Mr. Kjerrumgaard, a Teacher who Influenced my life

Mr. William Kjerrumgaard

By JBH Wonders

I remember Mr. Kjerrumgaard (Mr. K/”Coach”). He was the high school football coach at the school that I attended. He coached me for two of those years. Mr. K. was also the guidance counselor and I seem to remember being in a math class with him. The only reason that I remember a math class with him is that he told us once a car/motor vehicle is the most expensive/worst “investment” that we could ever make. And he went through some mathematical gymnastics to explain his point. We all ignored his advice and presentation of course. In those days, getting a car was top priority. It meant freedom, filling a status quo, and (if you were a guy), getting dates with girls. But, I’m getting off the subject of this article.

Mr. K. was tall and muscular. He looked like a larger version of the singer Bobby Goldsburo. It was the hair bangs and cheeks I think. Mr. K. did not sing or play a guitar that I know of.

As other men teachers of that time, he always wore a white shirt and tie in the classroom and while meandering through the halls of the school. On the field, it was a tee shirt, shorts, and a whistle. Some of the high school girls “took a shine to him” I think.

Mr. K. was strong willed, very self confident and had a no nonsense teaching method. He could raise his voice to get one’s attention without quite yelling. (Well, he did actually yell a few times; not at me of course yuk, yuk).

He drove a VW Beetle (circa 1965 ish). I never saw him get in or out of it so the mechanics of how a man of his build could accomplish this feat escapes me.

Mr. K. expected boys to be men. He worked us hard on the football field. This is where I most remember him. He was the football coach during my Junior and Senior year. I remember he gave each of his Senior players a signed copy of our “football hero” photos. He signed mine: “John, your perseverance will take you far in life”. I felt those words as a compliment as well as an inspiration. I’ve had to deal with ups and downs throughout my life and I believe that “the coach” saw something in me that I did not see in myself those many years ago. I understand that Mr. K. moved on after my class graduated.

I do not know what happened to Mr. Kjerrumgaard.