Scott,
Way back near the beginning of the GLI, the Kalamazoo Optimist Club was also beginning a boy’s hockey league. The Kalamazoo area alumni sponsored a PeeWee team in the league and I had the privilege of coaching it. My wife, Gloria, had worked with John MacInnes when he worked in the registrar’s office during the summer (1958). Her job consisted of translating John’s Canadian into English, and holding onto some applications to keep them away from registrar Tom Sermon “until the grades came up.”
We maintained a friendship with John and Alumni Director Tom Hruby and they traveled through Kalamazoo often at that time. Anyway, getting back to the GLI, John invited our team to the Olympia to skate around in between periods. It was a real thrill for our PeeWees, even though their marginal skating skills drew comments from the Detroit boys in the crowd. The Kalamazoo program did develop. Al Glendenning was a founder and dedicated worker in the program and his son Tom was an early skater. Al and Tom are grampa and father of the Red Wing Luke.
Great memories of early years of the GLI when John was struggling to keep it alive.
Mel Visser ’59
- Hi Mel. Thanks for checking in. Appreciate your GLI memories! -SB
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Hi Scott,
Just reading this week’s newsletter and came across the piece about K.O. Alexander. I had Dr. Alexander for one of my economics courses as well. It was rumoured at the time that he was actually an economic advisor to President Kennedy at one point. Don’t know if that’s true but he sure was a brilliant economist.
One of the most frustrating things about his teaching method was that he used different colored chalk as he lectured. He taught in the big lecture room in Fisher Hall which had (maybe it still does) sliding greenboards that took up the entire space on the stage. He would stand on the stage, looking at his watch and when the bell rang, he would start at the left side of the stage and draw huge graphs as he spoke, using a different color of chalk for each of the data lines. And, each of those data lines was important so, unless you could differentiate between them, studying for an exam was basically futile. I rarely, if ever, carried different colored pens or pencils but I certainly did while take his courses. During his hour-long lecture, he would proceed across the stage, using every one of the sliding boards. He also never answered any questions during his lectures. When the final ball rang, he packed up his “supplies” and was out the door. Although he was a tough teacher, I learned a great deal about economics by taking his courses.
Doug Davies ’69
Hi Doug, fascinating history of Dr. Alexander. Sounds like a tough professor to be sure. -SB
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Regarding GLI; it was a record Phi Kappa Tau fraternity Alumni/Active turnout for the first night of GLI during which we hold our Alumni Association annual meeting. Well over 60 alumni and actives (current Tech students) showed up for the alumni association meeting and to watch Michigan Tech hockey Huskies beat U of M; 2 – 0. We have held our annual meeting at Joe Louis Arena during GLI every year since 1990 (except for the year GLI was at Comerica Park), always with a good turnout. The Alumni Associations Board of Trustees meets several times during the year in addition to the GLI meeting. On Labor Day weekend this summer, our fraternity in Hancock will be celebrating the 60th anniversary of our founding as Mu Kappa Mu, we joined Phi Kappa Tau national fraternity two years later.
Marty Schendel ’83
- Thank you for checking in, Marty. Appreciate the update on the Alumni Association. I know you are very active. Keep up the good work! -SB
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My Husky spirit is xXx 3x.
After a night run.
Paul Retlewski ’81
- Great looking Huskies, Paul. Appreciate the you sending it! -SB
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This is the first Newsletter update I have seen. Very nice and informative!
Keep it up. Retired since March 31, 2014. Life is good.
Take care and God bless,
Duane Meyer
Class of 1970
- Thanks for reading, Duane. Congratulations on your retirement. -SB
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I’m announcing the Michigan Tech vs. GVSU live watch party and fundraiser!
We are attempting something that, to my knowledge, has never been done before. We’ll be live streaming a [.22 Smallbore/Air Rifle Collegiate] match and hosting a watch party at Schmohz Brewery on Saturday, January 28.
You can donate/watch me commentate the match live online at www.michigantechrifleteam.com.
Charles (Chas) Thompson ’91
- Thank you for the announcement, Chas. Hope you get a great turnout. -SB