Picture-perfect Dan Herbst: PCHS teacher retires, continues as yearbook adviser

In his 39 year-career as English educator and 37-year adviser for the "Pyramid" yearbook, Dan Herbst has given the Pinckneyville Community High School--and the community--an unimaginable photo history of student and community life.

The legacy he is beginning to leave is of Smithsonian quality compared to the picture that an outsider might have of a newbie to the school district being assigned the school "annual" as part of his or her first-year teaching package.

Dan retired earlier this month from the district, but will continue his work as adviser to the storied "Pyramid" yearbook. Wife "Deb" is also retiring after a 36-year career as a second grade teacher in the Trico school district. Their son Gabe is the next generation of world class educators.

They represent lives well-lived. Hard working. Eternally optimistic. A sense of humor and the gifts of laughter, faith, respect and community.

It is fitting that Dan and another PCHS legend, director of bands Steve Cannedy, retire together.

"I did 39 full years of teaching," said Herbst, a regular and valued photo and editorial contributor to the Du Quoin Evening Call.

In fact, an eMail from Herbst completes this longtime newspaperman's day. EVERY photo is crystal clear. He is that valuable.

Dan, now 59, hails from Macomb, Ill., home to Western Illinois University where he received his Bachelor's Degree in a little over three years, the first snapshot of this over achiever.

"I applied for an English job under Supt. Tom Grady and coached freshman basketball for a year. How did that team do? "Not very well," he smiled.

Susan Henry had been yearbook sponsor until 1980 and the upcoming edition of the Pyramid will be his 37th book.

He forged relationships with Taylor Publishing Co.--a world leader in yearbook publishing-- and their local representative Bill Blewett of Carbondale and more recently son, Tom.

His work began "old school" with a handful of cookie-cut templates and a pile of numbered student photographs for each class.

Photos were taken with film cameras (I've heard of those) and his is probably still buried in a drawer somewhere.

There have been five technological transitions for the book, which in 2010 went to becoming all-color. It's a very high quality book that takes all year to produce. For instance, when students pick up their books in August it will have photographs of the PCHS band's trip next month to Disney World.

The work is done in what's known in printing as "16 page signatures" and the last signature is reserved for material from the spring and summer.

Now 152 pages, the Pyramid is a bargain at $46.

Dan remembers when his career began the yearbook adviser ordered books for EVERY student, knowing that when the books were printed every student would want one. Good call.

At the outset, books were created by the shared talents of Dan and longtime photography instructor Glenn Hamilton.

Four-thousand students later, Dan says, "I think we have done some good things." That's an understatement. "I worked with some quality people," he said, citing the eight principals and eight superintendents he has worked for.

Dan came from a family whose siblings were career educators and one who was the midwest buyer for the Aldi's food stores.

"My mom was the optimist," he said of parents who gave their all to their children.

He points to son Gabe who is starting his teaching career in Carterville as a "natural leader."

In this great family, we couldn't imagine anything less.

A school--and a community--thank you for the decades of Kodak Moments that mean so much to all of us.