Woodland High School

Anita Doglio Kern

The following article appeared in the Springfield Journel Register on December 25, 2003(...Christmas Day)

This is my Dad! I love him very much and he is greatly missed...

PUBLIC TO PAY TRIBUTE TO DEDICATED SUPERINTENDENT

By Debra Landis/Journal Correspondent

AUBURN -- The Auburn Board of Education knew School Superintendent Jim Doglio didn't like attention and might object to Auburn High School's new gym being named after him.

So board members kept the name a secret until halftime of a basketball game about three years ago, when the building was officially christened "Doglio Gymnasium".

"You could tell he was over whelmed with emotion, but he kept his professionalism," recalled board president Tim Seifert

Friday, the public will pay tribute once again to the longtime superintendent.

Doglio, 76, died at his home Tuesday. Visitation will be from 3 to 7 P.M. Friday in Doglio Gymnasium. A funeral Mass will be held at noon Saturday at St. Benedict Catholic Church in Auburn.

"He'll be in that blue suede blazer," said son Jim, referring to the jacket Doglio wore to Auburn athletic events. Auburn's school colors are blue and white.

A plaque presented to Doglio when the gymnasium was named for him said the superintendent saw school facilities as belonging to the public, but that decisions the school district made had to put kids first.

"Doc was a class act, and so is his family. Doc did so much for our school district," Seifert said.

Doglio, known to many as "Doc" because of the doctorate he earned from Illinois State University, was in his 28th year as Auburn school superintendent. He had one of the longest such tenures, if not the longest, in Illinois.

In an interview with The State Journal Register in 2001, Doglio said he probably would have retired had his late wife, Betty, still been alive. We would have traveled," he said.

In recent years, he battled cancer and underwent surgery, but kept up as steady a work schedule as he could, said associates.

He worked closely with elementary school principal Kathy Garrett, who combined that job with serving as assistant superintendent.

As late as this week, Doglio remained aware of visitors and his surroundings, according to sons Jim and Kevin.

The Doglios had six children--two sons and four daughters--as well as 17 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.

He enjoyed fishing and boating, among other outdoor activities. When out on his boat, Doglio preferred to go on the Illinois River, in contrast to a lake.

"Dad would say that he wanted to go somewhere, not just drive the boat around in a circle," Keven said.

Of his management style, Doglio once said, "I hire good people and then stay out of their way so they can do their jobs. I'll back them up (if problems occur). We're human. We make mistakes. But, privately, I'll say, 'Don't do that to me again.'"

Employees and board members, Seifert said, appreciated Doglio's support and candor.

Doglio, who served in both World War II and the Korean War, spent more than 50 years as a teacher, principal, and superintendent in Illinois school districts, 45 of them as superintendent.

His father, a coal miner, died when Doglio was 7. Lena, his mother, stressed the importance of education to him and his yournger brother, Joe.

Joe Doglio also became an Illinois school superintendent but has retired.

Jim Doglio taught and coached for seven years in Kincaid. He then moved into school administration at Donovan, first as a principal for three years and then as superintendent for seven years. He was superintendent at Woodland-Streator for eight years before coming to Auburn.