Western Technical College - Latech Yearbook (La Crosse, WI)

Page 12 text:

in MachineShop,GeneralMetals,Welding and Sheet Metal, teaching day and night classes. He also i nstructed classes in three local industries. He coached school basketball squads and supervised intramurals. In 1938, he received his BachelorofScience degree in industrial education from Stout. Hawkins was president of the La Crosse Education Association; a charter mem ber of the La Crosse Teachers Credit Union; a member of the Wisconsin Education As- sociation Constitution Revision Com- mittee; Trustee and Deacon of the First Congregational Church; and in 1971, was recognized among the Outstanding Educators of America. He and .Mrs. Hawkins havea married son. Mrs. Hawkins also taught for many years at the La Crosse Vocational School on both a part- time and fuII-tir..e basis. Hawkins spends part of his time.in retirement on his stamp collection, as well as adding to his look and key research exhibiit. MRS. AILEEN PINKER, DIRECTORS SECRETARY 11916-1963 Aileen Pinker, the fourth staff member hired for La Crosse Continuation School in 1916, Just watched the thing grow through her 49 years' employment at the pioneer school which came to be Western Wisconsin Technical Institute. Mrs.Pinker was born November 8, 1897 in Viroqua, Wisconsin.She wasa19159raduate ofthe one-year business course at Keefe Business College in La Crosse. What started out as t wo weeks of tem- porary employment at $5 a week at the Continuation School turned into a career that included marriage in 1939 to Martin Pinker, a La Crosse merchant, who died in late 1977.They met a .school curriculum conference. Her first work,as always at the school, was secretary to Iong-time Director John B. Coleman. This job expanded into registering students, keeping attendance records, placing graduates from the school's College of Commerce, handling invoices and payrolls, issing work permits, giving state civil service examinations, and working with the day school plus two nights weekly in the evening school. A woman of striking features, especiallyin herearlieryears when she was welI-known as Miss Henry, many considered her the eyes and ears of the school. In addition to being secretary to Coleman for 47 years, starting just two weeks after Coleman first began his work here, she also served as secretary to Director Arthur F Jordan for two years before deciding to retire in 1965. Mrs. Pinker was the chairman of the ChristmasSeal Fund Drivefor many years. She was cited for Heart Fund work. She

Page 11 text:

attended Minneapolis Business College, was married in 1938, but then lost her job because teacher priority, as others in the Great Depression, was given to husbands of teaching wives. in 1944 Mrs. Bethurem began teaching business courses at Westby High School, heralma mater. lnthesummerof1955,she recieved her life business. education certificate from UW-Whitewater. She began her employment at the La Crosse Vocational School in 1955 and was among the faculty members responsible for the start of the La Tech annual yearbook in 1965 and was its first advisor. Mrs. Bethurem received additional graduate credits for courses completed at UW-Stout. . Her applied working experience was in the offices of a local retailer and at an Ely, Minnesota resort. Formerly secretary of the La Crosse Education Association, she also has been treasurer of the American Lutheran Church Women, assisted the City Health Department screening clinic and helped with mobile meals delivery. The mother of one daughter, Mrs. Bethurem does a great deal of handiwork, gardening and can- ning. Her years of successful student placement is reflected in the praise of at least onetormer st udent who liked the way she required him to knuckle down to his studies, which he credits with making him successful in his present career. Facing page, Top: Gladys Bethurem-Busi- ness Education Instructor i1955-1972i. Bottom: Erwin Schreiber-Trade and industrial Coordinator i1922-1962L This page: Harold Hawkins-General Metals 8t Welding Instructor t1928-1970i ERWIN L. SCHREIBER, TRADES AND INDUSTRY COORDINATOR 0922 - 196m Erwin L. tErvt Schreiber, a La Crosse native who practically grew up with early La Crosse Vocational School, was a month into his first cabinet - making teaching job in 1922 when fire.consumed the former FirstWard School which housedthe old La Crosse Continuation School. His classes continued at Washburn and Hogan schools. Schreiber, born July 9, 1899, retired in 1962 as Trade and Industrial Coordinator and Evening School Supervisor, climaxing over 40 years' work here. When he as spotted, and later hired, by DirectorJohn Coleman, Schreiber was demonstrating a wood technique. He was atso working at the time at the Hackner Altar Company in La Crosse. Schreiber married his firstwife in 1922. The lacked four high school credits and spent busy times, including summer sessions at Stout Institute. to earn his high school diploma in 1926. Summer cabinet work at Segelke - Kohlhaus Com- pany further rounded out his skills. Twenty summer sessions at Stout, plus credits at Colorado State University, resulted in his earning his Bachelor of Science degree from Stout in 1936. Before retiring, he received the equivalent of a Master's degree. When the new school was designed for 1924 completion, Schreiber helped in planning the school's new buildings and additions,as hedidin1929,1939and1961. Offered school directorships elsewhere, Schreiber preferred the old home town and stayed in La Crosse his entire career. From 1940 into 1942, he supervised National Defense War Industries classes and in 1943 was appointed half - time Trades and Industry Coordinator, receiv- ing full - time appointment in 1954. Neartheend ofWorId War I in 1918, hewas a member of La Crosse Normal School's student army training corps, the basis for his eventual 47 years in American Legion Post 52. An expert rifle shot, he was secretary - treasurer of the Legion's Rifle Club for many years. He was baptized in First Lutheran Church and has been a lifetime member. His German ethnic background. language - wise, has aided in six trips to Europe in- cluding Germany, one of 47 countries covering 190,000 miles .visited by Schreiber and his second wife, Elinor. TheyliyeinthehomeSchreiberpersonally built, with assistance, in.1937. Schreiber and his first wife, Leona, who died in 1950, were parents ofa daughterwho is married. Hisfirstwife and present wife were sisters. HAROLD H. HAWKINS, GENERAL METALS AND WELDING INSTURCTOR t1928-197ot Harold tHollyt Hawkins, for 42 years instructor in general metals and machine shop, came to La Crosse Vocational School .1928 when varieties of industrial metals were fewand autossimple.Born on a farm October 7, 1901, at Wells, Minnesota, Hawkins worked early around equipment and heavy machinery. He was attracted to Stout Institute by influence of a high schoolteacher, and, atage 26, got a late start toward his vocational special certificate. At the La Crosse Vocational School, his first assignment was to teach Auto Mechanics and Machine Shop to boys studying part-time..WelI-rounded in prac- tical work, from boiler repair to auto service to carpentry, Hawkins' teaching loan ran to 33 compulsory students. A glass partition often joined shop and clas- sroom, providing ready class supervision and discipline. He was certified with the state Senior A Instructor CIassficiation

Page 13 text:

membered in the Zonta Club, served later as a volunteer in the G ift Shop at La Crosse Lutheran Hospital. In 1963, the Wisconsin Bureau of Personnel Leaders said thanks with a special citation for her work here in help- ing place young people in jobs. A member of First Congregational Church, her activities for five yearshave been limited because she is legally blind. She maintained her home at Route 3, La Crosse until recently. A highlight of 1977 was a neighborhood surprise t ribute, in the form of a restaurant dinnerattended by over 50 neighbors and friends, for Mr. and Mrs. Pinker just prior .to Mr. Pinker's sudden death. Neighbors liked the Pinkers, and they told them so on their 80th birthday . anniversaries which oc- curred only a week apart in November of 1977. GEORGE HOWE, ausnuEss MANAGER t194o-19651 George L. Howe, the Mr. Personality of his time, was business manager of the La Crosse Vocational School for 25 years, retiring in 1965. During World War I, he was trained as a JN4D C'Jenny l aircraft pilot. He was born October 20, 1894 in La Crosse, and graduated from La Crosse High School in 1913. At that time he went to work in the Collection Department at First National Bank, remaining until sign- Facing page, Top: Mrs. Aileen Pinker- Director's Secretary l1916-1965l. Bottom: George Howe-Business Manager 11940- 1965l. This page: Alph Sorenson-Print- ing Head Department i1920-1969l, ing up for US. Army fiighttraining in 1917. After being discharged from military service, he returned to his hometown and was hired as business manager of the La Crosse Public Schools. He held this position until he accepted the same sort of job at theLa Crosse Vocational School in 1940 as business manager here, where Howe covered a range of duties from bid- taking to payrolls. Much of his routine was learned on the job. His office was the scene of hundreds of . interviews of students referred to him by teachers for placement. As a lieutenant in the Army Reserves, Howe was also president of the La Crosse Chapter, Reserve Officers Association, and a member-recruiter of La Crosse American Legion Post 52. For 45 years he sang bass in the St. Mary's Catholic Church.choir, also singing with the Old Style Babershop Quartet. He and his wife, Laura, had two sons and three daughters, who are not married. Living in an apartment alone, overlooking former Central High School grounds, Howeplays cribbage and gin rummy, likes to watch football, and visits friends. The late John B. Coleman, the La Crosse Vocational School's Long-time director, once said of Howe, The people that he met, and to whom he talked, were given the philosophy of adult education real lpainlessly'. I know he did very much for the school. ALPH SORENSON, PRINTING HEAD DEPARTMENT l1920-19691 Alph M. Sorenson, Printing - woodwork- ing instructor from 1920 into 1969 at Western Wisconsin Technical Institute, was recruited at Stout Institute to teach here by Director ColemarL He was the seventh staff member to be hired here when the school was only eight years old. Born at Madelia, Minnesota, December31, 1898, Sorenson had a wealth of high school training that prepared him for his double major certificate at Stout Institute and later teaching. His first duty at the La Crosse Vocational Schoolincludedteaching12to18yearold boys in printing, woodworking and sheet metal. Typical of most vocational instruc- tors, Sorenson also taught related academics, such as hygience, safety, mathematics, English, mechanical draw- ing and blueprint reading. For 47 years he taught woodworking and evening school and after1945,.haIf-time in day school. For 49 years he was head of the Printing Department. in addition, he Iectu red as a substitute for classes in draf- ting and sheet metal. For severalsummers he returned to Stout for printing credits, also working summers in area printing - publishing shops. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Stout in 1931. He also did graduate study at Colorado State University. He personally built the home he and his wife live intoday in 1937, with helpofother faculty members. He was chairman of the Wisconsin Association of Printing Teachers in 1960. For 35 years he was a teacher and later superintendent of the Sunday School at Bethel Lutheran Church and First Presbeyterian Church in La Crosse. He and wife, Alice, have two sons and one daughter, each the recipient ofa Sorenson - madewainut grandfather clock hand - built by grandad Alph at W.W.T.l. Retirement days are spent in travel and flower and vegetable gardening - a good tonic for .a former teacher whose reputation was enhanced by a cheerful, sincere, and yet firm classroom manner.