Albin Gurklis
Encyclopedia
Albin J. Gurklis was a member of the Order of the Marians of the Immaculate Conception and a noted mathematics teacher at Marianapolis Preparatory School
.
. When asked about his youth, Father Gurklis would reply that he "was small and not very good at math". Born into a Lithuanian family, he acquired his native tongue, speaking it along with American English
.
on August 8, 1943. After being admitted to the order of the Marians of the Immaculate Conception, Father Gurklis completed his fourth year of theology at Marianapolis. He then proceeded to the Marian Hills Seminary in Clarendon Hills, Illinois to complete his training. Father Gurklis, now with the title M.I.C., was admitted to Marquette University
in Wisconsin
to continue his studies in the area of mathematics attaining an M.S. in Mathematics in 1950 while completing a thesis paper on the Hexagramma Mysticum.
, and Calculus
, and even held the position of department chair for several years. During those 58 years he taught over 2000 students and worked to make Marianapolis an environment which promoted "clear, rational thinking". He also served as Assistant Headmaster at Marianapolis as well as dorm prefect and house secretary. Father Gurklis had the ability to teach with his eyes partially closed in order to "see" the answer to the problem and by his early 70s was able to recite his lesson plans from memory, with the inclusion of blackboard examples. In January 2008, he retired at the age of 90 due to eye complications, bidding a solemn farewell to his educational career. However, Father Gurklis did not leave without a farewell party, which celebrated his accomplishments. During the ceremony, the faculty introduced the Father Gurklis Mathematics Award, intended to honor exemplary success in mathematics at Marianapolis.
Father Gurks was very proud of the achievements of his former students and certainly appreciated their visits after graduation. When asked one time about how he could remember so many former students, he replied “I never forget a student!”. Many Marinapolis graduates who have gone on to science and engineering careers credit Father Gurks with having given them the skills required to succeed in challenging college math courses.
in Hartford, Connecticut
. In addition, he also assisted the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception in Putnam, Connecticut
and provided ministry work to Lithuanian-American
communities all throughout Connecticut
.
.
Marianapolis Preparatory School
Marianapolis Preparatory School is a private, co-educational, Catholic high school located in rural Thompson, Connecticut.-History:Marianapolis College was established in 1926 under the guidance of the Marians of the Immaculate Conception...
.
Early life
Albin J. Gurklis was born on March 16, 1918 to Dominick and Barbara Gurklis in a small home in Waterbury, ConnecticutWaterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford and 77 miles northeast of New York City...
. When asked about his youth, Father Gurklis would reply that he "was small and not very good at math". Born into a Lithuanian family, he acquired his native tongue, speaking it along with American English
American English
American English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two-thirds of the world's native speakers of English live in the United States....
.
College
Young Albin entered the novitiate and was ordained a priest at Marianapolis College, now Marianapolis Preparatory SchoolMarianapolis Preparatory School
Marianapolis Preparatory School is a private, co-educational, Catholic high school located in rural Thompson, Connecticut.-History:Marianapolis College was established in 1926 under the guidance of the Marians of the Immaculate Conception...
on August 8, 1943. After being admitted to the order of the Marians of the Immaculate Conception, Father Gurklis completed his fourth year of theology at Marianapolis. He then proceeded to the Marian Hills Seminary in Clarendon Hills, Illinois to complete his training. Father Gurklis, now with the title M.I.C., was admitted to Marquette University
Marquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
in Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
to continue his studies in the area of mathematics attaining an M.S. in Mathematics in 1950 while completing a thesis paper on the Hexagramma Mysticum.
Marianapolis years
After a brief period of ministry at Marian parishes across the US, Father Gurklis returned to his alma mater Marianapolis to teach his favorite subject: mathematics. Father Gurklis, affectionately known as "Father Gurks" or simply "Gurks" was a familiar sight on Marianapolis campus for the next 58 years. He taught Algebra I, Algebra II, Pre-Calculus, GeometryGeometry
Geometry arose as the field of knowledge dealing with spatial relationships. Geometry was one of the two fields of pre-modern mathematics, the other being the study of numbers ....
, and Calculus
Calculus
Calculus is a branch of mathematics focused on limits, functions, derivatives, integrals, and infinite series. This subject constitutes a major part of modern mathematics education. It has two major branches, differential calculus and integral calculus, which are related by the fundamental theorem...
, and even held the position of department chair for several years. During those 58 years he taught over 2000 students and worked to make Marianapolis an environment which promoted "clear, rational thinking". He also served as Assistant Headmaster at Marianapolis as well as dorm prefect and house secretary. Father Gurklis had the ability to teach with his eyes partially closed in order to "see" the answer to the problem and by his early 70s was able to recite his lesson plans from memory, with the inclusion of blackboard examples. In January 2008, he retired at the age of 90 due to eye complications, bidding a solemn farewell to his educational career. However, Father Gurklis did not leave without a farewell party, which celebrated his accomplishments. During the ceremony, the faculty introduced the Father Gurklis Mathematics Award, intended to honor exemplary success in mathematics at Marianapolis.
Father Gurks was very proud of the achievements of his former students and certainly appreciated their visits after graduation. When asked one time about how he could remember so many former students, he replied “I never forget a student!”. Many Marinapolis graduates who have gone on to science and engineering careers credit Father Gurks with having given them the skills required to succeed in challenging college math courses.
Lithuanian community
Despite his work at Marianapolis, Father Gurklis was able to allocate time to the ministry of his fellow Lithuanians by celebrating masses in Lithuanian at the Holy Trinity ChurchHoly Trinity Church
-Australia:*Holy Trinity Church, Adelaide* Holy Trinity Church, Bacchus Marsh*Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Launceston, Tasmania-England:*Holy Trinity Church, Balsham, Cambridgeshire*Holy Trinity Church, Bembridge, Isle of Wight...
in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
. In addition, he also assisted the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception in Putnam, Connecticut
Putnam, Connecticut
Putnam is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 9,002 as of the 2000 census. It is home to WINY, an AM radio station.-History:...
and provided ministry work to Lithuanian-American
Lithuanian-American
Lithuanian Americans are citizens of the United States who are of Lithuanian ancestry. According to the United States Census, there are 712,165 Americans of full or partial Lithuanian descent....
communities all throughout Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
.
Death
Father Gurklis suffered a massive heart attack on the night of October 30, 2008 and died a few hours later on the morning of Halloween. The following days saw a mass mourning at Marianapolis for the death of a beloved priest and teacher. Marians from all over the world came to pay their respects at Marianapolis and at Father Gurklis' funeral at the Eden Hill National Shrine of Divine Mercy. During the services Very Rev. Dan Cambra, MIC stated " we are dust, and unto dust we shall return " fulfilling Father Gurklis' belief that "it is what we do in life which makes us great". Father Gurklis is buried at the Marian cemetery in Stockbridge, MassachusettsStockbridge, Massachusetts
Stockbridge is a town in Berkshire County in Western Massachusetts. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,947 at the 2010 census...
.
Famous quotes
Father Gurklis possessed strong moral values and laws to which he lived his life by. This life-advice that he gave to his students became almost as important as the subject matter which he was teaching.- "English first! Then Mathematics!"
- "Say what you mean! Mean what you say!"
- "You wanna jump out the window? You wanna go to the second floor!? You study for a fifty and expect a HUNDRED!"
- Alternatively, "You don't study for a test and pray to pass, it's like going up to the second floor, jumping out the window and praying for God to catch you."
- "One man's meat is another man's poison!"
- "Smile - God loves you!"
- "A chain is only as strong as its weakest link... and right now that's looking pretty weak!"
- "Garbage In, Garbage Out"
- "That's like going to Canada to go to Putnam!"
- "Repetition is the mother of learning!"
- "Thirty seconds is an eternity! How would you like to hang for thirty seconds?"
- "The first 100 years are the hardest, then you're on easy street."