Annual Breakfast and Teacher Hall of Fame Induction welcomes teachers, staff, and Hall of Fame Inductees including Larry Baldwin, John Birchler, and Linda Egge
By Jim Beers
CHESTER – The Chester School District No. 139 school year got off to a great start Tuesday August 12 with the Annual Breakfast for all teachers, staff, and related personnel. This has been a tradition in the District for decades.
This year there was added attraction with the induction ceremony for the new Teacher Hall of Fame members which included Larry Baldwin, John A. Birchler, and Linda Egge.
The breakfast began at 8:00 a.m. with all District # 139 employees being treated to a FREE delicious breakfast. The event was held at the Chester Grade School in the CGS Cafeteria. Upon arrival all teachers and staff were asked to sign-in to document their attendance after which they were treated to a very delicious breakfast.
In addition to District No. 139 employees, the Teacher Hall of Fame inductees and their families were invited to attend the breakfast prior to the Induction Ceremony.
The menu included both a veggie and a meat casserole, biscuits and gravy, bacon, fresh fruit, coffee, orange juice, milk, and all of the fixings for naked biscuits such ands jelly, butter, and the like.
As people approached the serving line inside the kitchen it was noticed that District Administrative personnel were doing the serving including District Superintendent Kimberly Briggs, CHS Principal Jeremy Blechle, CGS Principal Tim Blair, CGS Assistant Principal, Kristen Petrowske, CHS Assistant Principal, Robin Barton, CHS Curriculum Director, Shirley Stegmann, and new Early Childhood Center Principal, Rachel Marshall.
The breakfast lasted until approximately 8:30 a.m. at which time Superintendent Briggs thanked everyone for coming and invited all in attendance to make their way into the CGS Gymnasium for the Teacher Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
Upon entering the gym, teachers picked pertinent materials relating to the 2025-26 school year. Hall of Fame inductees and their guests were escorted to front row reserved seating in the gym bleachers.
Once everyone was settled in the gymnasium, Briggs once again thanked everyone for coming and gave an emotionally, heart-warming, introduction to the teachers and staff thanking them for all they do for the District and students.
Mrs. Briggs referenced the Bible verse Galatians 6:9 in her introduction that reads, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Briggs said that the District teachers and staff always do good things for the students and for that, she is grateful.
She noted that it makes it easier for her to come to work each day because she knows that the teachers and staff give their all to educate the students in the District and that she loves the work they do.
Briggs said that everyone wants to come to Chester because it is the best District and that Chester District No. 139 has the best teachers. Briggs became rather emotional as she gave her welcome to teachers and staff and gave many kudos to teachers and staff for the great job they do!
“There is no other place that I want to be! I always want our teachers and staff to now that I appreciate all that they do, especially for the kids, and that I really believe that Chester is the place to be!”
Once finished, Briggs turned the floor over to the Teacher Hall of Fame Committee which includes Chuck Fricke, Deb Caraway, Kyle Koeneman, Kasi Jany, and Tracy Colvis. Fricke and Koeneman had other commitments and could not attend, but Caraway, Colvis, and Jany were present to greet Inductees and their Families and monitor the Induction Ceremony.
Masters of Ceremonies for the day were Tracy Colvis and Deb Caraway. The community was also invited to attend the ceremony as well as family and invited guests of the inductees. Hall of Fame Inductees included Larry Baldwin, a Chester Grade School junior high English Teacher, John A. Birchler, a CGS and CHS Band and Choral Teacher, and Linda Egge, a Chester High School Teacher.
Colvis noted, “The Hall of Fame Committee for Chester Community Unit No. 139 is proud to announce the second class of employees being honored for their commitment to the Chester schools. Their former teachers, students, parents, colleagues, and community members hold these individuals in the highest esteem and have nominated them for this honor”.
“These former employees are being recognized this morning on our first day of school Staff Breakfast for their contributions to our District.”
Larry Baldwin (English Teacher at CGS)
Larry Baldwin was the first inductee. He graduated from SIU-C and began his teaching career at Chester Grade School in 1968. Larry taught Language Arts, Reading, Spelling, and Writing. His endeavors made a great impact on his student’s lives.
Several former students reported that Mr. Baldwin had positive effects upon their personal and educational paths. One student said, “Mr. Baldwin’s assigning of a weekly writing topic expanded my knowledge of English usage and made me more comfortable in making oral presentations”. This same student said that Mr. Baldwin had a positive influence in helping him make a decision to become a college English major and eventually became involved in journalism.
Another student noted that Mr. Baldwin’s influence helped him earn the title of “Outstand Writer” when he was in Law School and that he later was asked to be the Editor of his Law Review.
Baldwin created a program at CGS titled, Writing is Necessary or better known as the W.I.N. Project. This project soon became a school-wide initiative and was responsible for children at all levels at CGS to read, write, create essays and write poetry. After the floods of 1993 Baldwin’s book, “Children of the Flood” brought together the narrative of children and teachers from the Chester and Kaskaskia Island areas.
At CGS Baldwin also sponsored the Junior Beta Club and was the Chairman of the Elks Hoop Shoot each year. Mr. Baldwin retired for teaching in 2000. After 32 years of dedication to teaching at CGS. He was accompanied at the Induction Ceremony by his wife Janet Baldwin, also a former Chester Grade School Teacher, his daughters, Joanna Baldwin Tudor, and Jennifer Cartwright, and several other relatives including grandchildren and siblings.
John A. Birchler (Band and Choral Director at CHS/CGS)
Mr. Birchler, or “Mr. B” as most students called him, came to Chester in 1962 and was the Band and Choral Director until 1988 when he retired and went to Gibault High School. During his 26 years in Chester, the name John A. Birchler soon became associated as, “The Music Man”.
Birchler was raised in the Walsh and Chester area. He graduated from Chester High School and went to Southern Illinois University-Carbondale where he was an exemplary music student and a good Saluki Baseball player. He graduated from SIU-C and passed the potential opportunity to try his hand in professional baseball in exchange to become a great band and choral director. Baseball’s loss was Chester’s wonderful gain!
Mr. “B” had big shoes to fill in Chester as he had to follow in the footsteps of the well- known and very successful Wayne Thorne who established a music dynasty in the area from his arrival in 1948 until his retirement in 1961. In between Thorne and the arrival of Birchler, an interim director, Wesley Stelzreide, served as director in the 1961-1962 school year. In that short span of time, the band program lost much of its momentum and interest. Birchler was faced with a dying program when he arrived.
Mr. Birchler came from a very successful and popular music program at SIU-C and brought all of its “new-fangled” ideas and technologies along with him to Chester. John had the skill, talent, motivational expertise and drive to bring the Chester Music Program back to life within a very short time! He was soon to be known as, “The Music Man” as his bands grew in size, talent, skill, dedication, loyalty, and success to become one of the best programs in the State of Illinois.
Mr. “B” taught Marching Band, Concert Band, The Rhythm Rascals (Jazz Band), Concert Band, and Choraleers (Swing Choir). In addition he taught Music Appreciation, Private Lessons, monitored a huge Study Hall, and coached Freshman and Sophomore Baseball. He also was responsible for the band and chorus at Chester Grade School until a second music person was hired.
In the summer months Birchler led the Chester Municipal Band, owned and directed one of the best “Big Bands” or Dance Bands/Orchestras in Southern Illinois and Southeast Missouri, known as “The John Birchler Orchestra”.
Students and friends of John A. Birchler said, “John was a highly inspirational band director who fostered a love for music and for his students. He not only challenged our musical abilities and helped made us better citizens.”
“Mr. “B” had a new halftime show for every football game and these shows tested our abilities to both march and play at the same time. Student’s pride in being a member of the Chester Marching YellowJackets showed in the performances of each and every show, and as evidenced by the eternal band cheer that was screamed after each performance, “We’re the BEST in all the land, WE’RE
THE CHESTER HIGH SCHOOL BAND!”
It is quite easily apparent that Mr. Birchler was well known as a great band director, but to many, he was also a mentor, a teacher, a father figure, and a disciplinarian. His students adored him and would have jumped off the end of the world for him! Students adored him! Many went into the field of music and had good musical careers due the positive influence that Birchler had on them!
Mr. “B” was definitely a legend, and an icon, and is still, to this day, spoken of by his former students and fellow colleagues with awe, admiration, thanks, and loving thoughts. His impact upon the Chester Music scene is lasting and he has been deeply missed since his retirement from District # 139 in 1988. He definitely leaves a musical legacy in Chester Music history.
John A. Birchler passed away on December 23, 2024 after a rich a fulfilling life. Accepting the honor for her father was Mr. Birchler’s daughter Jennie (Birchler) Smith She was accompanied by several of Mr. Birchler’s former students including Linda Kriete (1967), Janet Vasquez (1967), Dr. Jim Beers (1969), and Gwendy Garner (1967).
Linda Egge (Teacher at CHS)
Linda Egge graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree from Concordia Teacher’s College in Nebraska. She also received two Master’s Degrees, one from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville in Education and the other in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois.
Mrs. Egge attended Chester High School for her secondary Education and St. John Lutheran School for her elementary and Junior High Education. She therefor was very familiar with CHS when she began her teaching career there. She began her teaching journey in 1971.
Her first assignment was as a Physical Education Teacher at CHS. Her second assignment was as an English Teacher. Linda finished her career at CHS as the High School Librarian and District # 139 Technology Coordinator.
One of the individuals that nominated Mrs. Egge for the Teacher Hall of Fame said, “Linda Egge was a gift to our community! She made English fun! It was also stated that Egge always treated students with respect and was a dedicated teacher with a dry wit!”
A former student, who is also a current parent of a CHS student, said, “Mrs. Egge’s style of teaching was very direct and students always knew exactly what was expected of them. She demanded excellence from her students and most of the time they arose to her challenge!”
Besides teaching at CHS, Mrs. Egge sponsored Cheerleading and National Honor Society and she was a Senior Class Sponsor. Egge further served multiple terms as the Chester Education Association President and she was a member of the Illinois Association of English Teachers. She occasionally was a presenter at their meetings.
Finally, Linda was a member of a professional educators association titled, “Phi Delta Kappa. Egge’s husband, Steve, who was also a teacher, accompanied her to the Induction Ceremony.
Each 2025 Teacher Hall of Fame Inductee received a beautiful certificate and had the opportunity to address the audience at the ceremony. The event was deemed a huge success and completed the second induction of Hall of Famers since the inception of the Teacher Hall of Fame.
Immediately following the Induction Ceremony, teachers the opportunity meet and greet the inductees and there was a time for photographs. After a brief break, teachers returned to the gymnasium for meetings, training and time to work in their classrooms for the rest of the day. The first day of school for teachers was a huge success and the ball was rolling for the 2025-2026 school year.