Louis Patras, 62, of New Lenox, a longtime educator who was both a village trustee in Park Forest and president of the Matteson School District Board of Education, died of a heart attack Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2002 at his home.
Mister Patras was a great teacher, had a take-no-sh*t attitude, and was an all-around cool dude. Plus he introduced me to one of the greatest books of all time in our junior year, JD Salinger's "Catcher In The Rye."
I was just going through the essay papers I wrote freshmen year for his class. (Yes, I still have them!) Interestingly, those are the only remnants whatsoever of my high school work that I have in my possession and that I, obviously, thought worthy of keeping. I vividly remember poring over at least one "rewrite" for Mr. Patras on a Saturday afternoon.
There are few teachers and/or classes that particularly stand out in my memory from RC. My freshmen year English class with Mr Patras and his "tough" approach in grading papers is one, however, that I haven't forgotten.
(Vernell Johnson, do you remember sitting behind me in that class???!!)
I still have, and treasure the papers I wrote and rewrote in his class. He could be brutal when he commented in the margins, but he would also tell you when something was done well. It is because of his teaching that I gained a better and proper unterstanding of how to write and not just put words on a page. He was the best!
Scott Saliger
Mister Patras was a great teacher, had a take-no-sh*t attitude, and was an all-around cool dude. Plus he introduced me to one of the greatest books of all time in our junior year, JD Salinger's "Catcher In The Rye."Carlota Pereyra (Robison)
I was just going through the essay papers I wrote freshmen year for his class. (Yes, I still have them!) Interestingly, those are the only remnants whatsoever of my high school work that I have in my possession and that I, obviously, thought worthy of keeping. I vividly remember poring over at least one "rewrite" for Mr. Patras on a Saturday afternoon.There are few teachers and/or classes that particularly stand out in my memory from RC. My freshmen year English class with Mr Patras and his "tough" approach in grading papers is one, however, that I haven't forgotten.
(Vernell Johnson, do you remember sitting behind me in that class???!!)
Chris Johnson
I still have, and treasure the papers I wrote and rewrote in his class. He could be brutal when he commented in the margins, but he would also tell you when something was done well. It is because of his teaching that I gained a better and proper unterstanding of how to write and not just put words on a page. He was the best!