How Helen Gale’s legacy lives on in St. Charles Library’s children’s programs
What a wonderful way to live a life — telling stories to children nearly every day, fascinating them with the joy that reading a book can bring and the adventures they can take you on.
St. Charles had a woman who could say she lived that life, and it would be good for all of us to remember her and what she did. In this day and age, with social media and devices luring kids at a young age, it is even more important that the example Helen Wiltsie Gale set 60 years ago about using the library and reading is continued.
Not long after Gale passed away in early 1994 at age 80, the St. Charles Public Library knew the best way to honor her.
The library created the Helen Gale Story Room in the Youth Services Department in the lower level of the library, opening it in late 1995.
It was more than fitting, considering Gale had spent nearly 30 years working full-time or part-time at the library, starting in 1960, leaving a legacy of working with children.
It would not be a stretch to say Gale shared her love of books and storytelling with thousands of youngsters in St. Charles.
When the library added a children’s room in 1973, it was almost an automatic move that Gale became the head of children’s services. She held that title until 1982.
The St. Charles Public Library Foundation made the building of the Helen Gale Story Room its first fundraising project, an effort that was projected to cost about $43,000.
Gale was born in St. Charles in 1914 and graduated from St. Charles High School in 1932. Her innovation in the world of children’s services was unmatched at that time in the mid to late 1970s, and many gave her credit for being the first to start a story time session for 2-year-olds.
Today it is called the Helen Gale Room, and children still enjoy activities there, though things have changed slightly.
“Because of the room capacity, the Helen Gale Room is used for smaller programs like Homeschool Hangout, Lego Club, and middle school programs,” said Kelly Stulgate, youth services manager at the library. “We also host passive programs like Block Parties in that room.”
In effect, it means Helen Gale’s vision so many years ago of keeping children active in a library setting by creating new programs and nurturing their curiosity and creative spirit has advanced to new heights.
The number of children reading and hearing stories has outgrown her room, meaning the youth programs have grown right along with the community.
“We have multiple sessions of My First, 2- and 3-Year-Old, and Family Storytime each week, all held in the Miller Haase Community Room during the school year,” Stulgate added. “During summer, we hold story times in the Huntley Community Room.”
Some of the reading and story time programs that call for registration have waiting lists, and both of the library’s rooms for these programs are often at full capacity.
Some children open up to reading aloud when doing it in front of a pet, which led to the library offering Reading with Rover sessions in which a child reads a story to a dog trained to listen quietly from the Fox Valley Therapy Dog Club.
Many of the children at the library over the past few decades likely don’t know anything about this wonderful person named Helen Gale.
Those who remember hearing her stories at the library surely think about her if they are bringing their own kids or grandkids into the library.
Those who attended her funeral at Baker Memorial United Methodist Church in St. Charles in 1994 heard a fitting summary of Gale’s gift to her community during associate minister Rev. Philip M. Dripps’ eulogy.
“Among the gifts bestowed upon Helen was her relation to children, her calling to tell and read stories to the young among us,” Dripps said.
“We live by the stories we hear and read and tell to others,” he added. “They are, so to speak, the bread of life.”
Edgars in spotlight
In May of 2024, a headline over an item in this column stated, “Remember the Edgars.” I was making the point that Kai and Kalea Edgar of St. Charles are siblings finding much success in theater across the country.
At that time, the two were working together with roles in “The Music Man” at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire. Kai was a seventh-grader, Kalea was a sophomore at St. Charles North High School.
And here we are nearly two years later, and word again is being spread about the family with Kai returning to the Marriott, where he made his theatrical debut at age 8 as the main character in “Oliver.”
He is starring as Charlie Bucket in the theater’s production of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” through March 28.
Kai, a freshman at the Chicago Academy for the Arts, has numerous other credits at the Marriott and on the West Coast. He also has TV, film, album, industry reading and voice-over credits.
Of course, a flair for the performing arts is part of the Edgar family. Kalea, now 17, is currently applying to college musical theater programs. Younger brother Kanoa, 8, is playing Chip on the national tour of “Beauty and the Beast.”
As for Kai’s current Marriott performance, it comes with plenty of previous practice. He has been part of national tour of “Charlie & the Chocolate Factory,” traveling to 22 states and three countries.
Hoops memories
More than 100 older gentlemen filled Pal Joey’s in Batavia last Friday — and there were plenty of conversations, laughs and handshakes going on.
This is to be expected any time legendary and former Batavia basketball coach Jim Roberts hosts one of his Fox Valley Basketball Reunion events.
Former players, coaches, sports writers and fans were on hand, with the focus this year on honoring three great coaches from yesteryear — Ron Johnson (passed in 2020) of St. Charles High School, Ernie Kivisto (passed in 2003) of East Aurora High and John McDougal (passed in 2016) of West Aurora High.
Family members of those three legends were on hand to hear Roberts briefly highlight their fantastic careers.
The rest of the afternoon was great conversation, pizza, beer and pop.
It was great to see Johnson’s assistant coaches Jim Parker and Bill Olsen again to share memories, and also Batavia coach Steve Marshall, but also to see great players like Lamar Justice of Batavia, Rick Garrison and Rick Munoz of St. Charles, and Tom Kivisto of East Aurora.
I spotted several other players and coaches but couldn’t make my way through the crowded dining rooms to chat with everyone.
Mostly, it was fun to remember many of the players, coaches and games that made Fox Valley basketball so exciting for decades.
But this is what happens when you start covering sports for the newspaper in 1978 and do it off and on for several years, then simply become a loyal fan.
Donation clarification
As a follow-up to the information two weeks ago about the Salvation Army drop-off locations in St. Charles, it should be noted that donors should not drop off furniture or bedding at the Salvation Army center at 1710 S. Seventh Ave. in St. Charles. That site does accept food donations for its pantry and monetary donations, but there is no thrift store there.
Furniture and bedding donations need to go to the Salvation Army thrift store location on the city’s west side at 2075 Lincoln Hwy.
Adaptive Prom Night
In promoting its upcoming Hollywood Prom for disabled adults Saturday, March 21, Valley Sheltered Work Shop had a powerful message to send as to why this free community event is so important to those at the shelter or other disabled adults.
Those at the Batavia workshop said they believe in “something simple and powerful.”
The statement noted, “Just because I have a disability, does not mean I am a child. Adults with disabilities want what every adult wants: Responsibility. Growth. Friendship. Pride. Opportunity.”
More information about the event is available at ourprom.org.
Some more ‘Million’
It was not surprising to see the Paramount Theatre announcement about its highly popular “Million Dollar Quartet” production coming back for a limited engagement.
The musical about a rare night in music history in which Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash got together on Dec. 4, 1956, to record a jam session at the Sun Records studio in Memphis, will run through May 31 at Paramount’s Stolp Island Theatre.
Dresses ready for prom
CHIP IN organizers hope for a big turnout March 14-15 at the Batavia Public Library for the annual free Prom Dress Giveaway event. Nearly 1,000 long gowns are ready for any student from any school who wants to try on a dress. Many of the dresses are new. Shoes, new makeup and jewelry also are available. The dress giveaway takes place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 12:30 to 3 p.m. Sunday at the library, 10 S. Batavia Ave.
• dheun@sbcglobal.net