Opinion |

Remembering Robert Dubel, a great and beloved public school leader | READER COMMENTARY

On a cold, wintry day in early January when meteorologists recommended we stay home, I drove across the Baltimore Beltway for the memorial service for former Baltimore County Public Schools superintendent Robert Y. Dubel (“Robert Y. Dubel, former Baltimore County Public Schools superintendent, dies,” Dec. 7). The service was held in a lovely church, Milford Mill United Methodist Church, not far from where Dr. Dubel lived and where he worshipped. As I entered the sanctuary, I saw friends and colleagues from years past. Among the not quite packed church there were two former county executives, Donald Hutchinson and Donald Mohler, as well as Nancy Grasmick, the former Maryland schools superintendent and a former longtime employee of the Baltimore County Public Schools.

After a greeting from the Rev. Terri Williams, Dr. Grasmick came forward to speak. As usual, her speech was thoughtful and beautifully delivered. What clearly stood out to me was how many times she mentioned that Dr. Dubel was a lifetime mentor. Here is one of the best-known educators in the history of the state of Maryland telling the audience that she had learned so many invaluable lessons and insights from Dr. Dubel, a woman who has mentored many and who is revered in educational circles. What a tribute to Dr. Dubel.

The second of the four speakers was Judy Edgar a former executive assistant to the superintendent. Her speech was filled with moving anecdotes of her former boss. Several, in particular, made me nod in agreement as I remembered the man I also worked for. She recalled when the school system was losing attendance and had to furlough employees while closing a number of schools. Dr. Dubel refused to take a $10,000 bump in salary and instead donated it to the school system.

I remember Dr. Dubel making a point to speak with employees often overlooked employees, including bus drivers, cafeteria workers and grounds people. When I was the principal of Villa Cresta Elementary, he was scheduled for a visit at a specific time. As I awaited him, I was surprised that he was late; that was not his usual way. It turns out he was sitting in the custodian’s office talking to him about how he was doing and if there was anything he could do to help.

The third speaker was a golfing buddy and long-time friend of Dr. Dubel’s. He told warm stories of their weekly chats and emphasized Dr. Dubel’s intelligence and humanity.

The final person to speak, and to my mind the most moving, was Rebecca Snodderly, his daughter. She emphasized what a wonderful father, grandfather and role model he was for all of the family. How his early upbringing during the Great Depression molded him into a self-sufficient person. His love of books, his commitment to going to all the activities of his grandchildren and his thoughtfulness to listen to family members and provide sage advice. The depth to which he loved his wife, Helen, and from the time they met at the then-Western Maryland College until her death they had a deep and unbreakable bond. Most moving was a final letter that Dr. Dubel wrote while barely hanging on to life that indicated how proud he was of his family and how much he loved them.

I wish the church had been overflowing. However, I know that those of us present represented the thousands of teachers, the tens of thousands of children, the multitude of administrators and staff that were better off because of his humanity and leadership. Dr. Dubel always highlighted the values and precepts that he wanted every employee to model. Of this, I am sure, he was a beacon of light, a man of steadfast integrity, a leader and that those of us who worked for him are better off because he was there.

— H. Scott Gehring, Cockeysville

The writer is a former area superintendent for Baltimore County Public Schools.

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