'Mr. G' ends 42-year career as debate coach, teacher at St. Vincent

June 14, 2006

By DAN JOHNSON
ARGUS-COURIER STAFF

One day in the early '60s, a group of nuns teaching at St. Vincent de Paul High School were scurrying around trying to find someone to drive speech and debate team members to a competition.

They spotted Michael Gonzalez, a new, young faculty member, and roped him into the job.

"One of them urged me to drive, saying, 'You're not doing anything on Friday, and you're single.' I enjoyed the experience, and kept driving the team to other competitions," Gonzalez said.

Soon thereafter, Gonzalez embarked on a 42-year career as coach of the highly successful team.

"Speech and debate requires poise and self-assurance, because it intellectually challenges students and exposes them to a lot of different topics," he said. "They have to know how to effectively present both sides of an argument. For example, at a competition they might be asked to defend sending California National Guard troops to the Mexican border one hour, argue against it the next hour and then refute arguments.

"Students are humbled by the process, because they find they don't have all the answers. But they learn skills that are very helpful in other situations, such as college admissions interviews."

Gonzalez turned over the coaching reins to Laila McClay this year, and the team's success continued, with two duos reaching the state finals competition. St. Vincent's program still leads other North Bay schools in participation, with over 45 students taking part.

"We've created a monster. So many students want to participate that we'll need two coaches next year," Gonzalez said.

But anyone entertaining thoughts of enticing Gonzalez back will be disappointed, for he is retiring from teaching on June 9.

"I don't know if I'll cut the cord to the school completely, though. I'm taking things day-by-day," he said.

Gonzalez, affectionately known as "Mr. G" around the school, was born in Oxnard, obtained a bachelor's degree in philosophy from San Luis Rey College in the Oceanside area and a teaching credential from Sonoma State University. He joined SVHS in the fall of 1962 as one of only two male teachers among a faculty of nuns, Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

He went on to serve as a Spanish teacher; Spanish club moderator; modern language department chair; cross country, basketball and baseball coach; athletic director; and speech and debate teacher and coach.

"I've had fun serving the school, and always have had good support from parents," Gonzalez said. "Working there has been kind of an easy thing to do, because I like sharing my knowledge. I haven't looked at my work there as a job."

Gonzalez and wife Linda, a former SVHS teacher, are longtime Petaluma residents and she has owned Gallery One at 209 Western Ave. for the past 20 years.

"I'll help her at the shop now, and we'll do some traveling. But so many things have been going on, I haven't had time to think about what else I'll do in my retirement," he said.

The longest-serving lay faculty member at the school, Gonzalez was honored at a public reception June 4 at Tillman Hall on the campus. Colleagues, students and former students were among the attendees.

"Some of my former students are teaching Spanish, while others are working in areas such as legal services, private business and government," Gonzalez said. "A couple of them are teaching speech and debate in high schools, and a couple more are teaching it in colleges."

He is particularly gratified by the success of a student he taught over 25 years ago.

"This student was from a Hispanic family, and at the time there weren't very many of them in town. After he graduated, he sent me a letter in Spanish thanking me for being a role model. He's now teaching at a junior high school in Union City," Gonzalez said.

(Contact Dan Johnson at djohnson@arguscourier.com)