BLOOMINGTON - Munich. Rome. Amsterdam. Bloomington. All are places where John A. Waddell - an internationally renowned opera singer, former television star in Germany and current Broadway vocal coach - has performed, but Bloomington is where it all began for him.

That's why he was back at Bloomington High School, his alma mater, Thursday night, to honor the 150th anniversary of Bloomington District 87's founding and to accept induction into its new Hall of Fame.

"You can do anything that you want to do if you have the right inspiration and loving kindness that BHS gives," said Waddell, who graduated from BHS in 1959, when the school was on Washington Street in downtown Bloomington.

Twenty people were in the first group of Hall of Fame inductees, 10 alumni who made significant contributions to society and 10 who contributed to the district's development in some way. The inaugural list is drawn from throughout the district's history.

About 150 people attended the event that honored people ranging from Nobel Prize-winning physicist Clinton Davisson to actor McLean Stevenson to State Farm Insurance Cos. CEO Ed Rust Jr. and former teacher and Principal Robert Knight.

Waddell, who was surrounded by well-wishers before the ceremony and dinner, reminisced about how his BHS vocal coach Mary Selk went toe-to-toe with the football coach.

He recalled the football coach saying, "Look here, Waddell, are you going to sing or are you going to play football?"

He said Selk, who was nicknamed "Sarge," told the coach, "He's going to do both!"

Waddell ended up doing both. He received a vocal scholarship to Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington.

He was based in Germany for 20 years before becoming a vocal coach in New York City.

He recounted meeting Arnold Schwarzenegger, then a famous bodybuilder and actor, on a flight in Germany. Schwarzenegger was astounded that Waddell, who is black, was an opera singer who spoke perfect German, he said.

Schwarzenegger exclaimed, "If I had known, I would have been at the opera last night with my mother!"

Another honoree was Rosemary Dustman, who taught, was a guidance counselor and had other jobs in the district from 1951 to 1985.

"I'll tell you, I'm just in awe to be in the same group with the other inductees because they're such prestigious persons," Dustman said.

Local businessman Dennis Marquardt echoed Dustman's sentiments.

"It's probably the most humbling thing that has ever happened to me," said Marquardt, a 1973 graduate who was honored as the founder of Denny's Donuts and Bakery in Bloomington and for his contributions to the community.

Inductee Judge Charles Witte, class of 1959, spoke of the role local schools have played in making Bloomington-Normal an attractive place to live.

"It seems like kids go to big cities, but when they start having kids, they come back to raise their families because we have great education, great health care, and it's a secure community," he said.

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Inductees

Following are inductees to Bloomington District 87's new Hall of Fame, which recognizes former students and people who contributed to the betterment of the district.

Bloomington High School

• Willie Brown, Class of 1966, executive vice president, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co.

• Clinton Davisson, Class of 1902, physicist and Nobel laureate

• Pete Elliott, Class of 1944, executive director, Professional Football Hall of Fame, football coach

• Phillip Clifton "P.C." Kurtz, Class of 1913 valedictorian, and principal, assistant principal, teacher, Bloomington High School

• Dennis Marquardt, Class of 1973, founder, Denny's Donuts and Bakery

• Edward B. Rust Jr., Class of 1968, chairman and CEO, State Farm Insurance Cos.

• McLean Stevenson, Class of 1946, actor, writer, comedian

• Suzanne Tick, Class of 1977, award-winning fabric designer and owner of Suzanne Tick Inc. New York City

• John A. Waddell, Class of 1959, opera singer, vocal coach

• W. Charles Witte, Class of 1959, circuit judge, attorney

District 87

• Delores Anson, education support personnel, administrative offices, 1960-2007

• Horatio Bent, board member, board president, 1893-1931

• Rosemary Dustman, director, pupil personnel services, coordinator of guidance, counselor, teacher, 1951-1985

• Lois Green, assistant superintendent, principal, teacher, 1938-1970

• Roy Hostettler, counselor, teacher, 1947-1990

• Robert Knight, principal, assistant principal, counselor, teacher, 1950-1987

• Sharon Morkin, teacher, 1966-1994

• Sarah Raymond-Fitzwilliam, superintendent, principal, teacher, 1868-1892

• Dortha Tompkins, board member, board president, 1949-1962

• George Wells, superintendent, 1944-1966