still claims his roots as a "flatlander," holding strong to his love for the Chicago Bears and Cubs teams.
He attended St. Anastasia Grade School, a one-room school where he recalls learning mostly about discipline and focus. Today, Jelinek said he's thankful for his religious background.
After eighth grade, Jelinek received a scholarship to play football for St. George High School in Chicago. It was an hour away, he recalls, and he took the train each morning before walking 10 blocks to school. He would leave after football practice at 6 p.m. and was home by about 7:30 p.m. By the time he ate and finished his homework, he was often up until the early morning hours and getting little sleep.
The intense schedule wasn't tolerable, and after a year Jelinek decided to transfer. His family hoped he would become a priest and wanted him to choose a school that would lead him in that direction. But Jelinek said he liked girls too much and instead, he stayed and attended the public school in Waukegan. It was one of the best athletic schools in the state.
He held several jobs while in school, including working as a gandy dancer on the railroad, umpiring baseball and softball games for the city, serving as a surveyor's assistant for an engineer and painting boats.
Jelinek played football those three years in a tough conference. He wrestled in the winter to keep in shape. But his true love, he said, was always baseball.
By his sophomore year he played varsity on the baseball team that went to state, giving him lots of exposure. His senior year, he was scouted by Kansas City to play professionally and headed for tryouts in Chicago. He did well but simply couldn't hit far enough or run fast enough to make the cut.
He said it's likely his older brother, a teacher in Chicago, helped motivate him to go into education. After graduation, he attended Carroll University in Waukesha on a football scholarship. Jelinek said playing football instead of baseball was a choice he made, hoping it would take him further and give him more opportunity to coach in the future.
In the summertime, Jelinek worked as a bus driver in Chicago; the job paid well and would leave him with stories his students would later beg to hear as they waited for class to start.
"I was held up three times," Jelinek said. "I think (those experiences) helped me a lot along the way."
After two years, Jelinek transferred to Platteville State University, a less expensive school where his grandmother lived, and played two years of football there. He earned his comprehensive Social Studies degree and was heavily involved in school activities. He served on the student governing board and was the president of his fraternity.
He graduated in 1967, when jobs in education were plentiful. His resume popped from his involvement and previous workload; Jelinek had three offers in Illinois and two in Wisconsin. He had a friend, he said, who convinced him to go for an interview in Monroe.
The superintendent met him in the cafeteria with a cookie and some milk, he recalls, and then they walked around the Square.
"I was a city boy. I couldn't believe people stopped and talked to me," Jelinek said.
They went back to the cafeteria where he was offered a job teaching eighth-grade Social Studies and coaching basketball and baseball. He accepted.
That year he met two people who would change his life. The first was his wife, Mary, another rookie teacher at Northside.
"She was the love of my life and my constant companion for 45 years," Jelinek said. "She's affected me more than anyone else. As the oldest of 10 children, she was a mama - and she took over me."
The other person, he said, was fellow teacher Paul Schoenike.
"When we met in 1967, it clicked," Jelinek said. "We were kind of a Moe and Curly. We added a dimension to teaching the kids hadn't seen before."
He said he and Schoenike would play up the Packers vs. Bears rivalry, adding that it was the perfect way to get the kids going.
"When they were smiling and laughing, they opened up their minds," Jelinek said.
The duo team taught together for 35 years, and Jelinek said they motivated their students well. They even created a pamphlet book for other teachers called "The Durable Dozen," which included 13 simulations to plug in for teachers anywhere. The duo presented together at Ohio State University, the University of Wisconsin and in Toronto and Pittsburgh.
"We would marvel them with our enthusiasm," Jelinek laughed. Today, the retired teachers still see each other around town and at the Senior Center regularly.
One of Jelinek's favorite pasttimes was coaching and refereeing games. He said the family needed the extra money when he started, and it was Mary who stayed with their children while he was often away doing what he loved.
One of his career highlights was in 1988 when the varsity baseball team went to the state finals. He said he had athletes who still have never been duplicated. The real highlight was during the championship game, when both of his sons were on his squad.
After that big year, Jelinek said he retired from coaching baseball and took on umpiring more games. He officiated baseball games all over the state.
"I was a pretty good umpire because I was never wrong," Jelinek laughed. "I gained respect, and I enjoyed the coaches and the fans. I met some fine people."
He said he always wanted to be a head coach for a big school and had an opportunity but chose not to take it. He said he could never leave Monroe, a great place to raise his children.
"How can you not like a place that has Baumgartner's?" He said. "Monroe has everything we need."
He retired from teaching in 1999, a decision made after some health concerns.
"I miss my fellow teachers who every day put their jobs on the line and do everything for the kids in one of the toughest jobs there is," Jelinek said. "And I miss a class when it takes off."
Jelinek won several national and state awards for teaching. The year he retired, Disney sent him a letter asking him to come to Florida to participate in a symposium for the United States Teacher of the Year. He never took advantage of it because of the timing but said the nomination was heartfelt because it came from the students.
He also earned Umpire of the Year in the state of Wisconsin in 1990, which landed him some more great ball games, he said.
Jelinek also found time to become involved with the community. He served as a Jaycee early on in Monroe, was on the parish council at St. Victor and taught CCD to high school students, a job he enjoyed. He is a reader and a communion distributor for the church.
He has been a Monroe Optimist for 45 years and said it's a fitting organization for him, because he's an optimist in life. He's taken advice from a friend in Monroe and doesn't let the simple things worry him. As an Optimist, he's served as the youth director, president, lieutenant governor, governor in the state, national director of youth clubs and served at the leadership conferences. He said the organization has brought him great joy.
"As an Optimist, I can fry cheese curds like you wouldn't believe," Jelinek said.
He is proud of his four children, and he and Mary visit them often, as well as travel elsewhere together. His oldest son is a dentist, and his other three children are all working in education. The couple also have 11 grandchildren.
At 74, Jelinek said in the mornings when he and Mary go out to breakfast and a student recognizes him and comes to tell him how much they enjoyed his classes, the fond memories return and make him smile.
But nothing is as important as family. He enjoys living in the same home they always have, on the Cheese Days parade route, a place they welcome friends and family.
"This is the day the Lord has made," Jelinek said of words he's lived by. "Let us rejoice and be glad."
That same passion and excitement is still alive and well. It's just now focused on family, friends and Monroe, a place he never dreamed of leaving after landing a job with the school district right out of college.
He was born in Waukegan, Illinois, and still claims his roots as a "flatlander," holding strong to his love for the Chicago Bears and Cubs teams.
He attended St. Anastasia Grade School, a one-room school where he recalls learning mostly about discipline and focus. Today, Jelinek said he's thankful for his religious background.
After eighth grade, Jelinek received a scholarship to play football for St. George High School in Chicago. It was an hour away, he recalls, and he took the train each morning before walking 10 blocks to school. He would leave after football practice at 6 p.m. and was home by about 7:30 p.m. By the time he ate and finished his homework, he was often up until the early morning hours and getting little sleep.
The intense schedule wasn't tolerable, and after a year Jelinek decided to transfer. His family hoped he would become a priest and wanted him to choose a school that would lead him in that direction. But Jelinek said he liked girls too much and instead, he stayed and attended the public school in Waukegan. It was one of the best athletic schools in the state.
He held several jobs while in school, including working as a gandy dancer on the railroad, umpiring baseball and softball games for the city, serving as a surveyor's assistant for an engineer and painting boats.
Jelinek played football those three years in a tough conference. He wrestled in the winter to keep in shape. But his true love, he said, was always baseball.
By his sophomore year he played varsity on the baseball team that went to state, giving him lots of exposure. His senior year, he was scouted by Kansas City to play professionally and headed for tryouts in Chicago. He did well but simply couldn't hit far enough or run fast enough to make the cut.
He said it's likely his older brother, a teacher in Chicago, helped motivate him to go into education. After graduation, he attended Carroll University in Waukesha on a football scholarship. Jelinek said playing football instead of baseball was a choice he made, hoping it would take him further and give him more opportunity to coach in the future.
In the summertime, Jelinek worked as a bus driver in Chicago; the job paid well and would leave him with stories his students would later beg to hear as they waited for class to start.
"I was held up three times," Jelinek said. "I think (those experiences) helped me a lot along the way."
After two years, Jelinek transferred to Platteville State University, a less expensive school where his grandmother lived, and played two years of football there. He earned his comprehensive Social Studies degree and was heavily involved in school activities. He served on the student governing board and was the president of his fraternity.
He graduated in 1967, when jobs in education were plentiful. His resume popped from his involvement and previous workload; Jelinek had three offers in Illinois and two in Wisconsin. He had a friend, he said, who convinced him to go for an interview in Monroe.
The superintendent met him in the cafeteria with a cookie and some milk, he recalls, and then they walked around the Square.
"I was a city boy. I couldn't believe people stopped and talked to me," Jelinek said.
They went back to the cafeteria where he was offered a job teaching eighth-grade Social Studies and coaching basketball and baseball. He accepted.
That year he met two people who would change his life. The first was his wife, Mary, another rookie teacher at Northside.
"She was the love of my life and my constant companion for 45 years," Jelinek said. "She's affected me more than anyone else. As the oldest of 10 children, she was a mama - and she took over me."
The other person, he said, was fellow teacher Paul Schoenike.
"When we met in 1967, it clicked," Jelinek said. "We were kind of a Moe and Curly. We added a dimension to teaching the kids hadn't seen before."
He said he and Schoenike would play up the Packers vs. Bears rivalry, adding that it was the perfect way to get the kids going.
"When they were smiling and laughing, they opened up their minds," Jelinek said.
The duo team taught together for 35 years, and Jelinek said they motivated their students well. They even created a pamphlet book for other teachers called "The Durable Dozen," which included 13 simulations to plug in for teachers anywhere. The duo presented together at Ohio State University, the University of Wisconsin and in Toronto and Pittsburgh.
"We would marvel them with our enthusiasm," Jelinek laughed. Today, the retired teachers still see each other around town and at the Senior Center regularly.
One of Jelinek's favorite pasttimes was coaching and refereeing games. He said the family needed the extra money when he started, and it was Mary who stayed with their children while he was often away doing what he loved.
One of his career highlights was in 1988 when the varsity baseball team went to the state finals. He said he had athletes who still have never been duplicated. The real highlight was during the championship game, when both of his sons were on his squad.
After that big year, Jelinek said he retired from coaching baseball and took on umpiring more games. He officiated baseball games all over the state.
"I was a pretty good umpire because I was never wrong," Jelinek laughed. "I gained respect, and I enjoyed the coaches and the fans. I met some fine people."
He said he always wanted to be a head coach for a big school and had an opportunity but chose not to take it. He said he could never leave Monroe, a great place to raise his children.
"How can you not like a place that has Baumgartner's?" He said. "Monroe has everything we need."
He retired from teaching in 1999, a decision made after some health concerns.
"I miss my fellow teachers who every day put their jobs on the line and do everything for the kids in one of the toughest jobs there is," Jelinek said. "And I miss a class when it takes off."
Jelinek won several national and state awards for teaching. The year he retired, Disney sent him a letter asking him to come to Florida to participate in a symposium for the United States Teacher of the Year. He never took advantage of it because of the timing but said the nomination was heartfelt because it came from the students.
He also earned Umpire of the Year in the state of Wisconsin in 1990, which landed him some more great ball games, he said.
Jelinek also found time to become involved with the community. He served as a Jaycee early on in Monroe, was on the parish council at St. Victor and taught CCD to high school students, a job he enjoyed. He is a reader and a communion distributor for the church.
He has been a Monroe Optimist for 45 years and said it's a fitting organization for him, because he's an optimist in life. He's taken advice from a friend in Monroe and doesn't let the simple things worry him. As an Optimist, he's served as the youth director, president, lieutenant governor, governor in the state, national director of youth clubs and served at the leadership conferences. He said the organization has brought him great joy.
"As an Optimist, I can fry cheese curds like you wouldn't believe," Jelinek said.
He is proud of his four children, and he and Mary visit them often, as well as travel elsewhere together. His oldest son is a dentist, and his other three children are all working in education. The couple also have 11 grandchildren.
At 74, Jelinek said in the mornings when he and Mary go out to breakfast and a student recognizes him and comes to tell him how much they enjoyed his classes, the fond memories return and make him smile.
But nothing is as important as family. He enjoys living in the same home they always have, on the Cheese Days parade route, a place they welcome friends and family.
"This is the day the Lord has made," Jelinek said of words he's lived by. "Let us rejoice and be glad."