With the end of the 2013-14 came the close of the careers of four Culver Academies’ instructors – two in foreign language and a pair in leadership. Three of those retiring instructors earned emeritus status for more than 20 years of service to Culver. Together, the four totaled 108 years in Academies’ classrooms.
In the Modern & Classical Language Department, German teacher Jim Brugh of Rochester completed his 42nd year and French instructor Joyce Roush of Culver, and formerly of Plymouth, her 27th. Retiring from the Leadership Department were Plymouth residents Maj. Tom Duckett (U.S. Army, retired) with 25 years and Ray Gleason, Ph.D., a major in the U.S. Army Reserve (retired), with 12.
Brugh joined the Language Department in 1972, coming directly from Manchester College. He later earned a master’s degree from Indiana University. Brugh has taught all levels, including Advanced Placement. He has had a keen interest in technology and served as the department representative on several committees. He also maintains and ran the Language Lab, which is also used for AP testing.
In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Brugh was the head coach of the boys’ varsity soccer team from 1984 to 2012, making him the longest-serving head soccer coach in the state of Indiana. He was an assistant for 10 years prior.
A musician, Brugh has played for student musicals and has appeared on the Eppley Auditorium stage with various musical ensembles. A resident of Rochester, he and wife, Ronda, are parents to five children, among them Jason ’91, Joel ’96 (deceased), and Joshua ’97.
Roush joined the Language Department faculty in 1989 as a French instructor. Next year she will be switching continents, teaching in France and traveling throughout Europe.
She taught all levels of French, including AP, and did additional course work and cultural immersion in France and Canada. Roush also was the longtime sponsor of the French Club and a co-sponsor of the Arab Student Union.
Roush earned a bachelor’s degree in French and Spanish as well as a master’s degree in Secondary Education from Indiana University. She taught French at Central Noble High School in Albion, Ind., for 10 years prior to coming to the Academies.
Roush has three alumni children – Julia McKinney ’90, David ’93, and Eric ’94.
Duckett joined the Academies as a Military Leadership Counselor in 1989 after retiring from the Army. His last post before Culver was as an instructor at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kan. He earned a master’s degree in Educational Administration from Syracuse University.
The Leadership Department was relatively new when Duckett arrived, but with his background and experience, he became a key player in the revisions to the Leadership curriculum in response to the changing needs of the community. He sat on the Program Design Committee to help shape those recommendations. Duckett quickly rose to the department chair and has mentored every instructor who has been hired, making sure they know not only the curriculum but also the student-centered approach to teaching.
He has taught Leadership at all grade levels and has been a devoted teacher of the junior Ethics course. He also designed and implemented the new Honors in Leadership curriculum in 2013-14.
Duckett’s leadership extends well beyond the classroom. He was the head CMA/CGA swimming coach until 2012-13 and served as assistant track coach through this past spring. During his tenure he has also been adviser to the Honor Council and to students applying to service academies, the summer camp waterfront director, and a ropes course facilitator.
Duckett is married with three sons.
Gleason joined the Leadership Department as a senior instructor in 2002. He was a member of the faculty team that developed the junior Ethics course curriculum.
He received a Ph.D. (1997) in Medieval Literature from Northwestern University and has been a guest lecturer there, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in medieval literature. He also holds a master’s degree in English literature from Northwestern and a bachelor’s (Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa) in English literature and European history from Hunter College in New York.
He is the author of three books drawing from his experiences as an infantryman and Ranger during three combat tours in Vietnam. Gleason also has published many scholarly articles.
Gleason has four children and is married to former Academies English/Humanities instructor Jan Peyser.
Caption: Foreign language colleagues Jim Brugh and Joyce Roush retired from the Academies with the end of the 2013-2014 school year. A German instructor, Brugh had 42 years of service. Roush taught French for 27 years. Both garnered emeritus status.
Caption: Retiring from the Academies’ Leadership Department in June 2014 were instructors Maj. Tom Duckett (U.S. Army, retired) with 25 years and (right) Ray Gleason, Ph.D., a major in the U.S. Army Reserve (retired), with 12. Duckett also was the department chairman.
