1971-55-204: IN HONOR OF MR. HINE

In 1967, Chester Hine – the man, the myth, the legend – graduated from St. Nicholas High School, where he earned four letters in basketball and three in baseball. He was named first team all-star in his senior year. In 1971, he graduated from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and was quickly hired as the first-ever teacher at Bishop Hoban (now Holy Redeemer) High School, when he was just 22 years old. His epic 55-year teaching career at Hoban and Redeemer began before the Bishop Hoban building even officially opened.

Mr. Hine, who is retiring at the end of this school year after a record-setting tenure, imparted not only knowledge but faith and life lessons from his hallowed Room 204, where he officially taught algebra, geometry, and calculus but unofficially taught life.

He eventually became the chairman of the math department – a post he held for decades –and coach of boys varsity basketball. His teams have won multiple Wyoming Valley Conference championships and P.I.A.A. District 2 championships and appeared in the state semifinal and quarterfinals tournaments numerous times. Mr. Hine was named Wyoming Valley Coach of the Year several times and received the P.I.A.A. Officials Sportsmanship Award multiple times as well. 

Though his influence is national and most likely global, Mr. Hine, a native of Wilkes-Barre, did not have to stray far from his first home in Wilkes-Barre to make such an impact on the world. He now resides in West Pittston with his wife, Donna. They have three children: Jennifer, Carolyn, Christopher and Matthew.

This NEPA Gives, we ask anyone whose life Mr. Hine has touched in any way to consider a gift at one of the following levels:

1. $19.71 – or, if you can swing it, $1,971 – in honor of the year Mr. Hine began his storied teaching career.
2. $55 in honor of his record-setting 55-year Bishop Hoban/Holy Redeemer teaching streak
3. $204 in honor of the hallowed Room 204 classroom where it all began and where it all will end this year.

A hallowed hallway at Holy Redeemer will be named in honor of Mr. Hine because his wisdom will surely be felt for years to come. All donations made in Mr. Hine’s honor will be used to create an additional fitting legacy in the form of scholarships and/or infrastructure at our school.