A teacher at Vienna High School is celebrating his 70th first day of school today (Friday). Max Hook attended Vienna Grade School starting as a first grader before there was PreK and Kindergarten and remains in the school district 70 years later serving as drivers education teacher as well as an IHSA official and a school bus driver.
After graduating from Vienna High School, Hook went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in education at McKendree College adding four more first days. Hook was brought to McKendree as the first basketball recruit of coach Harry Statham. Coach Statham holds the most wins of any basketball coach at the college level. He then started his career as a teacher and coach at Breese Central before making his way back to Vienna where he has served as a teacher and coach since 1982 bringing the running total of first days of school to 70. Hook also held the record for most wins of any baseball coach in Vienna High history for many years until it was recently broken by coach David Hill.
School superintendent, Joshua Stafford, who has served the district for 19 years and also graduated from Vienna was a student of Mr. Hook during high school. “I am looking forward to Mr. Hook being here for another 70 years!,” said Stafford. “I was one of his many math students while in high school. He was and is an excellent teacher. Since that time Mr. Hook has continued to be a teacher and mentor to me. While he has taught me a great deal about math, the life changing influence that he had on numerous people is incalculable. I am grateful for Max Hook.” Mr. Hook and his wife Emma have two sons Adam (Julie) Hook and Lucas (Katie) Hook along with 5 grandchildren, Seth, Ethan, Chloe, Molly, and Josie, most of which have had or will have Mr. Hook as a teacher and or coach.
