Our catch phrase is on its way.

Dear Fellow Earthlings,

I turned 12 years of age on January 10, 1960. Caseyville Elementary School had just added a new wing to its buiding – and that wing was made in order to accommodate 7th and 8th graders. My seventh grade homeroom teacher was Mr. “Do-ya-see?” Armin Hartmann. Mr. Hartmann's students called him "Do-ya-see?" because Mr. Hartmann was always smiling and saying, “Do you see?” as he taught us. He had such a twinkle in his eyes! Armin Hartmann, thank you for being my teacher! A man named Arnold Polzin was my French teacher. That’s right! After years of speaking only English, I had the honor of commencing my study of French. The fact that I already spoke English and Spanish made French such a snap to learn. I remember the words from the beginning lesson of my first French textbook even now: “ Jacques est un petit garcon. " ("Jacques is a little boy.”) “ Il porte un drapeau.” (“He is carrying a flag.”) “ C’est le drapeau francais.” (“It is the French flag.”) Mr. Polzin was amazed at how I could pick up the French accent from the records he played on a record player as he taught us. He even said, “Steve, you are just starting French and as yet know only about 15 words – but you pronounce all of them perfectly!” To which I replied, “No, not perfectly – but each time I say them as I listen to the French people on the record, I try to imagine what muscles those people are using as they speak. You should do the same Mr. Polzin – and then you would not have to use those records to provide nativelike examples of French pronunciation to us. You could do that yourself, sir!” Mr. Polzin replied, “My gosh, Steve! YOU should be the teacher in this class!” I said: “Oh, no…I can’t yet speak French!. So YOU teach me French and I WILL GIVE YOU pointers on how to improve your own already beautiful French pronunciation further – but of course, only after class for about two minutes, so that you will not be embarrassed by having me, your student, guide YOU in your pronunciation effort.” Mr. Polzin told me, “I will take you up on that!” By this he meant that he had accepted my proposal. By the end of my year with Mr. Polzin, I was the only student in the class who could speak French fluently – And Mr. Polzin had mastered French pronunciation! These were exciting times as I no longer sat in the same classroom all day, but moved to various rooms and had various classes with various teachers. Regarding my family, my younger sister Diana was born in May of 1959. Just the other day I discovered a precious picture taken when Diana turned one year of age on May 23, 1960. In the accompanying picture that’s Diana smiling in front of her birthday cake. The other people, from left to right, are cousin Donny Camillo (3), cousin Karen Camillo (6). sister Rosalie (9), me, brother Frank (8), and cousin Tony Camillo (4). Not pictured here is the youngest sibling in my family, my brother Kent Walker, born in September of 1960, four months after this picture was taken.

Steve Walker, Earthsaver and Jingles Creator

EarthSaver

Steve Walker

Our catch phrase is on its way.