Mr. Rolf Daeschner started teaching at Cathedral Prep 50 years ago. Not only did Mr. Daeschner teach here he also graduated from Prep in 1964. After high school he attended Gannon University and majored in German. Having majored in German he could have either become an interpreter or a teacher.
Mr. Daeschner decided to become a teacher, and he has never looked back. While he was at Gannon it just so happened that he was a student teacher at Prep. Once he graduated college it worked out perfectly for him as a job opened up for him at his former high school.
At age 22, Mr. Daeschner was the new German teacher here at Cathedral Prep. Teaching German is not the only thing he would go on to do during his 50 years of being at this school. Some other subjects he taught were English, world history, and U.S. history. German was no doubt his favorite subject to teach, but Mr. Daeschner claimed that he also thoroughly enjoyed teaching English, and it was a close second. Besides teaching here he was also the coach of the swimming and water polo teams for a bit.
One of his favorite memories during his time here was actually while he was coaching the water polo team and they broke the record for the most overtimes. The game went into a total of 13 overtimes, and it still stands today as the school record.
Another one of his favorite memories here was when his students took first place at a foreign language competition at Slippery Rock University. Mr. Daeschner believed that since he was now in his 50th year of teaching it was a good number to end on. Teaching was something he thoroughly loved to do. Mr. Daeschner stated why he kept teaching for so long. “The students kept me young and active,” he said. “They challenged me every day, and I enjoyed it.”
Math teacher Mr. Achille spoke about Mr. Daeschner’s impact at Prep. “Mr. Daeschner embodies what a Prep man is all about in Spirit, Mind, and Body,” he said. “His commitment to the education of Prep men over the years is unmatched and in a league of its own. He is probably one of the most consistent teachers I know and has never wavered over the years. I wish him nothing but the best in his retirement years! He is a good man and an even better friend!”
Cathedral Prep will definitely miss Mr. Daeschner and will still hope to see him come around in the future.