Legacy Letter pdf

Accomplishments Other Than Parenting • Built Blanket Forts over folding tables and Chairs with my sister Maribeth • Maribeth and I pulled a wagon selling ice tea and lemonade to construection workers building Hillside Jr High school in the woods behind our house • Built a go kart from an orange create, baby carriage wheels and an axle from an automotive scrap yard,,with my friend David Spalsberry • Took apart an old Mantle clock on the steps near my gravel driveway (1406 Pinehurst Kal) • Sat on a pail with a ton cowboy hat and strummed an out of tune guitar • Walked to and from Peter Pan Elementary School (returned home for lunch) 2 miles one way • Attended Hope Reform Church on Jinx Bulvd. (Eventually being “confirmed” as a member • Attended Westwood Elementary and Indian Prairie (Walked home from School) • Recognized as having the best figure drawing skills in my class in 5th Grade • Volunteered and became a school crossing safety • Spent Lunch hours with Richard Garrison drawing old cars and modern homes • Pulled Mustard Weeds on a 100 Acre Farm in Gobles • Worked on farm in Chicago Ill. (I was caught stealing downtown Kal. with my cousin * ) I bought a six transistor radio with the money I had earned working on the farm • I mowed lawns in the neighborhood for money • I Attended Hillside Jr High • Studied and played Accordion for 3 yrs (4th 5th and 6th grade) • Sang my first Solo in from of the Hill Side Jr. High Student body asemblely “Red & White Review” I sang Oh What a beautiful Morning. Mom boutht me new Jeans • Took a Class trip with Hillside Choir and saw “How To Succeed In Business With Really Trying” at the Fisher Theater in Detroit (9th Grade Hillside Jr High) Choir Class • Played 8th Grade intramural basketball • Played 8th Grade Football

* Tried out and made the Hillside Jr High 9th grade basketball team • Joined the Hope Reformed Church Jr Choir- (I sang Tenor) • Graduated from Hillside Jr High • I practiced basketball all summer • I tried out and made the JR (10th Grade) Varsity Team at Kalamazoo Central Central HS I practiced every night and played and traveled with the JVs and the Varsity • Was invited to join a Gospel Quartet. singers from four churches and a pianist. We sang at retirement homes, nursing homes and start up churches. • Sang in a KCHS class choir • I practiced all summer out doors and in gyms all over the Kalamazoo area • I tried out for the varsity as an 11th grader and failed to make the team. • I practiced all winter as an 11th grader by myself at a nearby gym. A custodian made a deal with me that I could practice there each night if I swept the floor when I was finished. • I practiced all summer scrimmaging with friends outdoors and at gyms all over town. • I tried out for the varsity as a senior and I made the team! • We practiced every night as a team after school..drills and scrimmages • Our team only lost two games all season and we were the Christmas Area Tournament Champions • We were the District Champions and we each received a district medal. • Created my first sculpture in art classs with Mildred Johnson. It was included in the KIA Area Show for High School Students • During the Kalamazoo Area Basketball Tournament our starting center broke his wrist early in the game I was sent into the game as a substitute. I scored seven points, had eleven rebounds and five assists. With the first string we won and set a new school record for the most total points scored against an opponent. • As a senior I was awarded my Varsity Letter in Basketball at a Team Award Ceremony • I applied to WMU, MSU, and CMU to attend college • I was accepted at both schools and chose Central Michigan University • That summer I worked for Westerns WMUs food banquet service..to earn my tuition for

Attending CMU in the fall. • Worked at Sacketts Furniture and Carpet store in Gobles delivering furniture • Enrolled at Central Michigan in a liberal arts degree program as a freshman • Managed the dorm “Front Desk” at Barnard Hall. (Received Guests, distributed Mail and monitored access to the Dorm residences. • Worked in CMUs dorm food services program which served Tate, Barnard, Ronan and Sloan dormitories….serving food cafeteria style in exchange for my Room and Board Expenses • Played College intramural basketball (I withdrew from CMUs Freshman team due to my difficult courses in Western Civilization and Spanish • Completed My Freshman year at CMU…with a student deferment from the draft and the Vietnahm war. (30 Credit Hrs) • That summer I Worked at The Brown Paper Company (formerly the Parchment Paper Co. Board at CMU in the fall of 1967. (My father paid for my tuition) Replacement for factory workers who were on vacation. I loaded and unloaded Box Cars by driven a “mule” which was a Fork Lift Truck. • As a sophomore at Central Michigan University I continued my studies and I worked in the Food Services to pay for my room and board. I earned enough to pay for my Room and • I met a guitarist from New Jersey, a Drummer from New York. I met two music majors..a rhythm Guitarist from Traverse City and a bass player from Bay City. They learned I could sing…..and we formed a rock cover band in our Dorm …called the “Snuggery” We played weekly at dorm dances,“All School” campus Dances at the Student Union as well as Frat parties. In addition we played off campus at local bars, (The 19th Hole, The Bird, The Holliday Inn, Local High schools. We played 50 songs (We played three 15 song sets lasting 50 minutes each set. • Bought 2 PA Columns and a Boggen PA amp Mike and Mixer for the bands shared use • I bought my first car 1957 Chevy 4 dr red with white top • Wrote a proposal to Central Michigan University and was approved to finance construction of an original concrete sculpture which I designed for a permanent exhibit in south campus in a court yard near the Art building. • Completed my Jr year at CMU • I worked in the summer at the AM Todd Co (Peperment and Spearment refinery) to earn room and board or my Senior year at CMU

• Continued working in the Dorm (Barnard Hall) Food services, performed with the Snuggery and continued my studies at CMU • I was hired as an Apartment Building Resident Manager off campus • I graduated from CMU earning my Bachelor of Science Degree In Education with a continuing Teaching Certificate in the area of Psychology and Art…K through 12 • Interviewed several public school employers and was hired to teach in Albion MI • I wrote Art Curriculum for 6th, 7th and 8th and 9th Graders (Fundamentals for Art appreciation, fine motor skill acquisition, perception, and knowledge of tools/materials • Created an Art Classroom for middle school children (Washington Jr High School) • Attended Albion College for 18 post graduate hrs of study in Education and the Arts (specifically pottery) With Prof Richard Leach. • Earned my Permanent Teaching Certificate K / 12 by completiong 18 post graduate hrs at Albion College • Taught Summer School in Albion Public Schools 3 yrs • Wrote a proposal to Albion Public Schools and was approved to finance a “KILN” Hand built (from scratch) a 16 cu ft Electric kiln For the Washington Gardner Middle School • Built (welded) a potters wheel for the middle school classroom • Created a School Art Store from a previously unused teachers lounge to sell students Art • Created a School News Paper which was distributed each month to the entire student body   Include student creative efforts, Pros, Poems Cartooning and Illustrations • Created a Studio in my garage in Albion • Established “All School Movies” Shown after school and supervised by staff. • Coached 7th and 8th Grade Basketball teams in Albion • Played Albion City League Basketball • Proposed and developed a large Art Gallery for display of student work featuring products from Fine Art, Crafts, Industrial Arts, Graphic Arts (printing) classes • Designed and printed School related forms as a summer employee (learned, litho photography, Stripping and platemaking…how to run an offset printing press, hydraulic paper cutter and Bindery Operations • Developed a printed program guide for delivering “Unified Arts” A program for students to explore careers in Art, Industrial Arts, Music, Language, Mathematics

• Played Kalamazoo Church League Basketball • Self Taught Acoustic Guitar- open chords Flat Top or Folk Guitar • Studied Jazz Guitar Jackson Michigan (Semi Acoustic Electric) • Attempted to Build an acoustic guitar from stock parts…bending sides by boilings them in a home made water trough on a kitchen stove…failed • Attended Battle Creek Jr College: Commercial Art Techniques (pencil, pin and ink, guache and Air Brushing water color and the use of friskets • Worked as an apprentice with Andrew Kurzman Associates to learn Comm. Art Techniques. • Quit Teaching contract in Albion Mich. • Moved to kalamazoo to increase teaching employment opportunities • Worked at the AM Todd Company as a “factory worker” • Substitute Taught at the Van Buren Technology Center. • Researched Career Vocational Technical Education at the Upjohn Employment Research Center located in Kalamazoo • Developed my portfolio and resume to reflect my undergraduate art work and samples of production work I did for Albion Public Schools • Wrote a proposal to the Director of Career Vocational Technical Education in Lawrence Mich. Outlining a new vocational program “Interelated Scholastic Graphics” • Interelated Scholastic Graphics would: provide instruction to 23 career program areas in the Skills of self publishing individual success in a monthly Tech News Paper for the Community. Student topics would include their success stories and accomplishments in their specific Career Education Program program areas. in addition they would learn the basics of Copy Preparation, Editing, page Make-up and Page design/layout • Presented My Proposal to the Director of Voc Ed. and was hired by the Van Buren Intermediate School District • The Director hired me (A non-teaching assignment) • I worked a year and a half as a xerox copy operator • After 1 1/2 yr The VBISD Director of Career Education offered me the position of Production Coordinator for Berrien Springs and Van Buren Intermediate School District

• I handled job orders, received phone calls, did billing, coordinated job execution by myself and with help fro Photography, Commercial Art and Grabhic Art students for Berrien Springs Intermediate School District and Van Buren Intermediate School Districts. (24 Area High Schools in Two Counties plus Intermediate Services in both counties • I created job tickets for job intake, work flow charts and work stations for job completion. • Developed a Studio for painting in my garage in Kalamazoo • • Painted in my garage studio on Week ends and in the summer • Remodeled a hundred year old house on Duke Street (3725 Duke St) • Was offered the teaching position of Commercial art Instructional Manager at the Van Technology Center with the requirement that I would continue my duties as The Production Coordinator for Van Buren Intermediate and Barien Springs Intermediate School Districts • Developed student based Commercial Art Curriculum for skill acquisition. Instruction was delivered as “skills” and “tasks” which were broken down into steps or lessons. Tasks were grouped to achieve larger goals and still larger objectives. Goals and objectives were organized and related to specific Job titles within the Commercia Art Career Ladder • Orgainized and maintained a Commecial Advisory Committee (Commercial Art Imployers) • Organized a Commercial Art student Organization MARTY. (Marketing, Advertising, Round Table for Youth.) This organization promoted State Wide student Comm. Art competitions) • Attended oil Painting classes at the KIA with Michael Northrop (Painting Like The Old Masters • Attended oil painting classes Ken Freed Oil Painting Techniques • Organized the “Communication Cluster” composed of Printing, Photography and Commercial Art..based on “work flow for production” • Created “Individual Internship Modules” for 8th and 9th grade visitors who wished to explore Commercial Art Careers through “hands on” art activities. • Designed and produced 23 Open House brochures for the technology Center. (These were mailed to every one in Van Buren County. The brochure promoted 23 career technical program areas. • Taught in the summer Migrant Education Program. Program CHOICE. Children, Having, Opportunities In Career Education. (Developed the Curriculum with Pre and Post testing of Art career Knowledge after hands on activities. • Taught Westerns’ professors and their staff Desktop Publishing Skills

• Earned my Career Technical Endorsement (added to my teaching degree at MSU) • Earned my Masters in Career Technical Education From WMU • Bought my first MacIntosh Computer • Introduced MacIntosh computers to the Van Buren Technology Center. Created the First Lab in Vanburen county and Southwest Michigan to teach commercial Art Skills • Wrote and Published a proposal for “desktop publishing” to the state of Mich. It outlined equipment, software and the knowledge skills required to add a new Job Title to the Commercial Art career Ladder • The state approved my Desktop Publishing curriculum proposal. New equipment was • purchased and additional staff added to my program area which I supervised. • Entered 23 Kalamazoo Institute of Arts Jurored competitions. Was accepted in 13 shows • Taught Commercial Skills to Adults in the evening at the Van Buren Tech Center • Won First Place “ the Hudson Prize” for: Politics, Preservation and Memories Oil Painting • Awarded the Marty Maddux Prize for Imaginative Realism. “Field Mice” Oil Painting • Received The KIA Purchase Prize for “Obsession” Oil Painting