I guess I've been around for a couple weeks now since Ralph suggested that I come over and check this place out.  I hadn't gotten around to the introduction part yet, but since I'm sitting up all night to watch over my dad who is having some health problems I might as well do the introduction.  I do have a tendency to wander so this may take some time.

 

I live in Galesburg, MI, between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek.  My dad came here in about 1956 to be the shop teacher.  He'd previously built a house for us north of Grand Rapids, and one west of Kalamazoo, and now he'd built one here.  He always had some kind of project going on, and then he got into apartments renting to college students.  Being the oldest of 8 kids I got more than my share of holding the end of boards on saw horses, catching plywood, and holding up drywall over my head until my arms burned.  During my junior high years he built us a bigger house, a two story colonial, so I watched and learned more.  During high school I was never allowed to take a shop class because he said I was on the college track and I didn't have time for shop since I needed those other classes for college.  I'm still wondering when that year of French is going to pay off.

 

Once I got to college I discovered shop.  I remember my first day in the woodshop lab at college when the instructor asked if all of us knew how to use the table saw.  I wasn't about to raise my hand, I'd seen it done hundreds of times, but never done it myself.  About this time my dad took an evening class for printing and got all excited about it and told me I should take one just to try it.  I took one and was hooked.  I'm not sure when I decided I wanted to teach, but I finished college with a General Industrial Education major, and minor in Printing/Graphics.  After that I got a job in print shop for a couple years then started my own printing business in 1979.  By this time I'd also bought my own skill saw, so I could finally use that too.

 

My dad had started a printing program at the school and after he retired they brought me in to take over his position in 1985.  I started as part time, then full, then part, it was up and down for the first few years.  Then in 1995 they had me take a drafting class, and then a woods class.  I didn't really have a clue what I was doing as I'd only had one woodworking class in my life.  Then they added another wood class, and then in 2003 we moved into a new building, the other wood teacher retired, they closed the printing down, and I was all woods and introductory drafting. 

 

I really liked what I was doing and we were turning out some nice stuff in woods class, but then the budget crunch hit.  Last January I was laid off, the shop was closed and all the equipment was auctioned off.  Our district has a fairly high poverty rate, many kids don't have much parental support, and many aren't really college bound even though they think they are.  I'd tell my guys that I couldn't make carpenters out of them, but I could show them some entry level skills, many of which could be carried over into other areas.  People that aren't working with kids in schools wouldn't believe how my kids, even the brighter ones doing algebra and trig can't read rulers and do fractions.  With the new requirements if a kid is in band they only have time for 2 elective classes in their 4 years of high school, all the rest is academic classes, which is fine, except not all kids are wired that way.  I'm not too bright, but it seems to me that a kid in shop class, learning some basic skills and making a project he can be proud of is better than having him sitting and failing chemistry and physics.  I was in last week and I see they've got my shop all cleaned up.  The walls have been power washed and the dust collector ducting is all done.  The best part is that just about the whole shop floor is covered with wrestling mats.  Finally that room can be used for something productive.

 

Ok, I'm over my rant. 

 

I've taken classes and received my certification to be a principal.  There is supposed to be a shortage of them, but I get letters back saying they've had 40 to over 100 applicants for openings, so I'm not sure if that is going to happen or not.  My wife wanted to move to Ohio to be nearer her family so we've bought a foreclosure property near Ralph and are now waiting for HUD to process things and our financing to get approved.  When that comes together I'll have a full time job doing a remodel on that house.

 

I've learned so much from my dad, just watching him and soaking it up.  I wasn't too happy about it at the time, seemed like I was the gopher on every project forever, but it's paid off.  Four or five weeks ago he was still working in his shop some, and taking the dog to the park for walks everyday.  Last couple weeks it's been a lot of hospital.  He's home now, but spends most of the time sleeping.  He's using a walker and just shuffles along but doesn't have the strength to hardly leave his room.  He's always had problems with migraines, and now the doctors think he's had a stroke.  It's a tough one seeing him change so fast, and we're not sure how this is going to play out, but at least the headaches are under control and he's talking to us again.

 

So anyway, that's where I'm at.  Sorry I ran on so long, but nothing else to do here and I've got to keep myself awake somehow.

 

Roy a most interesting introduction. Never apologize for running on, that is what we are all here for, to share and to listen. I certainly understand as I have been watching my parents slowly slow down. There have been more and more late night visits to the emergency room.

I never took shop in school either although I did take four years of drafting and architectural design. I wanted to be an Architect. Got in college and hated Art Appreciation which at the time was required.

I too stood at the end of the saw horses and held the fall off. At the time I thought it was the worst thing I could do, but I cherish those times now as I do realize how much I picked up from my dad.

Thanks for taking the time to share and I wish you the best of luck with the remodel. I will be praying for you and your dad and hope all is well.

Roy, thanks so much for the rambling, I enjoyed every bit of your post. I couldn't agree with you more about kids and shop, some kids just aren't wired for college and chemistry, some kids are wired to be tradesmen, and that was one of the worse things our schools around the country could have done to us, is take away the shop classes. Now guess what, we have a shortage of skilled tradesmen!

Thanks again Roy, it's a pleasure knowing you, and we are very happy you decided to call us home.

Your pops will be in our prayers tonight at dinner.

Take care and keep sane my man.

Roy, to someone you may be their Max Walker.

Max Walker was my shop teacher in high school. He taught everything from blacksmithing using a coal heated forge, lead soldering, electrical wiring, pipe fitting, just a little bit of everything. I also worked for Max in the summers. We even built a hog farm for the school system one year.

I was never really interested in school. I think I only went because that's where my friends hung out. I wasn't a bad student, I just wasn't interested. I also wasn't interested in farming, and I knew if I didn't go to college I was destined to work the family farm. I showed them though. I enlisted in the Navy instead. I figured I would give myself 4 years and then figure out what I wanted to do. The only hitch in my plan was that I really like it.

I enlisted a mechanic and was trained on auxiliary equipment. Air compressors, air conditioners, galley equipment and such. I found that almost everything I worked on I could relate some part of the repair to something Max Walker had taught me in high school. When people would ask where I had learned to do something I would say "Max Walker taught me."

Years later I was stationed a Vanderbilt University at the NROTC program. Being a mechanic I was responsible for all the repairs around the unit. Usually I would have a helper from the unit assigned. I found that I kept getting the same one over and over again. He said he volunteered because he wanted to learn to do things for himself. He had never had any shop classes and his dad wasn't very handy. He would ask how I learned to do certain things and I always told him "Max Walker taught me."

When a midshipman receives his commission it is traditional to present the first enlisted man that salutes you with a silver dollar. After graduation and a commissioning ceremony one Sunday I was preparing to leave. I had stood in the receiving line and offered salutes to the newly commissioned ensigns. I had a pocket full of silver dollars and was ready to get home. I heard a voice calling "chief, chief wait up." It was the young midshipman and new ensign who had helped me the most. I came to attention and saluted him. He offered me his silver dollar and then introduced me to his dad. He was a retired rear admiral and former battle group commander. He then did something totally unexpected. He gave me a hug and said "Thanks Max Walker."

I don't remember that young sailor's name to save my life. I doubt that Max Walker remembers mine. I do know that I remember Max Walker and everything he taught me. I would be willing to bet that there are many men and women today that remember Roy Boomershine and everything that you taught them.

Good luck Roy and welcome aboard.