Streamwood Park District Honors Alumnus

Ruth Regenburg Andersen a teacher for 43 years passed away Dec. 9 at the age of 97. Among her legacy is that she was the last surviving teacher of the Hoosier Grove School located originally at Barrington Rd. and Old Church Rd. in Streamwood. The 104 year old one room school house building is now owned by the Streamwood Park District and was moved to the Hoosier Grove Park off of Irving Park Rd.

She took a position at Spaulding School which would be incorporated into the U-46 school district after WW II and continue to teach there until she retired in 1976. Andersen was born in 1910 and attended the Plum Grove School near Palatine. She was an exception to the norm for her time. She Graduated from High School, and graduated College in 1933 during the Great Depression from the Chicago Teachers College.

The Chicago Teachers College would later become Chicago State University and Northeastern Illinois University.

"Her mind was sharp as a tack," said Streamwood Park District Commissioner, Rich Janiec. "She was a marvelous woman." The Village of Streamwood has proclaimed Oct. 16 as Ruth Regenburg Andersen Day. Among her duties as a teacher was stoking a coal stove and organizing special events for students.

"She would live with a local family during the week and her brother would drive her home to Palatine on the weekends," Said Janiec. "Linda Zimmerman and I met with Ruth to tell her about a proclamation that we were putting together for her through the Streamwood Park District, she was in tears about it. Unfortunately, we were unable to pass the proclamation before her death."

The proclamation of the Streamwood Park District was signed at their Dec. 16 meeting. This proclamation as well as the one from the Village of Streamwood in Oct. will be hung in the Hoosier Grove School Building.

"Ruth knew she was going to pass away very soon and written a letter for friends and family," said Janiec.

In the letter from Nov. 27 Andersen said, "At this point I am very ill and believe this to be my last Christmas on Earth. I will be 98 on Dec. 14. There are plenty of things I wanted to do. I wanted to learn to play the piano. I wanted to learn how to drive, and I wanted to travel to Europe. Still I have led a long, happy and purposeful life."

"I have many fond memories of the Christmas season in the country schools where I taught for 23 years; a skating pond outside of the school where children pushed me around on a sled, Christmas programs where students sang songs and put on small productions, and a fresh cut Christmas tree in the corner of the one-room. One of my biggest joys has been receiving cards, letters, and visits from former students and their descendants."

"I would like to thank all of you for the love, support and joy you've given me throughout my life. May yours be filled with success and happiness."