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The Depression hit everyone hard. My dad, Ray, graduated from high school in 1930, two years after the stock market crash of '28. But he was luckier than most. He came from a family with no other siblings and his father had a steady government job delivering the mail. Still there wasn't any family money saved for a college education. His mother took in roomers during the depression to make ends meet. So Ray was on his own. He worked from the time he was 12 years old to 16 as a caddy for golfers at a nearby golf course and in Sears & Roebuck after school. After he graduated from high school, there were no jobs but he was lucky enough to befriend the owner of a miniature golf course in Lake Orian who needed a manager. He ran the mini golf for a year before going on to college. By that time he had saved every penny, over $500 toward college expenses. He was also lucky to get a scholarship that paid his lab fees, $12 per term times three terms a year. He chose Michigan College of Mining and Technology in Houghton, a state supported school in the upper peninsula; two day bus ride away from his parents home in Pontiac. With his scholarship in hand and his savings he would make due with whatever came his way. The important part was that he continue his studies. His parents drove him to school at the beginning of each year, then he found rides home at the end of school. He arrived in Houghton with a wish and a hope, optimistic that things would work out.
His savings got him through his first year, living in a room in a large house and eating across the street in an Italian boarding house where the mistress's brothers hunted deer to put venison on the table for 12 people every night. When Ray first arrived he met his other house mates, among them was Bob Van Brunt who would become his best friend. College days are for exploration and experimentation, a time when kids grow into adults, and create bonded friendships. Bob was a good choice for Ray's life long friend.
Bob didn't have much money either. They figured if they lived together they could cut their expenses. And since they both excelled in math, they were practical in figuring out how many roommates they would need to split expenses so that they could all afford room and board. Cooking was controlled by the budget which wasn't much. Many people would call this making stone soup, but they called it "batching". Dad would often say, "you remember so-and-so he used to batch with me". Then we knew he was referring to his college days.
The Depression of the 1930's pressured Ray into working extra hard to graduate in four years with a Bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering and a Masters degree in Chemistry earning Phi Beta Kappa kudos in the process. He worked as a metallurgical engineer during World War II because he became an expert in highly flammable magnesium casting which was crucial in making airplanes for the war. After the war he wanted to work for himself which is when he moved to Ann Arbor to start a Culligan Water Conditioning franchise. The hard working college student turned into a workaholic adult with a generous spirit for his children, grandchildren and a financial legacy for his Alma Mater.