Letter
Ms. Kathryn Aschliman – you are a very important person to me. You have been a positive influence on my entire life. This is a great experience for me to thank you and tell you in person what your love and friendship means to me which continues to this day.
It started in 1963 – now 62 years ago as I write this when my parents wisely enrolled me in the Goshen College Laboratory Kindergarten.
Before classes even started, you invited the entering class and parents to come to the College Mennonite Church where the kindergarten was housed to help prepare for the upcoming year. There was a wooden fishing boat outside in a play area that I remember we sanded and did other work. It made me feel important to contribute and increased my eagerness to start school.
When I reflect on that time it was clear that you cared for all your students. You provided encouragement, an appreciation for nature and God’s creation, used the resources and environment of the Goshen College campus and a number of people from different occupations to talk to us. We went on field trips, sang songs, took walks, played games, did crafts and involved parents on occasion.
Much later in life I recognized that this method of teaching is now what we call “experiential learning”. I believe this was an innovative approach for those times. I now also think about how many people have benefited from the kindergarten program. Not just the students in the classes, but the college students who took part in the program as part of their elementary education degree. Between the students in your classes, the teachers that were trained and the students taught by the college graduates, you have positively influenced thousands of people.
I remember your gentle and loving approach with us young students. There was one class member who needed additional support. A pattern developed that when story time came, she would come and sit on your lap while you read and talked to us. Somehow you were able to casually support her needs without drawing attention to it or doing it in a way that caused any jealousy among the students.
You pointed out gifts and talents that we had. Barbara was so good at drawing pictures. I remember during Christmas season, Barbara drew a Christmas tree on one of the chalk boards around the coat room. I remember you pointed out the drawing to the class and encouraged Barbara to keep developing her artwork.
During one of our walks around campus, Professor Witmer came with us and spoke about plants, nature and what we would describe now as the ecosystem. It was a windy day, and a weed came rolling across the sidewalk in front of us. I asked him what that was and he answered “that is tumble weed.”
The Goshen fire department came one time with a fire truck and parked in front of the Union Building on campus. We got to climb on the truck and learned about water being pumped through the huge hoses and what fire hydrants were and their importance.
You invited a cowboy that came and talked to us at story time. He played the guitar and sang some songs.
One day you invited parents to come and help the kindergarten students show off their pets and explain how to take care of them.
At Thanksgiving season, we roasted pumpkin seeds and made a dish from the pumpkin meat. I didn’t think I’d like the seeds, but I remember they were really good.
So many memories of that wonderful time of curiosity, learning and being nurtured.
Also, during kindergarten, my family moved to my Gunden grandparents’ house where the Goshen Hospital is now. My grandmother had advanced Parkinson’s Disease, and we moved in to help take care of her. This was a scary time for me. She had violent tremors. While that was concerning, I always had kindergarten to look forward to. Each morning, my friend Lee would come by, and we would race to kindergarten.
You kept in touch with us through the years. We had kindergarten reunions when we were high school age and we all enjoyed that.
After college, I moved to Pennsylvania and when I visited, you often sought me out at church and knew a bit about what I was doing. You always showed interest in me and wanted to know more. This occurred over many years, and I always looked forward to seeing you.
You have volunteered in many areas. I remember you helping to serve the meal following my father’s funeral in 2000. It was comforting that you were a presence.
In the summer of 2013, the biennial Mennonite Church USA convention took place in Phoenix. It was very hot. One of the events was a prayer walk through the city. We stopped and prayed at detention centers, the county courthouse and in front of Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s office. We could feel the heat welling up from the pavement and sidewalks. It was 90 degrees plus when we walked. Many people didn’t participate because of the heat. But there was Ms. Aschliman in front and center with the group. I was so impressed but not really surprised.
I will end with something that has gone full circle. When it was time to graduate from kindergarten, I shared with my mother how much I loved Ms. Aschliman and wanted her to know that. Mom suggested we buy you a small gift. We picked out a small pink vase and gave it to you after graduation.
During the visits through the years, you remembered the vase and would always tell me you still had it.
In 2016 you served at a funeral for another of my loved ones. This time my mother’s. At that time, you gave the vase back to me and said it was time for me to have it. This meant a lot to me at an emotional time.
Thank you for being such a wonderful person and a good friend to me and so many others. When the time comes, there is no doubt that God will tell you, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”
