Slauson Junior High School - Exodus Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

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INTRODUCING r. Roland Lehker This year, for the first time in over twenty years a new gentleman has occupied the position of principal at Slauson. We, the 1969 EXODUS staff, hope that Dr. Roland Lehker will enjoy many fruitful years of service at the ''best'' junior high in Ann Arbor. Alaska may claim to be the largest state in the U.S., but just wait 'til it melts! Then we'll again acknowledge that Texas is the largest, as well as the greatest!'' So says that tall, lanky Texan who moved into the principal's office this year at Slauson. Born and raised in San Antonio, the legends and lore of the Lone Star State are of particular delight to him. And would you believe that when he was a boy, he was known to his friends as - Runt? ? Following graduation from high school he entered the U.S. Marine Corps and was sent to officers candidate school at Southwestern Louisiana Institute. After his discharge at the end of World War II he entered North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, where he earned a B.A. degree in history with honors. Playing basket- ball was a major activity during both his high school and college years.

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SLAUSON JUNIOR HIGH ANN ARBOR, MICH. ..—l Fe I969

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His first teaching position took him to the Milan Area Schools. One year later he entered the University of Michigan, where he earned his master's degree in guidance and counselling. He was then asked to return to the Milan district to organize the first junior high school and to serve as its first principal. A year later he was named principal of the senior high school. In 1955 he went to the Vicksburg Community Schools to be assistant superintendent for elementary instruction. In 1957 he received a fellowship which enabled him to return to the University to begin work on a Ph. D. in school administration. In 1959 he was named a consultant with the Bureau of School Services at the Uni- versity of Michigan. The Bureau is the major accrediting agency for schools in the state of Michigan and also conducts various kinds of studies and surveys for schools. This work took him into hundreds of secondary schools throughout the state. For six years, he was also the executive secretary for the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals. During these years, he became increasingly convinced that the most important years in a person's school career are the junior high school years. At the same time, he sadly observed that often school districts allowed for only second-rate programs and facilities for their junior high schools. His most satisfying professional tasks during this time were teaching courses about the junior high school at the Univer- sity, and working toward new accrediting procedures which would encourage school dis- tricts to provide first-quality junior high programs. He found the prospect of coming to Slauson exciting because he had greatly missed working with young people in a public school situation. He believes Slauson has the potential to be one of the finest junior high schools in the country. The Lehkers have four children - Dave, Kris, who is at Slauson, Anne, and Tom.