Brian Kulas tie
I got to wear my Brian Kulas tie on Monday night.
I don’t wear a tie very often. In this regard I am similar to about 95% of the county’s male population outside of those who spend their days in courtrooms, financial institutions or coffins. I once had an undertaker friend, who had moved to the area from elsewhere, express shock at seeing community and business leaders dressed casually to attend a visitation or funeral. Granted, casually to him meant them not wearing a coat and tie.
The occasion for me breaking out the shirt and tie had nothing to do with a funeral. For this I was grateful, I hope to avoid going to funerals as much as possible.
Rather my tie was due to a celebration and a long overdue recognition of one of the truly great people in the Medford community.
Monday night was the installation ceremony for this year’s members to the Medford Area Senior High School chapter of the National Honor Society. With my son Alex, among those getting inducted I was having a proud parent moment. But still, no matter how proud I was of my son’s academic achievement, it would be a stretch to pull out the tie for it — especially given the sweltering nature of the Red White Theater when packed with a standing room only crowd.
Several years ago, Medford School District began an academic hall of fame, to serve as a complement and counterbalance to its longstanding athletic hall of fame. The intent of any hall of fame is to highlight those who through their lifetime of action serve as role models and examples for the rest of us mere mortals to follow.
It was my honor on Monday to introduce Shirley Lemke as an inductee into the MASH Academic Hall of Fame. I have know Shirley since I came to Medford nearly 30 years ago and have always admired her determination and ethic when working with the Medford Library and then after her formal retirement with her unceasing efforts with the Medford Lions and Lions International.
Earlier this winter, I happened to be at the Medford Curling Club helping out at an event, and I got to talking to Shirley’s husband Dave who had seen the ad calling for hall of fame nominees and said he felt Shirley was deserving of it. I completely agreed with him. When I think of all that Shirley has done to promote lifelong learning over the past six decades, it would be hard to imagine anyone more deserving of the recognition. I went to my office dug into the back issues at The Star News office and put together a nomination letter, figuring if nothing else, the committee would have it on file for the future.
I was pretty excited a few weeks later to come home to a letter in my mailbox letting me know she had been selected for the recognition. Since I was the one who made the nomination, I got to give the speech introducing her in front of the attentive group of NHS inductees and their families.
Like I said, I got to wear my Brian Kulas tie. More than 20 years ago, I was sitting on a stage at the former Skateway Skating Rink waiting for my turn to speak. I received the person of the year award that year and Shirley as the lifetime achievement honoree was speaking after me.
Brian Kulas — forever Mr. Kulas to everyone over a certain age in Medford — was one of those giving introductions and he made a point of giving me a brightly colored tie covered in images of things you might see in a typical elementary classroom.
It has been years since Brian has left us, but I still think of him and his lessons whenever I see that tie. Given its connection to the last time I shared a stage with Shirley, I felt it was fitting to wear it while recognizing her and the monumental impact she has had and continues to have on the Medford community.
Brian Wilson is News Editor at The Star News.
