Colby Eagles Alumni Association
Keith Flohrschutz, Long-time CHS teacher/debate coach
Copyright Colby Eagles Alumni Association @ 2014
Nominated by Bill Malloy, Class of 1970
I'm sure many former CHS students like me owe a great deal to Mr. Flohrschutz. I was the "kid" - the only sophomore - in his 1968 debate class of juniors/seniors. He taught us how to think and speak on our feet - regardless of what the competing team threw at us; how to thoroughly research, see and understand both sides of an issue, plus win over the judges - whether we drew the affirmative or negative side. He stretched our thinking. These are important lessons to carry through life. Our family moved from Colby after the 1968 school year, so I missed learning even more from Mr. Flohrschutz - a great teacher.
I wrote to Mr. Flohrschutz during his retirement, thanking him for all he taught me. He replied, "Did you know that debate was one subject that I had no experience with as a student or as a teacher, but it went with the job, so I just jumped in and did the best I could? I never felt that I had the right kind of interest or mind to be a decent debate coach, but I knew it was a valuable tool for students to have, so I gave it my best - stumbling through the years. Acting and speech were my favorite areas, but I have a lot of good memories from my debate experience, too."
Such a great and humble man who inspired so many CHS students. For me, a non-athlete, debate gave me the study skills and confidence to excel as I went on through high school, on to college and post grad. I leaned on Mr. Flohrschutz's lessons learned throughout my career. His advice, "Don't work so hard to win the debate that you forget to sell the judges." Sage advice for this kid who would begin his career in marketing.
I'm not alone in having Mr. Flohrschutz's debate class change my trajectory. At the 2021 CHS reunion in talking with Darrell "Pete" Williams - a few years behind me at CHS - he, too, credited Mr. Flohrschutz and debate class with setting him on a path to excel in college; first via a debate scholarship and later to med school and his success as a renowned eye surgeon.
And for all those CHS students who participated in Mr. Flohrschutz's "Eagle Antics" and his course "Communicating with Young and Old", I'm sure they credit him with inspiring them in many ways and providing lessons they carried through life.
Keith Flohrschutz, 27 years devoted to teaching CHS students and very deserving of the honor of "High-Flying Eagle".
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