The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-11-30
Kretzinger, the School Teacher
Delightful "reminiscences Of Professor amiesons As
sistant in the Keokuk Classical School.

7
everywhere.
AS "Jamieson's boys" mourned when
the devoted and kindly headmasterl
died, SO they mourn the passing of his
brilliant and lovable assistant Of the 4
period l have in mind. Many years
younger than the headmaster, Kretz-t
niger was o boy with the boys; occa-
sionally taking part in their sports,
sympathetic and helpful In their
youthful ambitions, patient with the
backward and timid. He was an abso-l
Lutte disciplinarian, but always chart
table, and ever courteous. So recently |
a boy himself, lie knew boys, and ii /
they Jagged, or If their think" was
slow, he found the way out. For ex-
ample, one sultry afternoon In June.
Immediately after the bell had sum
moned the boys to their classes, the
algebra lesson came hard; not boy
could come through. Kretzingerl
knew the difficulty. Boys, let's go out
and pitch a few rounds of horse
Shoes" he said. No sooner said than
done! The teacher leading the way
through the low open windows. into
the church lot they sprang, and, after
a brief play with the horseshoes. their
minds cleared, and returning to the
class bench the lesson was finished in
triumph.
He read law, ii recollect, in the
office Of H. Scott Howell, and to al
vance this study, he came to teach
school in Keokuk. For he needed the
wherewith of a livelihood, while he|
was fitting himself for his great ca
reer at the bar in after life. Although
devoted to his school duties. Kretzin-
ger turned his mind to the law when
ever he found moments time from
his days work. His law books were
for nights and holidays. but there
were times In the school days when
his mind might revert to the sub.
/ ject. On occasions he used to talk it
over" with James Hagerman, who al
SO was law student; the other boys
/ jury. litigants, witnesses. bailiffs,
and spectators. Court" was. held In
the alley between Odd Fellows hall
and Humble's foundry; or across
Seventh street on the steps of the
!. pork house" The pork house. was
! the auditorium of the Presbyterian
/ church, now the church annex, and
the epithet had been bestoN ed upon it
/ by a local wit because SO many pork
packers were members OF the congre-
j cation. Humble's foundry afterward
! was torn down to make room for the
1 federal postoffice and court house.
4 Sessions of court" were held before
school took up mornings and at
. ternoons, and it was great fun to wit
ness the two young sprigs set up imag-
d mary cases and fight them out; espe.
i cially to hear Kretzinger's remarks
!, which were unceasing. One day, they
q gave the boys a touch OF criminal
J Jurisprudence" trying popular and
4 humorous auctioneer whom they ar
rested passing by, for being self
: made man. This was SO irresistibly
! funny that the laughing lasted after
: court adjourned. Even quoits nigh,
. not have saved the algebra lesson thai
afternoon.
n Through it all, no boy had the tenn
Gritty, even the temptation, to trespass
\ upon the young teachers dignity; thai
! he always maintained. He was earnest
able, even aggressive, In everything
\ he did, but never offensive; and as he
MI was In youth SO he grew into man
: hood An eminent Chicago lawyer, /;
4 judge of long experience on tn,
q bench, lifelong friend, said Of tina
If side of his character to newspape
y reporter the day he died:
20 ''He was man of strong char
.. acter. a good lawyer, and loyal
IL friend. In court he was resource
~ full, logical and persuasive He
.. had clear convictions upon all
]. ethical questions. and lived up to
:, them. He was honest with the
court. His attitude toward it and
- his adversaries was kindly. have
y, never known him to lose his
"a courteous bearing"
~ Surely he was great lawyer, an,
: tributes of his worth have been PAL
Il widely in the country. However, Il
%. Keokuk 1t is Kretzinger the schoo
q teacher. who is remembered by tn
r greater number of contemporaries
~ OF the period am recalling.
M And 1t was period of his lif
be which he delighted to recall NOR
is. than any other. One night towar
,i.I the close Of the great presidentia
t. campaign of 1896, he caught me i
ST. Kansas City, and for hours we wall
as ed the streets while he talked @
US Keokuk and "Jamieson's boys" I
KIT Chicago, often used to meet him 1
Id the Dearborn station at noonda
y, luncheon, and Keokuk and old friend
elk there always were his theme. On
I'd night in February, 1911, fell in wit
III him on storm-delayed train in Kar
lis sas. Again 1t was Keokuk. Will
Id, friends (strangers to the subject
- listened with interested attention. o
q this occasion he referred with prid
~ tn recpnfjOu oiven RI bip, ~, T