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Published - Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Key to good teaching for Dable was to

Luther High School teacher Paul Dable is retiring after 34 years at the Onalaska school.
Photo by Jo Anne Killeen

keep learning

By JO ANNE KILLEEN | Staff writer

After 34 years, Paul Dable is retiring from teaching at Onalaska Luther High School effective June 1. Though he was originally going to be a pastor, Dable has been teaching English, social studies, economics, psychology and whatever he has been asked to do over the years.

Dable retired from full-time teaching at the end of the first semester of this school year, but has continued in a part-time capacity through the spring semester.

“Even though he taught students about the Renaissance period, Paul was our renaissance social studies teacher,” said Principal Paul Wichmann. “He very effectively taught a variety of classes. He has a tremendous ability to make classes interesting and relevant to the students.”

Dable, 66, attributes his success to keeping a sense of humor and knowing what he was talking about. “The kids are always amazed at how much I know,” Dable said. “One of the keys to success as a teacher is to stay current; research and grow yourself. In order to relate to the kids, you have to know what’s happening today. We spend a lot of time on current events and what is in today’s newspapers.”

Dable’s background has contributed to his well-rounded approach to teaching. He was born in Waukesha and he originally thought he wanted to be a pastor and went to Northwest Prep School for the ministry.

Then he went into the Army. After leaving the Army he was a land surveyor for seven years. The G.I. Bill helped him go back to school at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1971. His religious training came from Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minn., where he was certified to teach religion. He lives in West Salem.

A lot of things have changed since he started at Luther. The school was much smaller with the original building and there were fewer students and most of them came from area farms.

“Today’s kids have lived through an unparalleled period of prosperity and they have more material things than before, but they are still motivated to learn,” Dable said.

He said today’s technology has left him behind. “Everything changes so fast,” Dable said. While he says he can’t pass on any skills with technology to the students, he hopes he’s passed on something more.

“Hopefully, I’ve passed on a love of learning and historical insight,” he said. “Today’s kids are woefully ignorant when it comes to history.”

What the kids gave back to him, he said, was patience. “Oh, I learned over and over that if they don’t get (a concept) the first time, try again and again and again.”

As accomplished as he is as a teacher, retirement is something Dable is ready to try. He has no concrete plans for his newfound leisure except to take care of his health, travel, play golf, go fishing and visit his four kids around the country.

“He is very well-liked by his students,” Wichmann said. “His quick wit and making it relevant to the current world they live in was certainly a tremendous gift he shared.

“Christ being the focus of teaching was paramount to Paul, helping students understand there is a Lord that governs all things for his purpose,” Wichmann continued. “That was his greatest gift to his students as well. Paul will be missed and we deeply appreciate his service to the Luther High School. We wish him the Lord’s continued blessings as he pursues other things.”