Dear Huck,

A man once said “Anyone can deal with victory. Only the mighty can bear defeat.” That quote is from Adolf Hitler but let’s just ignore the source for now.

It happened. Yearbook beat newspaper in dodge ball. Our worst fears realized. It was hard to watch, but it was harder to hear you articulate those words to us this morning. It made my heart heavy to hear your resignation. I do not care if I won’t be here to experience newspaper without Huck, but I do feel deeply for those kids who will be deprived of the teacher that changed all of our lives in different ways. Day after day I got to come into this newspaper room and hear you snap necks and cash checks. All business and all pleasure. Walter Payton once said “When you’re good at something, you will tell everyone. When you’re great at something, they will tell you.” Well Mr. Huck, I, Andrew Paul Wasik, your humble humor section editor am telling you, that you are a great teacher, a great man and a great leader.

Mr. Huck, we do not accept your resignation. Who was there to pick up the pieces after Jacob Bogage left? Peter Huck that’s who. Who has always been there when an issue is only 70% done on the last day before it ships? Peter Huck that’s who. Who continues to triumph and put out fantastic papers despite the lazy pieces of crap that call themselves his students? Peter Huck. That’s who.

A coward resigns after losing a petty dodge ball match. A real man does something a little more important. Raises his head in pride and triumphs over the defeat. And of course also gets revenge but the things I want to do are too law bending to include in this letter.

So Mr. Huck, I challenge you to take back what you announced to the class and raise your head high like the man you are. Triumph over defeat and lead your faithful troops like the man we all know and love. Do not accept this tragedy that happened by simple chance, but come back from it and persevere. Come back another fifty years and put out hundreds of more great issues, and keep in mind, for dodge ball there is always next year. I challenge you Peter Huck.

Love,

Andrew Paul Wasik