Josef Spudich
Encyclopedia
Josef Spudich was a United States
professional American football
player and teacher.
He was born November 9, 1908, one of nine children of parents who came to the United States in 1903 from Croatia
.
In order to help with family expenses, Spudich worked nights and summers in a coal mine while attending high school
in Benld, Illinois
, and was graduated in 1929. He was a graduate of McKendree College
, Lebanon, Illinois
, in 1933, where he was named to the United Press International All-Star Football Team in 1932, and was All State fullback
in 1931 and 1932. Moreover, he played professional football for the St. Louis Gunners, the Tulsa Oilers, and the Chicago Cardinals.
Spudich earned his Masters Degree from the University of Missouri
and did post-graduate work at Oxford
in England and at Columbia University
.
He taught and coached in Sikeston, Missouri
, Cairo
and El Dorado Springs
; then starting in 1942, at Freeport High School, Freeport, Illinois
, where he was head football coach from 1951–1954.
Spudich taught English and served as assistant principal. He was
a soft-spoken man and had the respect and admiration of his students. Mr. Spudich always had time to help students, even if it was at the expense of his own plans. He was a very patient and kind man. He was also not only considered the High School's strongest man, his arms filling out his suit jackets, but was also considered the best dressed male teacher. Joe, as he was known to his students, would also plan field trips, such as taking them to Chicago to see such plays as Camelot
, starring Richard Burton
. He also assigned then contemporary books such as Patterns, by Rod Serling
, as well as classics, such as Shakespeare's, Julius Caesar. After retiring at Freeport High School in 1964, he taught English and was chairman of the Humanities Division at Highland College, also in Freeport, Illinois.
Mr. Spudich served on the Freeport Library Board, was a Freeport City Alderman
, coached the Frogs Girls Softball Team, played slow pitch softball
in his 1970s, helped move a log cabin to the Stephenson County Historical Society grounds in Freeport, and did all the stonework on his own house plus a lot of stonework for others. If Joe knew that his stonework for some people was unaffordable, he did it free of cost.
Near the end of his life, Mr. Spudich was disheartened over seeing American high schools' over reaction for security, e.g., the use of police and police dogs monitoring the students and premises. He said that, "Many American high schools were losing their status as institutions of education and were taking on more a prison type atmosphere." Moreover, he also feared this same over reaction for security could eventually be adopted by the government at the cost of individual liberty. It appears that Mr. Spudich was a true visionary.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and teacher.
He was born November 9, 1908, one of nine children of parents who came to the United States in 1903 from Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
.
In order to help with family expenses, Spudich worked nights and summers in a coal mine while attending high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in Benld, Illinois
Benld, Illinois
Benld is a city in Macoupin County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,541 at the 2000 census. The name derives from founder Benjamin L. Dorsey ....
, and was graduated in 1929. He was a graduate of McKendree College
McKendree College
McKendree University, formerly known as McKendree College, is a private liberal arts college located in Lebanon, Illinois. The area is a part of the Metro-East region of Greater St. Louis. Founded in 1828 as the Lebanon Seminary, it is the oldest college in Illinois...
, Lebanon, Illinois
Lebanon, Illinois
Lebanon is a city in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,523 at the 2000 census. Like many other places in "Little Egypt" or Southern Illinois, Lebanon was named after the Middle Eastern country of the same name. It is a part of the Metro-East region of the Greater St...
, in 1933, where he was named to the United Press International All-Star Football Team in 1932, and was All State fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
in 1931 and 1932. Moreover, he played professional football for the St. Louis Gunners, the Tulsa Oilers, and the Chicago Cardinals.
Spudich earned his Masters Degree from the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
and did post-graduate work at Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
in England and at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
.
He taught and coached in Sikeston, Missouri
Sikeston, Missouri
Sikeston is a city located both in southern Scott County and northern New Madrid County, in the U.S. state of Missouri. It is geographically situated just north of the "Missouri Bootheel", although many locals consider Sikeston a part of it. By way of Interstate 55, Sikeston is close to the...
, Cairo
Cairo, Missouri
Cairo is a village in Randolph County, Missouri, United States. The population was 293 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Cairo is located at ....
and El Dorado Springs
El Dorado Springs, Missouri
El Dorado Springs is the largest city in Cedar County, Missouri, United States. The population was 3,775 at the 2000 census. The name is commonly shortened to El Dorado or just El Do.-Geography:El Dorado Springs is located at ....
; then starting in 1942, at Freeport High School, Freeport, Illinois
Freeport, Illinois
Freeport is a city in and the county seat of Stephenson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 26,443 at the 2000 census. The mayor of Freeport is George W...
, where he was head football coach from 1951–1954.
Spudich taught English and served as assistant principal. He was
a soft-spoken man and had the respect and admiration of his students. Mr. Spudich always had time to help students, even if it was at the expense of his own plans. He was a very patient and kind man. He was also not only considered the High School's strongest man, his arms filling out his suit jackets, but was also considered the best dressed male teacher. Joe, as he was known to his students, would also plan field trips, such as taking them to Chicago to see such plays as Camelot
Camelot (musical)
Camelot is a musical by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe . It is based on the King Arthur legend as adapted from the T. H. White tetralogy novel The Once and Future King....
, starring Richard Burton
Richard Burton
Richard Burton, CBE was a Welsh actor. He was nominated seven times for an Academy Award, six of which were for Best Actor in a Leading Role , and was a recipient of BAFTA, Golden Globe and Tony Awards for Best Actor. Although never trained as an actor, Burton was, at one time, the highest-paid...
. He also assigned then contemporary books such as Patterns, by Rod Serling
Rod Serling
Rodman Edward "Rod" Serling was an American screenwriter, novelist, television producer, and narrator best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his science fiction anthology TV series, The Twilight Zone. Serling was active in politics, both on and off the screen and helped form...
, as well as classics, such as Shakespeare's, Julius Caesar. After retiring at Freeport High School in 1964, he taught English and was chairman of the Humanities Division at Highland College, also in Freeport, Illinois.
Mr. Spudich served on the Freeport Library Board, was a Freeport City Alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
, coached the Frogs Girls Softball Team, played slow pitch softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
in his 1970s, helped move a log cabin to the Stephenson County Historical Society grounds in Freeport, and did all the stonework on his own house plus a lot of stonework for others. If Joe knew that his stonework for some people was unaffordable, he did it free of cost.
Near the end of his life, Mr. Spudich was disheartened over seeing American high schools' over reaction for security, e.g., the use of police and police dogs monitoring the students and premises. He said that, "Many American high schools were losing their status as institutions of education and were taking on more a prison type atmosphere." Moreover, he also feared this same over reaction for security could eventually be adopted by the government at the cost of individual liberty. It appears that Mr. Spudich was a true visionary.