Chatterton planetarium dedicated to James Edoff

WARREN — In the spring of 1969, James Edoff had just graduated from Kalamazoo College with biology and mathematics degrees, and began looking for a teaching position when he interviewed in the Fitzgerald Public Schools district.

The interview went well, but there was something that came up he didn’t expect. Educators wanted to know if the young graduate could operate and teach in the district’s planetarium at Chatterton Middle School.

“I wanted the job so badly, I said, ‘Yes, I’ll be glad to,’ having never seen one or been in one before,” Edoff said.

So when he left there, he grabbed an encyclopedia to learn about planetariums and soon became the district’s premier planetarium teacher. He made many updates over the years, and his name was synonymous with the planetarium, which recently went through more improvements through funding from the 2019 $46.7 million bond issue.

On May 7, a ceremony was held at Chatterton to dedicate the Dr. James D. Edoff Fitzgerald Planetarium. His wife, Guri; son, Erik; daughter, Heather, and their spouses, and Edoff’s five grandchildren were in attendance. The district also presented the educator with his own star map.

May 7 also marked the 100th anniversary of the first planetarium’s opening at the Deutsches Museum in Munich, Germany.

“In my first year I was actually teaching in the high school,” Edoff said. “I was greatly involved in the development of the (Chatterton) planetarium, which was under construction at the time. Who would have thought 50 years later I would be involved in the reinvention of the same planetarium only with new, wonderful and state-of-the-art equipment.

“I am really truly honored and grateful for this recognition and the celebration of a long continuing history of the planetarium. Words are not enough,” Edoff said. “I want to sincerely thank the Fitzgerald Board of Education, staff, the community and business members that made this possible. I am also especially happy to share this event with family, friends, colleagues, and business personnel. I am going to take this opportunity to reminisce.”

During the dedication, Edoff shared funny stories about what it was like to “teach 30 to 50 students in the dark.” He served in different capacities in the district, including superintendent from June 1991 through Sept. 2024.

“We are here to honor a man for his tireless dedication, a man that transformed complex astronomical concepts into accessible and engaging stories for our students. A man who made the impossible seem possible, the distance seem near, and the most abstract tangible,” district Interim Superintendent Laurie Fournier said. “Dr. James Edoff showed us the study of stars is not just about memorizing constellations and planetary orbits. It is about understanding our connection to the universe and our responsibilities to it.

“For 35 years, Jim didn’t just simply teach astronomy. He ignited a passion for discovery, a sense of wonder and a profound respect for the universe and our place within it,” Fournier said. “He motivated students and engaged their minds within his lessons and teachings.”

Many of Edoff’s former students attended the dedication, including Scott Bryson, Andy Brenz and Bill Oliver. They remember a teacher who was always willing to stay after school to help students with their academics, and who liked to play the Moody Blues while in class.

“He cared. I can’t say enough good things about him,” Oliver said.

“He made science fun. It can be dry and boring,” Bryson said. “He could be funny, super serious, smart, gregarious. He did the science fairs. You would be hard pressed to find anyone to say anything negative about him.”

Another memory was the time in which the district teachers did exploratory activities that took them out of their comfort zone. Edoff once directed the play “Oliver” and it took nearly two years to pull it off.

“He got me out of my shell,” said Oliver, who played Artful Dodger in the stage production.

During the ceremony, Board Treasurer Judy Furgal and Michael Malone, principal at PARTNERS in Architecture, PLC, in Mount Clemens, provided remarks about Edoff. Warren Mayor Lori Stone presented him with a proclamation.