Teacher brought Germany to students at Barrington High

Walking into Katherine Baer's classroom at Barrington High School was a little like traveling to her native Germany, to the picturesque setting of Heidelberg.

With its posters, flags and even decorative German steins, as well as historical documents, Miss Baer's passion for her native country was abundant and contagious to all who entered.

Her former students and colleagues now are cherishing their favorite memories of the longtime teacher. She died Sunday at the age of 87.

"She was an icon at Barrington High School," says Volker Engel of Barrington, who taught German with Miss Baer at Barrington High School before becoming the school's associate principal.

"She was an excellent teacher, with an extensive background in literature and grammar, which she brought into her classroom," Engel adds.

Miss Baer was the first German teacher at Barrington High School, and she stayed for 35 years, nurturing the program and its students along the way.

What had begun in 1948 with Miss Baer teaching music to students at Hough Street School led to her joining the high school faculty the next year. She began as a choral director before being tapped to start a German program at the school.

Miss Baer quickly accepted, but she hung onto a vestige of her music background: Along with her German artifacts, she had a piano in her classroom and regularly led her classes in singing folk songs and holiday carols.

"She built up the program, and created a very strong German Club," says Vincent Giamalva, a former Spanish teacher at Barrington High School.

He recalled the good-natured rivalry between the German and Spanish clubs for bragging rights for the best float at the school's annual homecoming parade, which due to Miss Baer's direction, the German Club usually won.

Volker recalled the trips to Germany that Miss Baer instituted at the school. He traveled on his first one with the group in 1973, and one of its highlights was visiting Miss Baer's native village just outside Heidelberg.

"Her cousin owned a restaurant, and we'd always go there for dinner," Engel said. "We'd have platters and platters of Wiener schnitzel. It was a real highlight of the trip."

The German Club participated in many fundraising efforts, and with the proceeds, helped to maintain a courtyard at the high school. It was surrounded by art classrooms and offered a tranquil setting for students studying or sketching.

For many years, it was called the German Club Courtyard, but in 1985, when Miss Baer retired, it was rededicated in her name, and colleagues now are calling it a fitting way to keep her memory alive.

"Kay's passion for the German language and culture -- as well as young people -- made her class a very special place," Engel says.

Miss Baer is survived by her niece, Carrie (Jon) Ziegele of Milwaukee, and three grandnephews, as well as cousins and friends.

Visitation will begin at 1 p.m. Friday before a 2 p.m. funeral at Community Church of Barrington, 407 S. Grove Ave. in Barrington.