CONTACTS
SUBJECTS
Wrestling Hall of Fame Honor Sam Lawson Inductee Attend with Richard
1203 -
1203 - ..
1204 - Summary/Objective
1205 -
120501 - Follow up ref SDS 5 0000.
120502 -
120503 -
120505 - ..
1206 -
1207 -
1208 - Progress
1209 -
120901 - Richard called earlier in the week about attending an induction
120902 - ceremony for Sam Lawson into the Wrestling Hall of Fame. Didn't want
120903 - to go, but wound up enjoying the event held at a hotel in San Jose out
120904 - near the airport.
120906 - ..
120907 - Mr Lawson very deservedly has been honored and credited in many forums
120908 - for broader work in both education and sports. His prodigous career
120909 - building the Cupertino school district is presented in a wonderful
120910 - article written by Anne Ward Ernst for a commemorative series
120911 - published in the Cupertino Courier titled...
120912 -
120913 - Cupertino API School Scores
120914 -
120915 - http://www.cupertinoschoolscores.com/News/Evolution_Of_Cupertino_Schools.htm
120917 - ..
120918 - The author presents an engaing opening by Mr Fenton Hill, saying...
120919 -
120920 - "We always knew the elementary schools had a great
120921 - reputation, and they were the feeder schools for the high
120922 - schools. It was well known way back. It's not just
120923 - recent,"
120925 - ..
120926 - The article continues...
120927 -
120928 - Hill is a product of the system. He graduated from Fremont
120929 - Union High School in 1940 and continued his relationship
120930 - with the schools in a 34-year career at various schools in
120931 - Cupertino as a teacher, coach, dean and principal.
120933 - ..
120934 - Mr Hill was the varsity football coach and director of the Athletic
120935 - Department at Cupertino High School in 1959, my freshman year.
120936 - Getting on the scales to sign up for football, Mr Hill looked at the
120937 - height showing 4' 10" and weight showing 97 pounds. He said to the
120938 - assistant with the clip board...
120939 -
120940 - "Put down the minimum we can accept - 5 feet 100
120941 - pounds."
120943 - ..
120944 - Mr Hill prudently asked -- Are you sure you want to play tackle
120945 - football with athletes twice your size??
120947 - ..
120948 - At the time, this seemed like an odd question. Later that day or the
120949 - next when were suited up for the first practice it suddenly was clear
120950 - that everyone seemed twice my size, demonstrating significant growth
120951 - from the 9th to the 12th grade. However, even my best friend, Dennis
120952 - Watenabe, from Collins Elementary, looked like a giant in all the
120953 - football gear, and after not seeing him for 2 years while he attended
120954 - Hyde Junior High, and Rob and I were at Cupertino Junior High School.
120956 - ..
120957 - The Courier article continues saying that Mr Lawson was a soldier
120958 - returning from World War II, who went to college on the GI Bill and
120959 - got a teaching degree at San Jose State College. Interestingly, Mr
120960 - DeSelms mentioned in the meeting 15 years ago that Mr Fernandez had a
120961 - distinguished war record, but would never discuss it, reported on
120962 - 970308 0746. ref SDS 2 5H40 Mr Lawson never discussed his war
120963 - experience either. Seems the men who served their country in that
120964 - titatanic struggle somehow put it aside. None of my uncles ever
120965 - discussed their war years, indicating equality of burden with solemn
120966 - commitment to avoid both complaint and accolades. Mr Lawson's legacy
120967 - celebrated today exemplifies how tragedy and triumph of war readied a
120968 - generation to build the 2nd half of the 20th century.
120970 - ..
120971 - Courier article continues...
120972 -
120973 - Lawson's name carries a lot of weight in the discussion of
120974 - Cupertino's elementary and middle schools' path to
120975 - excellence.
120977 - ..
120978 - He was hired in 1948 as Cupertino Union School's first male
120979 - teacher, first coach and first physical education
120980 - instructor. In short order he became an assistant
120981 - principal, principal and then director of pupil personnel
120982 - for the district, eventually returning to a principal's
120983 - role. In his 33 years with the district, he developed a
120984 - sports program from scratch, created a summer recreation
120985 - program and hired countless teachers who would help shape
120986 - the system and the students.
120987 -
120988 - [On 120823 1150 Rob made generous and compelling remarks
120989 - on Sam's career advancing education, ref SDS 7 L69Y, for
120990 - the ceremony held on 050826, dedicating the name change
120991 - from Collins Elementary to "Sam H Lawson Middle School,"
120992 - and received in the record 7 years later. ref SDS 7 L64V
120994 - ..
120995 - Marilyn Lawson... believes that the community supported her
120996 - husband, Sam Lawson, in his endeavors in such areas as
120997 - bringing the sports programs to Cupertino schools.
120998 -
120999 - "All he had was dirty ground and one ball. The parents
121000 - helped to build a program," she says.
121002 - ..
121003 - Remember at Collins elementary school the fields were bare ground.
121004 - Kids were careful to avoid falling, or sliding into a base, so as to
121005 - avoid skinning up legs and arms. Only one small field had grass in
121006 - front of the principal's office and the cafeteria. But nobody could
121007 - use it until the last day of school. The princial would line
121008 - everybody up at one end and at the other she would throw out all of
121009 - the things confiscated from kids during the school year. Things like
121010 - pens, pocket knives, watches. The kids at the other end would then be
121011 - released to run out and pickup anything they could find, first come,
121012 - first serve.
121014 - ..
121015 - Mr Lawson fixed the bare ground problem at Cupertino Junior High
121016 - school opened in 1956, on Homestead road about a mile or so North from
121017 - Highway 9. He made sure there were huge playing fields with grass
121018 - including a full size baseball diamond.
121020 - ..
121021 - In recent years, Collins was renamed Sam Lawson Elementary school to
121022 - honor Sam's life's work. Since Collins has a significant lineage in
121023 - the history of Cupertino, noted in the article...
121024 -
121025 - The four original schoolhouses were built on land donated
121026 - by local families, beginning with Lincoln Elementary in
121027 - 1865, San Antonio School in 1867, Collins School in 1869
121028 - and Doyle School in 1882.
121029 -
121030 - ...hopefully, one day another school will be built that can take Mr
121031 - Lawson's name, so that Collins can regain its original name to
121032 - continue a proud and productive history since 1869.
121034 - ..
121035 - Background on Mr Campbell is presented...
121037 - ..
121038 - {Mr Richard - Dick] Campbell was one of those college
121039 - friends recruited by Lawson, who like Lawson, started his
121040 - career as a physical education teacher and coach,
121041 - ultimately being promoted to principal where he had the
121042 - opportunity to do some hiring of his own.
121044 - ..
121045 - Mr Campbell is credited for innovation and leadership advancing
121046 - teaching excellence...
121047 -
121048 - Innovative teaching methods were given a try and those that
121049 - didn't work were discontinued; others were successful.
121050 -
121051 - Team-teaching is one innovation that was first tried when
121052 - Campbell was a principal. A pair of sixth-grade teachers
121053 - shared teaching duties between their classrooms. Campbell
121054 - made it possible by cutting a hole between their separate
121055 - classrooms, so they could easily move between the two. He
121056 - said team-teaching is basically teaching to the strength of
121057 - each teacher. For example if one teacher was strong in
121058 - math, she would teach that subject to more than just her
121059 - classroom.
121061 - ..
121062 - "It evolved from me primarily because those two teachers
121063 - came to me and asked for it. It wasn't like I looked at
121064 - the curriculum and said, 'Hey let's try this.' They had a
121065 - history of working well together," Campbell says.
121067 - ..
121068 - Campbell's open approach was integrated throughout both
121069 - districts. Lyon recalls being given the freedom to "close
121070 - your door and teach."
121072 - ..
121073 - Mr Campbell's long career improving education aligns with his interest
121074 - in the story of kids at Cupertino High School in the early 1960s
121075 - meeting before school to share solutions to difficult math problems,
121076 - related at the event today, per below. ref SDS 0 GO4K
121078 - ..
121079 - Mr Sedgwick's story is summarized...
121080 -
121081 - But before Lawson, there was Darryl Sedgwick, the man who
121082 - hired Lawson.
121083 -
121084 - "I think [the reputation of the schools] goes back to Mr.
121085 - Sedgwick," Jay Lawson says. "He hired my dad and my dad
121086 - always spoke highly of him."
121088 - ..
121089 - Marilyn Lawson gives a lot of credit to Sedgwick as well.
121091 - ..
121092 - "It was a good school district before Sam came. [Sam]
121093 - didn't build it," she says.
121095 - ..
121096 - Sedgwick was hired in 1921 for the dual role of principal
121097 - and superintendent of the newly formed Cupertino Union
121098 - School. Coincidentally it was the year Lawson was born.
121099 - It also was the same year West Side Union High School
121100 - District, the precursor to Fremont Union High School
121101 - District, was created.
121103 - ..
121104 - Sedgwick was in charge as the district approached its
121105 - largest growth spurt in the 1950s and 1960s when the number
121106 - of school sites peaked at 44.
121108 - ..
121109 - Though not mentioned in the article, the Sedgwick's lived in a house
121110 - on Stevens Creek and immediately in front of the old Cupertino Junior
121111 - High School. It may have been the first or original Cupertino
121112 - elementary school, before Collins was built, but the article also says
121113 - there was a Collins school back in the 1800s. ref SDS 0 FZ4N At the
121114 - time we moved to Cupertino in about 1955, it was Cupertino Junior High
121115 - School, and everyone who graduated from the 8th grade, like my sister,
121116 - Kathleen, went to Fremont High School on Highway 9, halfway between
121117 - Cupertino and Sunnyvale.
121119 - ..
121120 - At Collins about 1955 or 1956, in the 5th or 6th grade, Mr Sedgwick
121121 - gave a guest lecture to our class. At that time, he was quite
121122 - advanced in years, having led the district since 1921, per above.
121123 - ref SDS 0 8R8J As young children, we could not appreciate Mr
121124 - Sedgwick's title nor accomplishments. None-the-less he was an
121125 - energetic, interesting teacher. That day he explained and
121126 - demonstrated measuring devices. Remember well our teacher saying...
121127 - "Oh, we have one of those in the class," referring to a fellow
121128 - student, Michael Hunt, who went by "Mike.: Of course, Mr Sedgwick was
121129 - explaining "micrometers" for making very small measurements, which are
121130 - sometimes called a "mic," and prounounced like "Mike."
121132 - ..
121133 - The foregoing background shows Mr Lawson's induction into the
121134 - Wrestling Hall of Fame brings forth a lot of fascinating history with
121135 - wide ranging perspective.
121147 - ..
121148 - On arrival, Richard and Elizabeth were in extended discussion with an
121149 - attendant explaining ticket arrangments Richard had made with Jay
121150 - Lawson, Sam's son who evidently bought tickets for Richard, but today
121151 - there was a mixup of some kind.
121152 -
121201 - ..
121202 - Richard introduced numerous people, some whom I had wrestled in
121203 - various tournaments more than 50 years ago. It was touching to hear
121204 - generous, if exaggerated accolades, remembering me from so long ago as
121205 - the best wrestler they have ever seen. Richard kept telling folks I
121206 - was the best wrestler of the 1960s. In all a deeply appreciated ego
121207 - boost.
121209 - ..
121210 - Spoke briefly with Sam's son, Jay Lawson. He was honored, himself, 10
121211 - years ago by peers and colleagues as "Teacher of the Year" at
121212 - Cupertino High School, reported in an article by Michelle Alaimo on
121213 - 000329, and published in the Cupertino Courier...
121214 -
121215 - http://mytown.mercurynews.com/archives/cupertinocourier/03.29.00/lawson-0013.html
121217 - ..
121218 - Today, Jay said that people cannot volunteer to speak this evening
121219 - memorializing his dad's work, because the program is too tightly
121220 - scheduled. This was a disappointment. Wanted to share the history
121221 - discussed at breakfast 15 years ago with his dad, Sam, with Mr
121222 - Campbell, Mr Fernandez, and Mr DeSelms, reported on 970308 0746.
121223 - ref SDS 2 0001
121224 -
121225 - [...above, on 110514 1815, research on Mr Lawson's career
121226 - revealed important history on his role advancing education
121227 - in the Cupertino school district. ref SDS 0 FZ7J
121229 - ..
121230 - Jay introduced Dick Campbell standing nearby and talking with the
121231 - emcee for the ceremony, and several others. Mr Campbell seemed very
121232 - pleased to say hello. He immediately related for the group and with
121233 - great zest and pride the story about some of us kids at Cupertino HS
121234 - meeting in the cafeteria before classes started to compare notes on
121235 - solving the toughtest math problems from homework the night before, as
121236 - told to Mr Campbell years earlier on 970308 0746. ref SDS 2 3088 This
121237 - evening, he described this story as a precursor to modern-day efforts
121238 - fostering "collaborative learning" that is much touted, but very
121239 - difficult to accomplish with consistency.
121241 - ..
121242 - Mr Campbell then turned aside and spoke with his wife, sitting at a
121243 - table, and saying this is the person I told you about years ago when I
121244 - met with Sam and others, and who told us that for 4 years a few
121245 - students gathered in the cafeteria before school started to compare
121246 - notes on difficult math problems. Mrs Campbell smiled and was very
121247 - gracious saying "Oh, my yes!" -- saying she remembered a conversation
121248 - 15 years ago about events 30 years earlier. Wonderful though that
121249 - this was an important memory for Mr Campbell to know that his students
121250 - tried to balance athletics and academics.
121252 - ..
121253 - [..above on 110514 1815, Mr Campbell's appreciation for
121254 - students investing time before school started to share
121255 - solutions aligns with his long career innovating to advance
121256 - excellence in education. ref SDS 0 ZU81
121258 - ..
121259 - Standing with us, was Jay's brother, Sam's second son. He graciously
121260 - remembered wrestling Eddie in junior high school, and lost several
121261 - times, but that he knew Ed outside the wrestling arena as an
121262 - interesting and considerate young person. He was saddened to hear
121263 - Eddie passed away last year in March, reported on 100313 0823.
121264 - ref SDS 4 6I6I
121266 - ..
121267 - Was pleased to commend critical need for skilled educators at the
121268 - elementary level. Recalled my first grade teacher, a wonderful woman,
121269 - somehow nurtured me from the lowly "Chicken's reading group, who could
121270 - barely recite the alphabet, through 3 levels to reach the coveted
121271 - "Bluebirds," with the highest test scores for reading speed and
121272 - comprehension. Men teachers in the 5th and 6th grade at Collins were
121273 - extremely influential igniting interest in math, science and history.
121274 - Children are very fortunate to encounter gifted teachers in elementary
121275 - school.
121277 - ..
121278 - Aris sat with us at Richard's table. He is a protege who Richard
121279 - supported in wrestling at Cupertino, and who graduated from high
121280 - school in 2007. Aris currently works as an economics analyst at a
121281 - research organization, like SRI. He asked if I have been back to the
121282 - high school in recent years and seen banners memorializing athletic
121283 - achievements.
121285 - ..
121286 - Mentioned attending a "reunion" event at the high school several years
121287 - ago, which Richard had sponsored, reported on 071212 1711. ref SDS 3
121288 - DT5H Since Aris graduated in the spring of 2007, he would not have
121289 - been on the team for the event in December of 2007.
121290 -
121291 -
121292 -
1213 -
SUBJECTS
Difficult Understand SDS Power Knowledge Add Intelligence Informatio
2503 -
250401 - ..
250402 - Power of Knowledge Hard to Understand Associate Project Management
250403 -
250404 - Aris asked about current work.
250406 - ..
250407 - He used his cell phone to examine on the Internt....
250408 -
250409 - http://www.welchco.com
250411 - ..
250412 - Aris asked for an example adding "intelligence" to information that
250413 - creates the "power of knowledge" presented on welchco. He correctly
250414 - assoicated "Knowledge Mangement," shown on the welchco website, and
250415 - explained in POIMS, ref OF 7 1850, with common practices of "project
250416 - management," reviewed on 950721 1349. ref SDS 1 YV6F Discussed
250417 - briefly the medical scenario in NWO. ref OF 1 PXWX
250419 - ..
250420 - Aris sent a letter saying...
250421 -
250422 - 1. Subject: Nice Meeting You At The Wrestling Hall of Fame
250423 - Date: Sat, 14 May 2011 20:37:54 -0700
250430 - ..
250431 - 2. This is Aris. It was a pleasure meeting you today at the
250432 - wrestling hall of fame. If you can send me a little more
250433 - information about WelchCo it would be great. It seems
250434 - interesting but I still don't have a clear idea of what it is.
250436 - ..
250437 - 3. Looking forward to speaking with you again.
250438 -
250445 -
250446 -
250447 -
2505 -
SUBJECTS
Wrestling Hall of Fame Honor Sam Lawson Inductee Attend with Richard
3103 -
310401 - ..
310402 - There was a group picture for attendees supporting each inductee.
310403 - When Mr Lawson's group was called, was very proud to sit next to Mr
310404 - and Mrs Campbell in the front row, following up discussion, per above.
310405 - ref SDS 0 GO4K
310407 - ..
310408 - Dinner was served during the picture ceremony.
310410 - ..
310411 - Richard related plans to visit Alaska, Mexico, and Africa.
310413 - ..
310414 - This seems ambitious for someone with 2 heart attacks, and who
310415 - presently has difficulty walking.
310417 - ..
310418 - Richard said he plans to take a young, big and strong person with him
310419 - on the Alaska trip, because he needs physical help to get in and out
310420 - of the small seaplanes that fly to the areas he wants to visit in
310421 - Alaska. Elizabeth said that Richard is planning to take one of her
310422 - sons, but she is unsure this is a wise trip for Richard.
310423 -
310424 - [On 110802 1005 Richard made the trip to Alaska, taking one
310425 - of Elizabeth's sons for assistance; he had a good time.
310426 - ref SDS 6 6762
310428 - ..
310429 - After the picture ceremony, left for home about 2100. On exiting
310430 - there were a few men at a table in the lobby in discussion and busy
310431 - with some kind of planning/paperwork. Asked if anyone knew Mr Von
310432 - Hitchcock. The man in the center doing the writing looked up and said
310433 - that he is Von Hitchcock.
310435 - ..
310436 - Extended my hand and and introduced myself. Mr Hitchcock graciously
310437 - shook hands with a stranger.
310439 - ..
310440 - Congratulated Mr Hitchcock on his long career coaching and promoting
310441 - wrestling. Recalled the rivalry between his teams at Hayward High
310442 - School, and Coach Useldinger's teams at Cupertino in the early 1960s.
310443 - Cupertino was fortunate to win Mr Hitchcock's prestigious Hayward
310444 - tournament. This first time the Cupertino had ever won anything in
310445 - wrestling. Later that year the two schools tied for Northern
310446 - California championships held at San Jose State college in 1962. Mr
310447 - Hitchcock coached the McCarthy boys, who both won titles, and Rob and
310448 - I were successful for Cupertino, so it was unique for two schoold to
310449 - have brothers winning the same year. Mr Hitchcock seemed appreciative
310450 - being remembered.
310451 -
310452 -
310453 -
310454 -
310455 -
310456 -
310457 -
310458 -
310459 -
3105 -