SOUTH WAYNE - Although Ralph Johnson is in the twilight of his teaching career in Juda, he's still having fun, enjoying his students and learning alongside them the same way he has for nearly three decades.
He also sees the Juda community as a special part of why his teaching experience has been so positive - providing support, funding and the strong foundation he has needed to go the extra mile in the classroom for the past 26 years.
Johnson grew up on a small 40-cow dairy farm near Wiota where he was expected to help with chores, a job he welcomed as a youngster who loved to be in the barn.
"It's a great place to grow up," he said of the farm.
He would often find himself playing by the creek and running around to find his own fun with his five siblings. When he got a little older, Johnson recalls the first time he drove the tractor and was allowed to rake hay as he became more responsible. The farm had pigs and chickens for a while, but dairy cows were the constant form of income for the family.
At the one-room school house in Wiota, affectionately referred to as an "urban school," Johnson said his teacher was his uncle, Jesse, who didn't play favorites. He remembers all eight grades together, and in his class there were five students, of whom three were Johnsons.
He recalls playing ball in the yard by the school house, and during cold weather playing basketball in the open basement.
After he finished sixth grade, Johnson attended the Gratiot Middle School, a big change from what he was used to. However, the strong student managed to fit in well despite the discomfort of changing rooms, lockers and having about 75 others in his class.
At Black Hawk High School, Johnson's parents allowed him to participate in only two sports since he was still expected to help on the farm. He enjoyed basketball and baseball but was also heavily involved in FFA and played the bass drums in the band. He has great memories of walking in the Cheese Days and Stoughton parades with the marching band.
As his siblings got older and could help out more at home, Johnson was able to get a job and worked at the Eagle Supermarket bagging groceries and stocking shelves. He said he had his heart set on a car, and the job was his ticket to getting one. He graduated in 1976.
When Johnson began thinking about what he would do after graduation, he was well into his senior year. He hoped to go into ag journalism at first but also wanted to attend the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, and they didn't offer the program. He decided instead to look into ag education, taking the lead from his high school ag teacher, Richard Meske, who influenced him greatly.
"He got me involved in various parts of agriculture and helped me to become active in different judging," Johnson said. "I always appreciated that."
Although Johnson felt he could always fall back to ag business if he didn't like teaching, there was no need. Once his student teaching began, he knew the job was a perfect fit. At UW-Platteville, he was involved in the Agriculture Education Society and even did some intramural sports. He graduated in 1980.
At that time, Johnson felt he had some options and there were openings in Wisconsin. He even turned down a few jobs closer to home that didn't feel right. But when one came up at the Western Dubuque County Iowa School District, he said he talked to his high school sweetheart and fiancee, Margie, and made the commitment.
"I think God led me to Iowa," he said. "It turned out to be one of the best things I've ever done."
He graduated from college, was married and started his new job all in the summer of 1980. At the time, he was teaching at the biggest geographical school district in Iowa.
"I loved teaching," he said. "I was overwhelmed my first year, but I learned fast."
The small-town couple enjoyed the community and the people - it felt like home, and they made lasting friendships.
"The people are nice. We met so many wonderful people through the people I taught with and our church," he said. "We're still lifelong friends with them."
Despite that, Johnson said he always knew he would eventually come back to Wisconsin at some point, and in the summer of 1989, he was experiencing some burnout and was ready for a change.
He left teaching and started working for a genetics company in Stratford, artificially inseminating dairy cows. He and his wife had two children then and the new business wasn't as established as Johnson was initially told.
During a weekend at home visiting family in South Wayne, he ran into a local family friend, who was running Tomahawk Breeding Services, an established business doing the same thing. He offered Johnson a job and that Christmas, they moved back to South Wayne. Johnson enjoyed the work and especially working with so many farmers he already knew.
He also got involved with the Black Hawk FFA Alumni group around that time and served as its president.
"That got me the urge to get back in the classroom," Johnson said.
When a position in Juda opened in 1992, Johnson said the timing was right and he was glad to be back.
"I can remember going to work and just being thrilled to be back in the classroom again," he said.
The school was about a third smaller than his classroom in Iowa, but the atmosphere was perfect. Johnson said the small class sizes made him a better teacher, allowing him to work directly with students, and the classrooms were very manageable.
The fair, friendly teacher is always interested in seeing students grow and learn in the classroom. Through the years there have been many moments, he said, when he's experienced that. It has often started with a student wanting to know more about a particular topic or asking a simple question that's led to something greater.
One year, students were assigned through Growmark, an ag supply company, to participate in an essay contest on alternative energies. Almost everyone wrote about ethanol except for one student who chose biodiesel as his topic. When he asked Johnson about it, they began researching together and came across a recipe to make small-scale biodiesel in a kitchen blender in the shop.
When they were finished - of course they wanted to see if it worked.
Johnson felt he owed it to the students who had worked so hard. He applied for a grant for $500 to purchase a single cylinder diesel engine. As the engine roared, the middle school classroom celebrated the victory in a big way.
"They were cheering and laughing," Johnson said. "They were proud of themselves."
Johnson then got the FFA alumni to donate money for his class to purchase a bigger processor, one that would make 40 gallons of biodiesel. They used old cooking oil from McDonald's and the Moose Club in town, and once again, they wanted to see if it worked.
"I got on Ebay and bought a 1975 Mercedes Benz diesel for about $1,600," he said. "We took a little trip. It was great. That was all just from wanting to know a little more."
That story is one of many Johnson could share from his years of teaching - always wanting to learn with his students and letting curiosity lead the way.
"If I don't know, you're going to find out," he said. "Or we're going to find out."
There are stories of successes, failures and experiences to go around - but in each of them there's a heavy dose of learning. It's been the foundation of his teaching career.
His affinity for the Juda community is strong, and Johnson said there has been nothing he's asked for and not received. The support for updates, remodeling and making the school better and brighter is the biggest reason he's never looked to go elsewhere.
"Our FFA has been so well-received from the community," Johnson said. "And they're so willing to help us with all of our projects."
While in his second year teaching, he mentioned to a school janitor how nice it would be to have a small field to use as a land lab. Two years later, that same custodian bought a farm and gave the group 9 acres near the school to use. Johnson said community farmers come and harvest it at no charge and it turns into a fundraiser for the FFA, allowing them to take more students to conferences. The FFA alumni also holds a couple of large fundraisers.
"If they didn't do that, I wouldn't be able to do near what I do with the classes and in the shop," he said. "It's hands-on learning. It's math and science. It's unique to have something like that."
In his free time, Johnson finds happiness in spending time with family. He has three children and seven grandchildren and said he is with them as much as possible. He also enjoys reading, following several sports teams and golfing. He and Margie are actively involved in Monroe Bible Church and are grateful their children live close enough for frequent visits.
Hands-on learning has been Johnson's teaching style. Although he's looking to retire eventually, for now he's planning to stick around - especially as long as he's having so much fun.
"If they can see it, they'll remember it," he said. "It's better than them hearing me say it or writing it on the board."
He also sees the Juda community as a special part of why his teaching experience has been so positive - providing support, funding and the strong foundation he has needed to go the extra mile in the classroom for the past 26 years.
Johnson grew up on a small 40-cow dairy farm near Wiota where he was expected to help with chores, a job he welcomed as a youngster who loved to be in the barn.
"It's a great place to grow up," he said of the farm.
He would often find himself playing by the creek and running around to find his own fun with his five siblings. When he got a little older, Johnson recalls the first time he drove the tractor and was allowed to rake hay as he became more responsible. The farm had pigs and chickens for a while, but dairy cows were the constant form of income for the family.
At the one-room school house in Wiota, affectionately referred to as an "urban school," Johnson said his teacher was his uncle, Jesse, who didn't play favorites. He remembers all eight grades together, and in his class there were five students, of whom three were Johnsons.
He recalls playing ball in the yard by the school house, and during cold weather playing basketball in the open basement.
After he finished sixth grade, Johnson attended the Gratiot Middle School, a big change from what he was used to. However, the strong student managed to fit in well despite the discomfort of changing rooms, lockers and having about 75 others in his class.
At Black Hawk High School, Johnson's parents allowed him to participate in only two sports since he was still expected to help on the farm. He enjoyed basketball and baseball but was also heavily involved in FFA and played the bass drums in the band. He has great memories of walking in the Cheese Days and Stoughton parades with the marching band.
As his siblings got older and could help out more at home, Johnson was able to get a job and worked at the Eagle Supermarket bagging groceries and stocking shelves. He said he had his heart set on a car, and the job was his ticket to getting one. He graduated in 1976.
When Johnson began thinking about what he would do after graduation, he was well into his senior year. He hoped to go into ag journalism at first but also wanted to attend the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, and they didn't offer the program. He decided instead to look into ag education, taking the lead from his high school ag teacher, Richard Meske, who influenced him greatly.
"He got me involved in various parts of agriculture and helped me to become active in different judging," Johnson said. "I always appreciated that."
Although Johnson felt he could always fall back to ag business if he didn't like teaching, there was no need. Once his student teaching began, he knew the job was a perfect fit. At UW-Platteville, he was involved in the Agriculture Education Society and even did some intramural sports. He graduated in 1980.
At that time, Johnson felt he had some options and there were openings in Wisconsin. He even turned down a few jobs closer to home that didn't feel right. But when one came up at the Western Dubuque County Iowa School District, he said he talked to his high school sweetheart and fiancee, Margie, and made the commitment.
"I think God led me to Iowa," he said. "It turned out to be one of the best things I've ever done."
He graduated from college, was married and started his new job all in the summer of 1980. At the time, he was teaching at the biggest geographical school district in Iowa.
"I loved teaching," he said. "I was overwhelmed my first year, but I learned fast."
The small-town couple enjoyed the community and the people - it felt like home, and they made lasting friendships.
"The people are nice. We met so many wonderful people through the people I taught with and our church," he said. "We're still lifelong friends with them."
Despite that, Johnson said he always knew he would eventually come back to Wisconsin at some point, and in the summer of 1989, he was experiencing some burnout and was ready for a change.
He left teaching and started working for a genetics company in Stratford, artificially inseminating dairy cows. He and his wife had two children then and the new business wasn't as established as Johnson was initially told.
During a weekend at home visiting family in South Wayne, he ran into a local family friend, who was running Tomahawk Breeding Services, an established business doing the same thing. He offered Johnson a job and that Christmas, they moved back to South Wayne. Johnson enjoyed the work and especially working with so many farmers he already knew.
He also got involved with the Black Hawk FFA Alumni group around that time and served as its president.
"That got me the urge to get back in the classroom," Johnson said.
When a position in Juda opened in 1992, Johnson said the timing was right and he was glad to be back.
"I can remember going to work and just being thrilled to be back in the classroom again," he said.
The school was about a third smaller than his classroom in Iowa, but the atmosphere was perfect. Johnson said the small class sizes made him a better teacher, allowing him to work directly with students, and the classrooms were very manageable.
The fair, friendly teacher is always interested in seeing students grow and learn in the classroom. Through the years there have been many moments, he said, when he's experienced that. It has often started with a student wanting to know more about a particular topic or asking a simple question that's led to something greater.
One year, students were assigned through Growmark, an ag supply company, to participate in an essay contest on alternative energies. Almost everyone wrote about ethanol except for one student who chose biodiesel as his topic. When he asked Johnson about it, they began researching together and came across a recipe to make small-scale biodiesel in a kitchen blender in the shop.
When they were finished - of course they wanted to see if it worked.
Johnson felt he owed it to the students who had worked so hard. He applied for a grant for $500 to purchase a single cylinder diesel engine. As the engine roared, the middle school classroom celebrated the victory in a big way.
"They were cheering and laughing," Johnson said. "They were proud of themselves."
Johnson then got the FFA alumni to donate money for his class to purchase a bigger processor, one that would make 40 gallons of biodiesel. They used old cooking oil from McDonald's and the Moose Club in town, and once again, they wanted to see if it worked.
"I got on Ebay and bought a 1975 Mercedes Benz diesel for about $1,600," he said. "We took a little trip. It was great. That was all just from wanting to know a little more."
That story is one of many Johnson could share from his years of teaching - always wanting to learn with his students and letting curiosity lead the way.
"If I don't know, you're going to find out," he said. "Or we're going to find out."
There are stories of successes, failures and experiences to go around - but in each of them there's a heavy dose of learning. It's been the foundation of his teaching career.
His affinity for the Juda community is strong, and Johnson said there has been nothing he's asked for and not received. The support for updates, remodeling and making the school better and brighter is the biggest reason he's never looked to go elsewhere.
"Our FFA has been so well-received from the community," Johnson said. "And they're so willing to help us with all of our projects."
While in his second year teaching, he mentioned to a school janitor how nice it would be to have a small field to use as a land lab. Two years later, that same custodian bought a farm and gave the group 9 acres near the school to use. Johnson said community farmers come and harvest it at no charge and it turns into a fundraiser for the FFA, allowing them to take more students to conferences. The FFA alumni also holds a couple of large fundraisers.
"If they didn't do that, I wouldn't be able to do near what I do with the classes and in the shop," he said. "It's hands-on learning. It's math and science. It's unique to have something like that."
In his free time, Johnson finds happiness in spending time with family. He has three children and seven grandchildren and said he is with them as much as possible. He also enjoys reading, following several sports teams and golfing. He and Margie are actively involved in Monroe Bible Church and are grateful their children live close enough for frequent visits.
Hands-on learning has been Johnson's teaching style. Although he's looking to retire eventually, for now he's planning to stick around - especially as long as he's having so much fun.
"If they can see it, they'll remember it," he said. "It's better than them hearing me say it or writing it on the board."