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Remembering John Colligan

Storytellers visit John Colligan's Students at St. Hilda's & St. Hugh's School

January 11, 2008

 
 

Four storytellers were asked by Virginia Conner, Head of School at St. Hilda's and St. Hugh's School to spend time with the students telling stories and speaking about John Colligan. As the Chair of the Music Department and teacher of music and drama, John worked with every child in the school. It was obvious that he loved them and that they loved him in return. Here are the reflections written by Bill Gordh, Ron Sopyla, Regina Ress, and Laura Simms on their time with John's students.

The children's love for John and his clear devotion to the children and nurturing their creativity and expressiveness was clear.

In the little song "Let's Sing a Song about Mr Colligan," many of the children wanted to sing the songs they had sung with him and they sang with great gusto. They wanted to sing about his games and stories, and interestingly enough, the Junior K — the youngest I met with — talked more about him in feeling ways. And in both those classes the last suggestion to sing about was about their love for him or his love for them.

Bill Gordh, who met with the Junior K, K, and 1st Grade students.

Telling stories at St. Hilda's was a moving experience. I spoke briefly about John, that I was there to tell stories in his honor and his memory, and that the stories would be about life going on, because John goes on, through his stories, his music, his remembered kindness… and up above in Heaven, I'm sure. I tried to connect the stories to John in some way: a story that John had told me; a story from Japan about life surging back again and again; a Middle Eastern story about how a boy's kindness and imagination created a beautiful garden for all to share. And some stories that were just fun. And one story that seemed right for the moment in one class, though I don't know why… "Iron John" in the 4th grade. That one brought tears to my eyes, when the spell is broken and the king returns. Thanks for inviting me to participate.

Ron Sopyla, who met with the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Grade students.

It has been an amazing journey, remembering… really, getting to know John. The children obviously loved him, as did the faculty. The 5th and 6th graders, too, spoke of the songs, stories, and the games. They loved the games. One, "Dwarf/Magician/Giant," in particular was described in animated detail.

Many of them spoke of how he made them feel good — I'd use the word "safe" — in his classes. One girls said at the beginning of the semester, she was afraid to "make a fool of herself," but at the end, she was no longer afraid to take risks. One boy told a story about his younger brother, who was very "emotional" and who had a terrible experience with a piano teacher. He was crying in the hall, John discovered him, asked what happened, took him aside for a "long" time and listened and talked to him. And the young child never was upset again about piano lessons. One girl said she had been absent the day of the auditions for (the Greek play?)… and he made sure there was a part for her.

They talked and laughed about a chapel had during Colonial Days when he suddenly appeared from under the piano dressed as Mozart. The art teacher then interviewed him as Mozart. A photo of John as Mozart, wig and all, is on his website.

They said that he told the classes a story at the end of each class if they had been good. The story was a reward. How much better than candy!!

One of the teachers said he called her on her cell phone at 5:30 one morning to talk about the Christmas pageant… and was surprised that he woke her up. Then he realized that he'd been up for 4 hours working on it and forgot that it was the middle of the night. She said that he often worked late into the night, meticulously working on his many projects.

Another teacher said "They say that the arts are a sign of civilization. Mr. Colligan was a truly civilized man."

I got a real sense of John the slightly rumpled Japanese gentleman, formal but with quiet humor and much compassion. He quite clearly had found a home and family there. And they, quite clearly, had found him. What a loss.

Regina Ress, who met with the 5th and 6th Grade students.

I feel as if I know John much better after today. It was so moving to hear the kids speak about their memories. He was a remarkable teacher, and totally supportive and generous friend to them.

There were great tales of how he had an octagonal rug in his room, around which he sat kids to tell stories. He called the rug "the alligator pit," and the kids never stepped on it, and had a kind of grand make believe fear of it, that kept them extra alert. He helped so many of them… they had funny tales about his shirt that never stayed in his pants, his hats, and ties he slung over his shoulder, his unkempt hair and passionate teaching style. About how they looked forward to his visit to their classes for stories. And his games played from Kindergarten right through to sixth grade. The Christmas pageant. The Shakespeare plays. The plays where he managed to write more characters in to every drama so they were all in it. He stayed up hours writing new parts into plays so that every person had a part. They boasted that he made remarkable choices for parts. Everyone loved that he couldn't keep his shirt in his pants and that when he conducted, he danced.

And the pranks the kids played that he laughed at rather than getting angry, and the pranks he played on them… One of the pranks that they laughed about in the 8th grade was a time when they were all waiting for an elevator for over fifteen minutes and complaining. When it finally came, he got onto it and left them in the hall so they had to walk upstairs. When they came in the room, they all laughed.

When a child had to learn a new song or a part in a play he read it to them outloud, or sang the part so they took into their bones. He was so caring of these kids. what an honor to have heard these young people speak about John.

Thank you for the heart felt kindness and generosity all around. I know the school felt it was the most important help so far. Bill Fallon, Head of the Upper School, said it allowed the children to speak up about their memories by seeing it as a story rather than just about John.

Laura Simms, who met with the 7th and 8th Grade students.