Talk of the Town
October 28, 2010

(Talk of the Town photos by Jennifer Zartman Romano) Above, students hold hands around a tree planted in the new Bob Brittain Memorial Garden at Columbia City High School Wednesday.  Below, the garden is adjacent to the library where Brittain spent much of his time in his latter years. At bottom, a group of students and friends were present for the unveiling of the garden Wednesday. In front, from left, is Dakota Wappes, Austin Andreas and Zach Kincaid. Row two, from left, is Hannah Clark, May Cheng, Linda Hershman and Laura Hershman. Row three includes groundskeeper Denny Mettler, principal Gregg Goewert, teacher Tom Lough, CCHSAA president Andrew Thompson, speech and debate coach Aaron Dicker and head custodian Bob Burman.

Beloved educator Bob Brittain memorialized with garden at CCHS

By Jennifer Zartman Romano

A space for quiet reflection, a fitting tribute has been created at Columbia City High School for a much-loved educator by the students, colleagues and alumni who remember his so dearly.

Bob Brittain spent many of his latter years in an office in the Dale Pence Library at Columbia City High School, so it makes sense that a memory garden was created in his honor just outside the windows from which light shone on his desk.
On Wednesday afternoon, a group of Columbia City High School Speech and Debate team members remembered their coach as they looked upon the small garden built in his honor.

"It is a memorial area. We felt it was fitting to do this in memory of Bob," said Columbia City High School Alumni Association president Andrew Thompson. Brittain had been the president of the organization, in addition to coaching the CCHS Speech and Debate team, until his unexpected death this past spring. A retired CCHS English teacher, Brittain taught at the high school for 36 years and continued on as a coach well after his retirement from the classroom in 2004. A fixture at the high school known for arriving very, very early and staying until late in the evening as he worked on high school activities, Brittain was adored by his students, colleagues and fellow alumni association members. Brittain, himself, graduated from the high school in 1964.
A memorial bench in the garden was purchased with memorial gifts from fellow members of the Columbia City High School Alumni Association. A Norway Maple tree was planted in the garden thanks to donations from Indiana Speech and Debate coaches.

"Bob Burman and his crew have reworked this area and it will continue to be added to in the spring," said Thompson. Thompson said there will eventually be a plaque installed in the garden as well.

"Here in front of the library is fitting," Thompson said. "The library is where Bob spent the majority of his time."

"He touched many of us coaching and teaching," said Thompson. "He was also an integral part of the Columbia City High School Alumni Association."

The Post & Mail
October 29, 2010
By Becky Hand

Remembering Bob Brittain

“I’ve missed him a lot this year,” said Columbia City High School English teacher Tom Lough of a colleague who died unexpectedly in April — Bob Brittain.

Brittain was an icon in the speech and debate department at CCHS for years. And he was known not only in Indiana, but throughout the U.S. and beyond.

His former competitors, debate coaches from northern Indiana including Plymouth, Chesterton, Fort Wayne schools and South Bend schools, passed the hat and purchased a tree in Brittain’s memory which has been planted near the library at the high school.

“It’s a good choice, by the library,” Lough said. “Someone will say ‘who is this Bob guy?’ And someone will know.”

Beside the tree is a bench purchased by the Alumni Association in Brittain’s honor. Eventually a plaque will be placed there with his name.

Brittain graduated from Columbia City High School in 1964, earned his Bachelor’s Degree in English from Indiana University in 1968 and returned to his high school as a teacher and speech and debate coach that year.

Retiring in 2004, he remained very much a part of the program in an advisory role.

Brittain’s memberships included the National Forensic League, state and national chapters; the National Council of Teachers of English; and the Teacher’s Association, local state and national. He served on the board of directors of the Whitley County Literacy Council, the Bowen Center for Human Services, the Peabody Public Library, the Columbia City Kiwanis Club and was the president of the CCHS Alumni Association at the time of his death.

“He was an integral part of our Alumni Association,” said his successor, Andrew Thompson. “He did a tremendous job.”

Brittain had developed the Alumni Association scholarship fund, from which the first two scholarships were given in May of this year.

He would have been the presenter but for his untimely death in April.
Many of his former students and colleagues posted about their relationship to Brittain shortly after his death, speaking often of his accepting no less than the best from his charges.

While they spoke of disliking the work, they also admitted their lives were made much easier after his influence, because of that very work ethic.

Cassandra Petrie, this year’s Whitley County Junior Miss gave credit to Brittain for her skills in the interview portion of the program.

Aaron Dicker, who has been hired as Speech and Debate Coach this year at CCHS, remembered his predecessor from his days in high school debate at South Side High School in Fort Wayne.

“He was a very personable person,” Dicker said, telling how Brittain would give money for lunches if his students hadn’t brought enough.

He also spoke of Brittain’s reputation being nationwide and even worldwide for excellence in speech and debate.

When asked how he would fill Brittain’s shoes, Dicker replied simply, “It’s impossible.”

The fourth annual CCHS Alumni Association Legacy Golf Outing was held on Saturday, September 25, at Eagle Glen Golf Course in Columbia City.  The results were:
 

Other winners were:

 
Long drive (women):   Natosha Wood
Long drive (men):   Randall Carpenter
Closest to the pin # 2:   Phil Zent
Closest to the pin # 17:   Josh Lickey
Greg Norman autographed flag:   Dave Leininger, Class of "87"

A special thanks to our hole sponsors and Eagle Glen for hosting our Tournament.

 
Next year's alumni outing will be on Saturday, September 17, 2011.
 
Thanks also to the golf committe, Barb Knuth, and Sheryl Schuman for their help.

The “Teddy L. Gruver” Founder’s Trophy is currently on display in the main office at Columbia City High School, 600 North Whitley Street, Columbia City, IN.  Winners of this fourth annual event will have their names added to the trophy and a photo of the winning team will be displayed in the CCHS main office.