Letter to the Editor

He was born on the range in the late 1920s; went to work in the iron mines at an early age, and after service in Marine Corps started college. He worked nights on the docks in Minneapolis to pay for college and support his family. After earning his degree in industrial education at the University of Minnesota, he became a teacher—and what a teacher he became!

Roy Anderson taught industrial arts at Ellis School for many years. You’ll find evidence of his ingenuity in many Austin homes and throughout the country—plastic name plates, clear-cast pen bases, vinyl coin purses and many other items students crafted in his class. He was among the most creative, innovative and dedicated teachers I have ever known; a pioneer in the introduction of plastics’ projects and processes into education. Hundreds of students learned rotational casting, vacuum forming, injection molding and many other industrial procedures while working with a wide variety of plastics.

I am unaware of any non-academic instructor being honored as teacher of the year, but few teachers ever deserved this honor more than Roy Anderson­­­—he is hereby nominated to be placed in the Teaching Hall of Fame.

Roy passed away recently, but his friendship, sense of humor, and his legacies to industrial education will not be forgotten­—may God welcome him home!

Mike Garry