Jane E Lucas

Thank you. It is a pleasure to be here. I have been fortunate to be able to return for all three of the All-School Reunions. This award is indeed a great honor knowing that many who grew up in Waseca went on to do good work.

I owe my parents Ken and Mary Ellen Lucas a great deal for how they prepared me for life. My brothers and I are lucky, also, that our parents settled in Waseca.

In a recent exchange with Mrs. Kozan, who for years ran the Waseca Music Store, I was reminded that it takes a village to raise a child - a well-known African saying.  Mrs. Kozan was a solid member of the village I grew up in. I can list others who helped to raise me, whom I hope you will recognize in yourselves or in your parents and grandparents.

The village that raised me included:

Of course, the teachers who worked hard to help us to read and more difficult, to write, to spell, to diagram sentences, to analyze ideas, to understand Shakespeare and A Catcher in the Rye, to learn some foreign phrases and about the cultures that spoke them, to explore the world by scientific rules.

There were teachers who were there to make us better at sports, dancing, cooking, art, and shop; who taught us about the birds and the bees, and how to stay healthy; who gave us discipline through piano lessons and great pride in being part of the marching band; who strengthened our social conscience to make us better citizens. (I am glad to hear that one of my favorite teachers, Mr. Bendix, is still at it after 50 years!)

The village that took care of us went beyond the school. It included the park employees who served as life guards, maintained the ice rink and helped us lace up our skates, who taught baton, tennis, and how to make a good lanyard.

Our village included librarians at the public library and chaperones at the Teen Canteen; Sunday school and Vacation Bible School teachers; scout leaders; and pastors who introduced me to social crises and the work to be done in the world beyond Waseca.

Watching over us on the street when our parents could not see us were storekeepers, pharmacists, grocers, police, the owner of the local movie theatre and the older children in the Trowbridge Park neighborhood. 

The village also included people who took a risk and gave me my first jobs babysitting, at E.F. Johnson, the welfare office, the flower shop; at Barney's A&W, and life guarding at Clear Lake.

Many more watchful, caring eyes and hands were there for us in Waseca. And I am sure your good work continues. I hope you all know that I am grateful. There are many of us who are grateful.

I would like to say that I am grateful also to my husband and partner in life, Craig Kuehl, for sharing and supporting this work.

Again, thank you.

Waseca, July 6, 2008