Marianne Matthews taught English, theater and speech for 35 years at Carl Sandburg Excessive College in Orland Park, the place she additionally directed many pupil theater productions.
“She was the primary of many unbelievable English academics I had at Sandburg who helped me hone my writing expertise and change into a greater communicator,” mentioned Kim Singletary, a 1997 Sandburg graduate.
Matthews, 80, died of pure causes on Sept. 5 on the College of Chicago Hospitals, mentioned her niece, Mary Beth Harper. She was a longtime La Grange resident.
Born in Dubuque, Iowa, Matthews was adopted by Anna and Steve Zern. She grew up in Joliet and graduated from St. Francis Academy in Joliet, which now’s a part of Joliet Catholic Academy.
Matthews obtained a bachelor’s diploma from the College of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign after which a grasp’s diploma from the U. of I., her household mentioned. She started educating English, theater and speech lessons at Sandburg in 1966.
Her main goals, former college students mentioned, included instilling in her college students a love for the written phrase, a confidence when talking publicly, and a eager love for the work of William Shakespeare.
“She taught confidence, public talking, analysis and deep thought into topics and instilled a piece ethic that I nonetheless use day by day — and all the time will,” mentioned Vikki Duke, a 1997 Sandburg graduate who went on to show for 5 years in Palos College District 118. “The influence on her college students is immeasurable.”
Singletary recalled that in her freshman honors English class, Matthews taught college students Shakespearean curse phrases, telling her class that “they’re a lot extra attention-grabbing than common curse phrases.”
“Not solely was it a enjoyable train, however I additionally discovered the phrase ‘cur’ and began a lifelong relationship with Shakespeare, who stays one in all my favourite wordsmiths,” Singletary mentioned. “Mrs. Matthews made me pleased with being an enormous phrase nerd.”
Matthews team-taught the speech part of Sandburg’s freshman honors English class alongside her longtime colleague Jean Moran, who taught the literature piece. Moran mentioned one former pupil, former U.S. Rep. Jim Nussle, an Iowa Republican, famously wore a paper bag over his head on the U.S. Home ground to protest what he noticed as mismanagement by the opposing get together — an concept that Moran mentioned might have been impressed by his time in Matthews’ English class.
“One of many issues he remembered from Marianne’s speech class was that you just wanted to get the eye of your viewers earlier than you probably did anything,” Moran mentioned.
Matthews introduced out the perfect in college students engaged on a college play, mentioned Julie Meyerson Ross, who graduated from Sandburg in 1976.
“In highschool I used to be an insecure, fair-to-middling being. I bought into theater and underneath the steering of Mrs. Matthews I grew to become particular, proficient and valued,” Ross mentioned. “She was enjoyable, artistic and attentive to all us youngsters. She revered and impressed us.”
Ross recalled that earlier than a manufacturing, Matthews would ship handwritten playing cards to each member of a manufacturing’s solid and crew, “lauding the distinctive accomplishments and items the coed delivered to the manufacturing.”
College of the Artwork Institute of Chicago science professor Dianne Jedlicka labored on lighting and sound for pupil productions, and picked up on Matthews’ recommendation to performers on communications.
“I by no means thought I might act however right here I’m now, a university professor, educating college students all about life processes (and) I’ve enjoyable passing this data on due to how (she) coached us on presentation and making every sentence, gesture and silence rely as a type of communication,” Jedlicka mentioned. “One among my favourite faculty lessons to show is animal habits and I make use of lots of (her) methods in my supply of the science.”
Regardless of Matthews’ excessive profile at Sandburg as a theater director, she was disinclined to just accept recognition for her work, mentioned Thompson Brandt, a former pupil who later grew to become a colleague as an orchestra director for Sandburg productions.
“This can be a uncommon character trait for stage administrators, not typically shared by others within the craft,” Brandt mentioned. “Marianne was among the many best college members that Carl Sandburg Excessive College produced.”
Moran recalled Matthews’ sensible nature and generosity when it got here to creating productions occur.
“Marianne introduced in her wedding ceremony gown after we wanted one for a dressing up, and he or she introduced in her eating room furnishings for ‘The Miracle Employee,’” Moran mentioned. “Marianne by no means overpassed the truth that she was working with college students, and that their expertise and studying topped all the pieces. She didn’t hesitate to solid towards sort or to present further time to a pupil when it was wanted.”
After retiring from Sandburg in 2001, Matthews volunteered on the Hinsdale Public Library, and in addition loved theater outings, her niece mentioned.
Matthews is survived by her husband, Jim.
A memorial Mass might be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 20, at St. Cletus Catholic Church, 600 W. fifty fifth St., La Grange.
Bob Goldsborough is a contract reporter.
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