Teacher’s Plea Leads to Day at the Opera

“I am writing this letter in the hope that a good Samaritan will read it and come to the aid of my fifth-grade class at Vermont Avenue Elementary School.”

Hendricus Struijk had waited three years to take his students to the opera. Finally, their school was selected. But like Cinderella, Struijk desperately needed a ride.

Struijk’s class was selected by the Los Angeles Opera’s Student Matinee Program to attend a free performance at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, a world away from their Central City school building. “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” an opera based on a Roald Dahl children’s story, was just a bus ride away.

The trouble was, Struijk had already used the class’ one allocated field trip for the school year to visit the new Long Beach aquarium.

He told his students not to expect anything, but, unwilling to pass up the opportunity, he fixed his heart firmly to his sleeve and sent out a plea. His letter ran in The Times’ Nov. 7 Calendar section.

By then the students had already collected what they could from their parents toward the $300 bus rental. Some brought coins, some dollar bills.

Among them they raised $53.

Lauren Libaw, 11, a sixth-grader at Polytechnic School in Pasadena, saw the letter. She is also an actress who has a singing role as Jennie Foxcub in “Fantastic Mr. Fox.” Her parents, Jo and Shawn Libaw, have instilled her and brother Justin, 10, with old-fashioned values about sharing.

“When you earn money, you should keep some of it and donate some of it to charity,” she said. And so Lauren sent Struijk $300 of her performance earnings.

Barbara Schwimmer, who owns J. Patrick House, a bed-and-breakfast in the San Luis Obispo County town of Cambria, remembered her own childhood when she read Struijk’s letter.

“I tore it out of the paper without even asking my husband if there was anything on the other side he wanted to read, “ she said.

“I was born and raised in Los Angeles and field trips were the most exciting part of going to school. I remember going to the tide pools in Palos Verdes and things like that. And here the children had an opportunity to go and I just couldn’t bear the fact that they couldn’t go.”

She too sent a contribution.

Martha Browning of Westchester is a stay-at-home mom to her 4 1/2-year-old daughter, Grace. Her family pledged money because of her husband, Peter Fetterman. He grew up “very poor” in London, but when he was 8 years old, he went on a field trip to the opera with his school, sparking a lifelong love that led him to produce “Yes, Giorgio,” a movie starring the great tenor, Luciano Pavarotti, Browning said.

“He just thought if he could turn on another young person to opera the way he was, that would be a nice way to end the year,” she said.

Spencer Shiffman of Calabasas sent his check immediately. Time is precious to him. At 37, he is dying of a rare form of peritoneal cancer..

“Being alone so much, and going through what I’m going through, I’ve had time to think what’s important to me. And what’s important to me is all these kids that need to be exposed to positive things,” he said. He had always wanted to be a philanthropist, and this was his chance.

“As far as money--I don’t have a lot,” he said. “It makes me feel good to be able to contribute to something like this, where somebody’s reaching out. I know they’re going to be able to go to the opera now. There’s nothing holding them back.”

At Vermont Elementary School the Monday after the letter ran, most of the calls coming in on the three phone lines were for Struijk.

“It started at 7:05 a.m. and went until 4:30 p.m.,” he said.

JoAnn Turovsky, a member of the orchestra that plays for “Mr. Fantastic Fox,” called to say she and her colleagues had passed the hat during rehearsal to raise money for the trip. She invited the students to meet the musicians at intermission.

Another call came from Robert Littman of Tarzana, a salesman for Pacific Southwest Financial, offering to treat the children to breakfast the day they finally are able to take their field trip.

“I want everybody going to the opera with a full stomach and a smile on their face,” he said.

Before the week ended, Struijk had received 80 calls and about $2,000 in contributions or pledges.

The kids will go to the opera on Dec. 11.

“It’s opened up a whole new area of opportunity I’ve never had before,” said Struijk, who has been a teacher for 29 years. “And I’m going to take advantage of it.”

Struijk’s 31 fifth-graders are thrilled and grateful.

“I was afraid when Mr. Struijk sent the letter,” Manuel Hernandez said. “I thought, ‘No celebrities would give money for our field trip.’ ”

“I want to thank all the people that sent the money; and maybe someday God will send them money,” Lilibeth Tapia said.

“I think it’s the greatest thing that has happened to us for a long time,” said Wilson Rossil.