October 1975 - Joining the Rat Race

Sadly, my chances of ever becoming a parking lot attendant suffered a fatal blow when the Bureau of Employment Security - with whom I had been working since April - referred me to a job interview at Columbia School District. I interviewed with the legendary Elmer Krieser, Principal and former football and basketball coach, and Ron Caulwell, Vice-Principal. They were seeking to set up an alternative classroom for disruptive youth in their secondary education program. The position was funded by the Federal CETA program which meant it was guaranteed for only one year but hopefully would be picked up full-time by the district if the program demonstrated sucess. Following my interview, I was hired along with Mike Burke, former Columbia + Millersville QB, to run the program and Jan Bartlett was hired to provide supplementary counseling services. It turned out to be one of the most difficult challenges of my life ... the program's students were those who for one reason or another were not being reached by the traditional methods. Approximately 50 students were in and out of the program during the year with 25 or so in attendance on an average day. A 12 to 1 student/teacher ratio, particularily when all students were deemed incorigible by the mainstream, proved to be quite the challenge.

From that point forward, actually from the summer playground assignment earlier that year, I was, depending on your point of view, either gainfully employed or stuck in the rat race. I have been employed fulltime since that point at Columbia, City Hall Lancaster and currently with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Another event happened that same month with larger implications with regard to the 340 Club. During the months of July and August, Sil, Jim Shay, and I held down the fort but there was an empty bedroom on the 2nd floor on the street. Prime location in my book ... it was not long until we had a tenant.