800 24 26018 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ef491e75f01ba4ce45bbeba2f9573143.pdf a2947b7c28743d5bf25ec22b27af7261 PDF Text Text Prayer On a Tour Group Sunday Richard A. Rhem September 19, 1993 Prepared text of prayer Let us be in the spirit of prayer, aware that we have been gifted with life not of our creation, that we live at the far end of a creative process spanning billions of years, an extension of time beyond our capacity to comprehend, evolving in a cosmic expanse of space beyond our ability to imagine. We have seen rugged mountain peaks thrust heaven-ward by volcanic explosion, issuing in a fiery river that, after aeons of time, became rivers of ice crushing all in their path. All of this wonder would be beyond belief except our eyes have seen the narrative written in rock and ice and lake and rivers and undulating oceans stretching beyond where the eye can see. In the familiar words of the song brought to such beautiful expression by Louis Armstrong – What a wonderful world! And yet, when we have stood in awe, amazed at our earthly home, wondered at its wonders, we have only begun to scratch the surface of the miracle, wonder, glory and joy of life. For we have not even begun to contemplate the beauty of the human – the likes of us who have emerged in this creative process billions of years in the making. Here we are, conscious, aware – reflecting on it all... We have become the awareness of the cosmos, © Grand Valley State University   �Tour Group Prayer Richard A. Rhem the voice of that awareness, creating poems that paint pictures with words, writing music that lifts our spirits in worship and sets our feet to dancing, celebrating the wonder of it all. And still we have only begun to touch the depths of our human experience, for we have not yet spoken of human relationship, the human kaleidoscope of faces, of languages, of body form and skin tone – all this diversity but the manifestation of the oneness that unites us in our common humanity. We have experienced the beautiful reality of that oneness in the diversity of those who have cared for us so well – cleaning rooms, waiting tables, creating the ambience of grace and pleasure of comfort. The external differences fade before the sparkle in the eye, the smile, the appreciation of being well served and serving well. And still there is more – for we have experienced again the joy of communion – knowing afresh the wonderful process of the knitting of human bonds forming a new family where there is appreciation, mutual care, affection, laughter and a new circle of love. These days have been too full, fully to take in. We will relive them and their beauty, and wonder will continue to wash over us. How blessed we are! How grateful! And now we enter these final days – still much to see, to do. And yet home begins to beckon – those we love, waiting for us, and the routines of the ordinary days that fill our lives with order and meaning. For home and deep human relationships that await us there, we are thankful as well. Surely goodness and mercy have followed us all these days and we dwell consciously © Grand Valley State University Page 2   �Tour Group Prayer Richard A. Rhem in Your presence, Holy Mystery, from whom all emerges and to whom all returns, a mystery for us come to expression in the Word become human – Jesus, who taught us to pray. © Grand Valley State University Page 3   � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Event Group Tour in Greece Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RA-1-19930919 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1993-09-19 Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Title A name given to the resource Prayer during Group Tour in Nauplia, Greece Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource eng Description An account of the resource Prayer created, delivered, or published by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on September 19, 1993 entitled "Prayer during Group Tour in Nauplia, Greece", on the occasion of Group Tour in Greece. Tags: Prayer, Wonder, Emergence, Awareness, Community. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Awareness Community Emergence Prayer Wonder https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/8c4ecc4496fec1db38950243de26b4ab.pdf f0bec0d38a39383cae10d02bee823065 PDF Text Text Autumn Prayer, 1982 For Artists and Creators Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan October 10, 1982 Transcription of the spoken sermon   O God whose love of beauty has written beauty into the very fabric of nature, we offer you the praise of our lips, the gratitude of our hearts for all that we experience in these nostalgic Autumn days: The ravishing beauty of the woods, dressed in a splendid many-colored coat; the brilliant sunsets surrounded by dark clouds, stippled with flecks of gold; the crisp freshness of the first breath of morning; the mellow warmth of an autumn afternoon; pumpkins and cornstalks; apples and cider; football and marching bands. And with all the sights and sounds and smells of these days, amidst a schedule too full, the gentle grieving that another Summer is gone; the sense of slight foreboding that another Winter is coming, that another year is well nigh past, Father, we give you thanks that, in the changing seasons of our lives, you do constant remain; that in the rapid passage of our days, you change not. Your mercy is new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Today, Father, we are especially mindful of and deeply grateful for the sound of music, © Grand Valley State University   �Autumn Prayer, 1982 Richard A. Rhem for the elevation of our spirits through all forms of artistic expression: for human voice and the sound of instruments, for oil and canvas and the artist’s touch that creates beauty, for poets who paint with words and writers whose words are sharper than a two-edged sword, laying bare the human soul. For all rich gifts of creativity and for all whose gifts are offered to you as a sacrifice of praise and adoration, we give you thanks, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. © Grand Valley State University Page 2   � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RA-1-19821010 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1982-10-10 Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Title A name given to the resource Autumn Prayer for Artists and Creators 1982 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource eng Description An account of the resource Prayer created, delivered, or published by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on October 10, 1982 entitled "Autumn Prayer for Artists and Creators 1982", at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Tags: Prayer, Creators. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Creators Prayer https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/d231fca775b89e18eb1d88b1d484a96d.mp3 0484af615f2a0326a01a5853a395b074 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Series Summer Lecture Series: How My Mind Has Changed, #4 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RA-3-19990726 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1999-07-26 Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Title A name given to the resource The Institutional Forms of Religion Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource eng Description An account of the resource Talk created, delivered, or published by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on July 26, 1999 entitled "The Institutional Forms of Religion", as part of the series "Summer Lecture Series: How My Mind Has Changed, #4", at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/bc991d1446f3d5124cbb8e3022ad184b.mp3 dfd32d5de4325c62b7350d543881dcb7 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Series Summer Lecture Series: How My Mind Has Changed, #3 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake,MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RA-3-19990720 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1999-07-20 Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Title A name given to the resource Revelation, Bible, Tradition and Experience Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource eng Description An account of the resource Talk created, delivered, or published by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on July 20, 1999 entitled "Revelation, Bible, Tradition and Experience", as part of the series "Summer Lecture Series: How My Mind Has Changed, #3", at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake,MI. https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/dc9fb5ec87656c25a44f374a24718fea.pdf 5e804818a1b0ad975f077a7946500f15 PDF Text Text The Nature and Function of Religion From the 1999 Summer Lecture Series How My Mind Has Changed Richard A. Rhem Minister of Preaching and Theological Inquiry Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan July 13, 1999 Transcribed from the handwritten document As I have been brooding over the ways in which my mind has changed over the course of the last three decades, and especially in the decade of the 90s, I am aware that there has been a major shift in my understanding of the nature and function of religion - the subject of this second lecture. When I determined the four themes to be treated in this series, I was thinking in the broadest of categories that constitute my present understanding, this lecture being the broadest, leading then to how I understand the manifestation or revelation of the Sacred, the Holy, the Mystery we call God which has been articulated and expressed in the tradition in creedal formula, liturgical forms, progress, rituals and music, all of which has been institutionalized in ecclesiastical structures. That is the flow of my thinking as I have attempted to map out how my mind has changed and thereby to express where I find myself as a Christian, as a religious person. But, as I begin to articulate how I understand the nature and function of religion, I become aware that where I find myself is the consequence of several small steps taken as a consequence of a growing awareness that was emerging on the basis of ongoing study, reflection and experience. And that makes me aware that I might have structured this mind change series quite differently. I might have thought through the specific doctrinal formulations that came into conflict with my ongoing experience of being human and of dealing with others in the ambiguity of their lives, as well as simply living in the world with its social, economic, political and religious realities. I could then have dealt with those small steps, one by one, building the cumulative result into a new framework of understanding of religion and specifically, Christian faith. Such an approach would take a great deal of reflection, of reconstruction of how a doctrinal claim of the tradition began to be questioned or how some new insight that proved compelling conflicted with a traditional doctrinal formulation. What were the triggers of the smaller changes that eventuated in a wholesale revisioning of the tradition? © Grand Valley State University   �The Nature and Function of Religion Richard A. Rhem Page 2   Doctrinal systems are just that - systems. We speak thus of systematic theology that gathers biblical data and doctrinal statements into a coherent whole. One will usually begin the re-thinking process with specific questions to the tradition and there is certainly room for some adjustment within a systematic theology, but eventually, if the process of calling in question and reformulation continues, the system itself is broken and a revisioning occurs. I have chosen, for better or worse, to begin with the big picture – how my mind has changed on the nature and function of religion. But, in setting that revision forth, I will obviously make reference to those significant points of conflict and shifts in understanding that eventuated in my present perspective. The Nature of Religion The word religion derives from the Latin: religio from refigare, “to bind back;” re and tigare, “to bind, to bind together.” Among the dictionary’s several definitions, I find “a state of mind or way of life expressing love for and trust in God, and one’s will and effort to act according to the will of God ...,” and also, “any object of conscientious regard and pursuit.” In his classic study, The Varieties of Religious Experience, William James acknowledged a certain arbitrariness in the manner in which he would treat religion, defining it for his purposes as “The feelings, acts, and experiences of individual men in their solitude, so far as they apprehend themselves to stand in relation to whatever they may consider the divine.” Hendrikus Berkhof in his Christian Faith, described religion as “The relationship to the Absolute,” and amidst all the diversity of religious expression and content, Berkhof noted that nearly all religions have three elements: “The element of myth, teaching, or proclamation; a sacred rite or cult; and rules for moral conduct.” He goes on, The first concerns the manner in which the Absolute opens up, the second man’s immediate response, and the third the consequences of such knowledge and salvation for his everyday life. (p. 8) Some add a fourth element, Berkhof notes, “That of inner experience, the mystical component of religion.” William James was not interested in the established institutional forms and observances of the respective world religions, but rather, the immediate experience of the Holy, the Sacred, of God in personal experience. In making this point he describes, in contrast, the ordinary religious believer who follows the conventional observances of his country, whether it be Buddhist, Christian or Moslem. Of such a person, he writes, His religion has been made for him by others, communicated to him by tradition, determined to fixed forms by imitation, and retained by habit. (Varieties, p. 24) © Grand Valley State University �The Nature and Function of Religion Richard A. Rhem Page 3   Such conventional observance James calls “second-hand religious life.” That is a critical distinction which becomes obvious when we think about it, but still it is seldom recognized; the great world religions are institutionalized and regularized. There is a teaching, an observance, a way of life and the adherents of the respective religions receive all of this second-hand. It may or may not become the means by which and through which one has a first-hand religious experience. But, it is also obvious that the great religious traditions each had a beginning in some founding, first-hand experience, which then eventuated in the tradition, regularized and routinized. Where does the religious experience arise, an experience that is universally human? In his study, Enduring Issues in Religion, John Lyden writes, ... human experience seems to contain a religious dimension, however we may define that dimension. We cannot ignore the human desire to question our origins and our goals, the meaning and purpose of our existence, the reason for our lives. We strive for something more, even when we are unsure what it is. A mystery pervades our existence - a mystery we can approach through means such as faith, hope and courage. Some have said that no answer can be found to the mystery, for humans have created it and no suprahuman or supranatural answer exists. Perhaps we long for a purpose to our existence, hidden in some other plan of reality and flinch at the idea that there may be no such transcendent purpose. But, even if one chooses to see no purpose, one still acknowledges that the desire to find a purpose is part of human life. For better or worse, we almost instinctively seek meaning, and this is when we enter the religious realm. (p. 12f) Lyden points to what has been perhaps the critical issue regarding the phenomenon of religion: Is it the consequence of God, or the Sacred, or the Holy impressing itself upon the human consciousness, or is it a humanly created, humanly generated phenomenon having no counterpoint, no objective reality beyond the human who would then be simply projecting outward from inward consciousness a Being or Reality of its own creation? This question will need to be faced more in depth in the following lectures when we deal with the idea of revelation or manifestation. I point to it here, however, because this critical issue was raised by the German philosopher/theologian Ludwig Feuerbach (1804-1872) who published in 1841 his The Essence of Christianity, in which he claimed religion was the result of human projection of an infinite, transcendent Being on the screen of reality. In an introductory essay to the Harper Torchbook edition (1957), Karl Barth wrote, © Grand Valley State University �The Nature and Function of Religion Richard A. Rhem Page 4   He [Feuerbach] only wants the honest confession that the alleged mystery of religion is of man: that man is dreaming when he imagines that a Something Other, objectively confronting him, is that ground, that whence, that necessity and that law; is the source from which his wishes and ideals flow, and is the sea of fulfillment toward which they tend. Man is dreaming instead of recognizing that it is his own being, his desire and duty to live as a man, which he, as a religious man, quite rightly equates with God. (p.xvi) Barth quotes Feuerbach thus: In religion man frees himself from the limitations of life; here he throws off what oppresses, impedes, or adversely affects him; God is man’s selfawareness, emancipated from all actuality; man feels himself free, happy, blessed only in his religion, because here only does he live in his true genius, here he celebrates his Sunday. In the opening chapter, “The Essential Nature of Man,” Feuerbach writes, Religion, being identical with the distinctive characteristic of man, is then identical with self-consciousness - with the consciousness which man has of his nature. But religion, expressed generally, is consciousness of the infinite, thus it is and can be nothing else than the consciousness which man has of his own - not finite and limited, but infinite nature. (p. 2) Under a section entitled “The Essence of Religion Considered Generally,” Feuerbach claims without qualification, Consciousness of God is self-consciousness; knowledge of God is selfknowledge. (p. 12) And further: Hence the historical progress of religion consists in this: that what by an earlier religion was regarded as objective, is now recognized as subjective; that is, what was formerly contemplated and worshiped as God is now perceived to be something human. (p. 13) One readily recognizes that these claims will have to be dealt with in the following lecture theme on revelation, scripture and tradition, but I set Feuerbach’s claims here in the discussion of the nature and function of religion because we are focusing on this human phenomenon and no one has pointed as clearly or described so acutely the human element in religion as Feuerbach. In his Does God Exist? (1978), Hans Küng gave extensive treatment to Feuerbach from whom he traced the whole development of modern atheism through Marx, Freud, and finally the nihilism of Nietzsche. He writes. © Grand Valley State University �The Nature and Function of Religion Richard A. Rhem Page 5   Even today - it is scarcely necessary to stress the fact - Feuerbach is anything but passé. From that time onward there has been no form of atheism that did not draw on Feuerbach’s arguments. Even today, then, we must ask seriously if Feuerbach’s critique of religion is not really justified. (p. 204) Feuerbach’s claim must be taken seriously, but Küng’s critique is certainly valid. Even if we grant that there is a good deal of projection in the practice of religion and if we grant that religion is a human phenomenon, that does not establish the non-existence of God. Küng grants the possibility of Feuerbach’s contention: For why should it not be possible for our consciousness, knowledge, aspiration to be oriented to nothing, to a sham and not to a real infinite? Certainly the intention and infinity of our consciousness is still no proof of the existence of an infinite reality independent of our consciousness? (p. 205) However, Küng continues, though this was Feuerbach’s claim, he never proved it. The question must in fact remain open. The only conclusion that logically follows from Feuerbach’s argument is that the orientation of human consciousness toward an infinite does not provide any evidence of the existence or non-existence of an infinite reality independent of our consciousness. (p. 206) I find it fascinating to trace the course of this question from Feuerbach through Karl Barth to the present represented in the work of Gordon Kaufman, recently retired from Harvard. Barth claimed the roots of Feuerbach can be traced to Friedrich Schleiermacher (1768-1834), who published in 1799 his famous lectures On Religion- Speeches to Its Cultured Despisers. In the Forward to a 1994 edition, Jack Forstman wrote of this work that, in it, Schleiermacher had …presented an utterly fresh understanding of religion. It was, of course, not without points of contact in the past, but Schleiermacher’s presentation stood in bold contrast with the views that were prevalent in that time (dogmatic orthodoxy, speculative neology, enlightened “natural religion,” and Pietism). Second, he set forth a view of religion that was in principle free from reliance on authority. Third, he described religion as belonging essentially to the human sphere and thus as essentially limited. Truly religious people are never able to claim that they possess the truth as such, and in its entirety. Fourth, his approach to religion was descriptive and analytical... he tried to “display” what actually constitutes religion. Finally, he tried to show that religion is inevitably social and thus always has a definite form... (p. ix,f) © Grand Valley State University �The Nature and Function of Religion Richard A. Rhem Page 6   In the highly educated, highly cultured Berlin society, Schleiermacher was attempting to make the case for the reality and authenticity of religion and religious observance. The “climate of opinion” disallowed appeal to an authoritarian base or dogmatic formulations of the past. His only alternative in that context was to find a new foundation for religion and he found that new foundation in human nature itself in the “feeling of absolute dependence.” The common element in all howsoever diverse expressions of piety, by which there are conjointly distinguished from all other feelings, or, in other words, the self-identical essence of piety, is this: The consciousness of being absolutely dependent, or, which is the same thing, of being in relation with God. In attributing religion to the feeling of absolute dependence, Schleiermacher was rooting religious life in the human subject, although he was in no sense denying the reality of God. It was God who created the feeling within the human that pointed him or her to such dependence. In placing the root of religion in the human, however, Barth claimed Schleiermacher transformed theology into anthropology. Küng following Barth raised the question: Was Feuerbach not right to see his philosophy as the end phase of a Protestant theology that -as he thought- long before his time had become an anthropology so that he needed only to understand and appropriate its real intentions? Does not the danger become apparent at this point of a theology in Schleiermacher’s style which makes the reality of God dependent on the religious experience and emotional needs of the devout human subject? But is not the danger also evident of a contemporary “political theology” which reduces theology to a “critical theory of history” or of “society”? Is it not clear at this point how close we are to atheism if we do not distinguish between theological and anthropological propositions, if we identify man’s interest with God’s, if we one-sidedly stress God’s nonobjectivity, almost see God as absorbed in our neighbor and the mystery of being, simply as the mystery of love? (p. 214) Küng quotes Feuerbach as declaring unambiguously, My atheism [is] merely the unconscious and actual atheism of modern humanity and science, made conscious, untwisted and openly declared. (p. 211) Karl Barth had respect for Feuerbach, for his passion, his clarity of understanding what he was doing. Barth saw him and his views as the inevitable end to which beginning to talk of God by talking about humanity must lead. Barth’s great reversal of 19th century liberalism, which had been fathered by Schleiermacher and had developed throughout the 19th century in Continental theology, especially in Germany, was the total rejection of beginning with the human © Grand Valley State University �The Nature and Function of Religion Richard A. Rhem Page 7   subject. Barth begins with God, the “Wholly Other” who encounters the human in the Word, a word of judgment and grace. I cannot go into this further except to say that Barth’s strong emphasis on God’s revelation - the word that came “vertically from above” and contradicts humanity was the needed proclamation in post-World War I Europe as the demonic National Socialism was on the rise in Germany. Eventually, however, even his younger admirer and colleague, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, criticized Barth’s theology as marked by “the positivism of revelation.” References: Ludwig Feuerbach. The Essence of Religion. Prometheus Books, 2004. William James. The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study of Human Nature. (First published 1902) Create Space Indep. Publishers, 2009. Hans Küng. Does God Exist?: An Answer for Today. (Originally published 1978) Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2006. John Lyden. Enduring Issues in Religion: Opposing Viewpoints. Greenhaven Press, 1994. Friedrich Schleiermacher. On Religion: Speeches to Its Cultured Despisers. (originally published 1797); Nabu Press, 2010. © Grand Valley State University � https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/df8c8cc109f896d4156fa63c08482cd4.pdf da03f1427b93014baedcbb583fe82d24 PDF Text Text The Nature and Function of Religion From the Summer 1999 Lecture Series How My Mind Has Changed Richard A. Rhem Minister of Preaching and Theological Inquiry Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan July 13, 1999 Prepared Text As I have been brooding over the ways in which my mind has changed over the course of the last three decades, and especially in the decade of the 90s, I am aware that there has been a major shift in my understanding of the nature and function of religion - the subject of this second lecture. When I determined the four themes to be treated in this series, I was thinking in the broadest of categories that constitute my present understanding, this lecture being the broadest, leading then to how I understand the manifestation or revelation of the Sacred, the Holy, the Mystery we call God which has been articulated and expressed in the tradition in creedal formula, liturgical forms, progress, rituals and music, all of which has been institutionalized in ecclesiastical structures. That is the flow of my thinking as I have attempted to map out how my mind has changed and thereby to express where I find myself as a Christian, as a religious person. But, as I begin to articulate how I understand the nature and function of religion, I become aware that where I find myself is the consequence of several small steps taken as a consequence of a growing awareness that was emerging on the basis of ongoing study, reflection and experience. And that makes me aware that I might have structured this mind change series quite differently. I might have thought through the specific doctrinal formulations that came into conflict with my ongoing experience of being human and of dealing with others in the ambiguity of their lives, as well as simply living in the world with its social, economic, political and religious realities. I could then have dealt with those small steps, one by one, building the cumulative result into a new framework of understanding of religion and specifically, Christian faith. Such an approach would take a great deal of reflection, of reconstruction of how a doctrinal claim of the tradition began to be questioned or how some new insight that proved compelling conflicted with a traditional doctrinal formulation. What were the triggers of the smaller changes that eventuated in a wholesale revisioning of the tradition? © Grand Valley State University   �The Nature and Function of Religion Richard A. Rhem Page 2   Doctrinal systems are just that - systems. We speak thus of systematic theology that gathers biblical data and doctrinal statements into a coherent whole. One will usually begin the re-thinking process with specific questions to the tradition and there is certainly room for some adjustment within a systematic theology, but eventually, if the process of calling in question and reformulation continues, the system itself is broken and a revisioning occurs. I have chosen, for better or worse, to begin with the big picture – how my mind has changed on the nature and function of religion. But, in setting that revision forth, I will obviously make reference to those significant points of conflict and shifts in understanding that eventuated in my present perspective. The Nature of Religion The word religion derives from the Latin: religio from refigare, “to bind back;” re and tigare, “to bind, to bind together.” Among the dictionary’s several definitions, I find “a state of mind or way of life expressing love for and trust in God, and one’s will and effort to act according to the will of God ...,” and also, “any object of conscientious regard and pursuit.” In his classic study, The Varieties of Religious Experience, William James acknowledged a certain arbitrariness in the manner in which he would treat religion, defining it for his purposes as “The feelings, acts, and experiences of individual men in their solitude, so far as they apprehend themselves to stand in relation to whatever they may consider the divine.” Hendrikus Berkhof in his Christian Faith, described religion as “The relationship to the Absolute,” and amidst all the diversity of religious expression and content, Berkhof noted that nearly all religions have three elements: “The element of myth, teaching, or proclamation; a sacred rite or cult; and rules for moral conduct.” He goes on, The first concerns the manner in which the Absolute opens up, the second man’s immediate response, and the third the consequences of such knowledge and salvation for his everyday life. (p. 8) Some add a fourth element, Berkhof notes, “That of inner experience, the mystical component of religion.” William James was not interested in the established institutional forms and observances of the respective world religions, but rather, the immediate experience of the Holy, the Sacred, of God in personal experience. In making this point he describes, in contrast, the ordinary religious believer who follows the conventional observances of his country, whether it be Buddhist, Christian or Moslem. Of such a person, he writes, His religion has been made for him by others, communicated to him by tradition, determined to fixed forms by imitation, and retained by habit. (Varieties, p. 24) © Grand Valley State University �The Nature and Function of Religion Richard A. Rhem Page 3   Such conventional observance James calls “second-hand religious life.” That is a critical distinction which becomes obvious when we think about it, but still it is seldom recognized; the great world religions are institutionalized and regularized. There is a teaching, an observance, a way of life and the adherents of the respective religions receive all of this second-hand. It may or may not become the means by which and through which one has a first-hand religious experience. But, it is also obvious that the great religious traditions each had a beginning in some founding, first-hand experience, which then eventuated in the tradition, regularized and routinized. Where does the religious experience arise, an experience that is universally human? In his study, Enduring Issues in Religion, John Lyden writes, ... human experience seems to contain a religious dimension, however we may define that dimension. We cannot ignore the human desire to question our origins and our goals, the meaning and purpose of our existence, the reason for our lives. We strive for something more, even when we are unsure what it is. A mystery pervades our existence - a mystery we can approach through means such as faith, hope and courage. Some have said that no answer can be found to the mystery, for humans have created it and no suprahuman or supranatural answer exists. Perhaps we long for a purpose to our existence, hidden in some other plan of reality and flinch at the idea that there may be no such transcendent purpose. But, even if one chooses to see no purpose, one still acknowledges that the desire to find a purpose is part of human life. For better or worse, we almost instinctively seek meaning, and this is when we enter the religious realm. (p. 12f) Lyden points to what has been perhaps the critical issue regarding the phenomenon of religion: Is it the consequence of God, or the Sacred, or the Holy impressing itself upon the human consciousness, or is it a humanly created, humanly generated phenomenon having no counterpoint, no objective reality beyond the human who would then be simply projecting outward from inward consciousness a Being or Reality of its own creation? This question will need to be faced more in depth in the following lectures when we deal with the idea of revelation or manifestation. I point to it here, however, because this critical issue was raised by the German philosopher/theologian Ludwig Feuerbach (1804-1872) who published in 1841 his The Essence of Christianity, in which he claimed religion was the result of human projection of an infinite, transcendent Being on the screen of reality. In an introductory essay to the Harper Torchbook edition (1957), Karl Barth wrote, © Grand Valley State University �The Nature and Function of Religion Richard A. Rhem Page 4   He [Feuerbach] only wants the honest confession that the alleged mystery of religion is of man: that man is dreaming when he imagines that a Something Other, objectively confronting him, is that ground, that whence, that necessity and that law; is the source from which his wishes and ideals flow, and is the sea of fulfillment toward which they tend. Man is dreaming instead of recognizing that it is his own being, his desire and duty to live as a man, which he, as a religious man, quite rightly equates with God. (p.xvi) Barth quotes Feuerbach thus: In religion man frees himself from the limitations of life; here he throws off what oppresses, impedes, or adversely affects him; God is man’s selfawareness, emancipated from all actuality; man feels himself free, happy, blessed only in his religion, because here only does he live in his true genius, here he celebrates his Sunday. In the opening chapter, “The Essential Nature of Man,” Feuerbach writes, Religion, being identical with the distinctive characteristic of man, is then identical with self-consciousness - with the consciousness which man has of his nature. But religion, expressed generally, is consciousness of the infinite, thus it is and can be nothing else than the consciousness which man has of his own - not finite and limited, but infinite nature. (p. 2) Under a section entitled “The Essence of Religion Considered Generally,” Feuerbach claims without qualification, Consciousness of God is self-consciousness; knowledge of God is selfknowledge. (p. 12) And further: Hence the historical progress of religion consists in this: that what by an earlier religion was regarded as objective, is now recognized as subjective; that is, what was formerly contemplated and worshiped as God is now perceived to be something human. (p. 13) One readily recognizes that these claims will have to be dealt with in the following lecture theme on revelation, scripture and tradition, but I set Feuerbach’s claims here in the discussion of the nature and function of religion because we are focusing on this human phenomenon and no one has pointed as clearly or described so acutely the human element in religion as Feuerbach. In his Does God Exist? (1978), Hans Küng gave extensive treatment to Feuerbach from whom he traced the whole development of modern atheism through Marx, Freud, and finally the nihilism of Nietzsche. He writes. © Grand Valley State University �The Nature and Function of Religion Richard A. Rhem Page 5   Even today - it is scarcely necessary to stress the fact - Feuerbach is anything but passé. From that time onward there has been no form of atheism that did not draw on Feuerbach’s arguments. Even today, then, we must ask seriously if Feuerbach’s critique of religion is not really justified. (p. 204) Feuerbach’s claim must be taken seriously, but Küng’s critique is certainly valid. Even if we grant that there is a good deal of projection in the practice of religion and if we grant that religion is a human phenomenon, that does not establish the non-existence of God. Küng grants the possibility of Feuerbach’s contention: For why should it not be possible for our consciousness, knowledge, aspiration to be oriented to nothing, to a sham and not to a real infinite? Certainly the intention and infinity of our consciousness is still no proof of the existence of an infinite reality independent of our consciousness? (p. 205) However, Küng continues, though this was Feuerbach’s claim, he never proved it. The question must in fact remain open. The only conclusion that logically follows from Feuerbach’s argument is that the orientation of human consciousness toward an infinite does not provide any evidence of the existence or non-existence of an infinite reality independent of our consciousness. (p. 206) I find it fascinating to trace the course of this question from Feuerbach through Karl Barth to the present represented in the work of Gordon Kaufman, recently retired from Harvard. Barth claimed the roots of Feuerbach can be traced to Friedrich Schleiermacher (1768-1834), who published in 1799 his famous lectures On Religion- Speeches to Its Cultured Despisers. In the Forward to a 1994 edition, Jack Forstman wrote of this work that, in it, Schleiermacher had …presented an utterly fresh understanding of religion. It was, of course, not without points of contact in the past, but Schleiermacher’s presentation stood in bold contrast with the views that were prevalent in that time (dogmatic orthodoxy, speculative neology, enlightened “natural religion,” and Pietism). Second, he set forth a view of religion that was in principle free from reliance on authority. Third, he described religion as belonging essentially to the human sphere and thus as essentially limited. Truly religious people are never able to claim that they possess the truth as such, and in its entirety. Fourth, his approach to religion was descriptive and analytical... he tried to “display” what actually constitutes religion. Finally, he tried to show that religion is inevitably social and thus always has a definite form... (p. ix,f) © Grand Valley State University �The Nature and Function of Religion Richard A. Rhem Page 6   In the highly educated, highly cultured Berlin society, Schleiermacher was attempting to make the case for the reality and authenticity of religion and religious observance. The “climate of opinion” disallowed appeal to an authoritarian base or dogmatic formulations of the past. His only alternative in that context was to find a new foundation for religion and he found that new foundation in human nature itself in the “feeling of absolute dependence.” The common element in all howsoever diverse expressions of piety, by which there are conjointly distinguished from all other feelings, or, in other words, the self-identical essence of piety, is this: The consciousness of being absolutely dependent, or, which is the same thing, of being in relation with God. In attributing religion to the feeling of absolute dependence, Schleiermacher was rooting religious life in the human subject, although he was in no sense denying the reality of God. It was God who created the feeling within the human that pointed him or her to such dependence. In placing the root of religion in the human, however, Barth claimed Schleiermacher transformed theology into anthropology. Küng following Barth raised the question: Was Feuerbach not right to see his philosophy as the end phase of a Protestant theology that -as he thought- long before his time had become an anthropology so that he needed only to understand and appropriate its real intentions? Does not the danger become apparent at this point of a theology in Schleiermacher’s style which makes the reality of God dependent on the religious experience and emotional needs of the devout human subject? But is not the danger also evident of a contemporary “political theology” which reduces theology to a “critical theory of history” or of “society”? Is it not clear at this point how close we are to atheism if we do not distinguish between theological and anthropological propositions, if we identify man’s interest with God’s, if we one-sidedly stress God’s nonobjectivity, almost see God as absorbed in our neighbor and the mystery of being, simply as the mystery of love? (p. 214) Küng quotes Feuerbach as declaring unambiguously, My atheism [is] merely the unconscious and actual atheism of modern humanity and science, made conscious, untwisted and openly declared. (p. 211) Karl Barth had respect for Feuerbach, for his passion, his clarity of understanding what he was doing. Barth saw him and his views as the inevitable end to which beginning to talk of God by talking about humanity must lead. Barth’s great reversal of 19th century liberalism, which had been fathered by Schleiermacher and had developed throughout the 19th century in Continental theology, especially in Germany, was the total rejection of beginning with the human © Grand Valley State University �The Nature and Function of Religion Richard A. Rhem Page 7   subject. Barth begins with God, the “Wholly Other” who encounters the human in the Word, a word of judgment and grace. I cannot go into this further except to say that Barth’s strong emphasis on God’s revelation - the word that came “vertically from above” and contradicts humanity was the needed proclamation in post-World War I Europe as the demonic National Socialism was on the rise in Germany. Eventually, however, even his younger admirer and colleague, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, criticized Barth’s theology as marked by “the positivism of revelation.” References: Ludwig Feuerbach. The Essence of Religion. Prometheus Books, 2004. William James. The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study of Human Nature. (First published 1902) Create Space Indep. Publishers, 2009. Hans Küng. Does God Exist?: An Answer for Today. (Originally published 1978) Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2006. John Lyden. Enduring Issues in Religion: Opposing Viewpoints. Greenhaven Press, 1994. Friedrich Schleiermacher. On Religion: Speeches to Its Cultured Despisers. (originally published 1797); Nabu Press, 2010. © Grand Valley State University � https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/51fac5a1a31b44cdfb78dbf02e610fb4.mp3 b5c128296a32aba34019c52cfadcc852 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Series Summer Lecture Series: How My Mind Has Changed, #2 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI References William James. The Varieties of Religious Experience, 1902, 2009, Ludwig Feuerbach. The Essence of Religion, 2004, Hans Hans Küng. Does God Exist?, 1978,2006, John Lyden. Enduring Issues in Religion,1994 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RA-3-19990713 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1999-07-13 Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 application/pdf Title A name given to the resource The Nature and Function of Religion Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource eng Description An account of the resource Talk created, delivered, or published by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on July 13, 1999 entitled "The Nature and Function of Religion", as part of the series "Summer Lecture Series: How My Mind Has Changed, #2", at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Tags: Nature of Religion, Reimagining the Faith, Spiritual Quest. Scripture references: William James. The Varieties of Religious Experience, 1902, 2009, Ludwig Feuerbach. The Essence of Religion, 2004, Hans Hans Küng. Does God Exist?, 1978,2006, John Lyden. Enduring Issues in Religion,1994 Nature of Religion Reimagining the Faith Spiritual Quest https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/e09e4e4a60225c60ca213a4e7f308fa0.pdf d6031288dd8aa742a973ed012a0ec473 PDF Text Text The Threat and Promise of One’s Mind Being Changed From the Summer 1999 Lecture Series How My Mind Has Changed Richard A. Rhem Minister of Preaching and Theological Inquiry Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan July 6, 1999 Transcript of the spoken lecture I begin with an acknowledgment of feeling some ambiguity about offering four lectures on how my mind has changed. A haunting, taunting voice in my mind asks, "Who cares?" "So what?" and "Why is it a matter of note that your mind has changed?" Good questions, those. Even as I begin, they remain with me and I feel the need to address them. Let me be very clear: I do not suspect the world is holding its breath either for my answers or for the tracing of my mind change. Why engage in this exercise, then? I suspect I am doing it first of all for myself. I have traversed a good distance on the theological spectrum from a very conservative evangelical orthodox position to a very liberal, open-ended, progressive posture. We all move in our theological understanding, our faith understanding, even if we never really stop to think about it, but my move has been more than the natural drift that comes with living, with experience, with age. My moves have been self-conscious, deliberate, intentional. They have come in the wake of lifelong, serious study of the faith, reflection on the faith and endeavor to proclaim and teach the faith in the midst of the community of faith engaged in the practice of the faith - a worshiping community intent on living out the implications of the faith in society. For me, study and reflection have always had the background of the Church, thus necessitating the translation of academic pursuit into concrete action, and that in intimate connection, for the end of my study has been the ongoing need to preach; the sermon has driven the study and reflection, ever and anew demanding expression - having something to say. Early in his ministry after the publication of his Epistle to the Romans had caused such a stir, Karl Barth was asked to speak to a ministers' meeting in his native Switzerland (Schulpforta, July, 1922) to discuss his theology. He was somewhat embarrassed to hear the words "my theology" spoken of so seriously not that he was not doing theology- “plain and honest theology.” But, he went on to discuss "his theology," claiming, © Grand Valley State University   �Threat & Promise of One’s Mind Being Changed Richard A. Rhem Page 2   "my theology" becomes, when I look at it closely, a single point, and that not, as one might demand as the least qualification of a true theology, a standpoint, but rather a mathematical point upon which one cannot stand - a viewpoint merely. (Barth, The Word of God and the Word of Man, p. 97f) Yet, one must stand somewhere, Barth acknowledged, and thus he went on, If then I have not only a viewpoint, but something also of a standpoint, it is simply the familiar standpoint of the man in the pulpit. Before him lies the Bible full of mystery: and before him are seated his more or less numerous hearers, also full of mystery - and what indeed is more so? “What now?” asks the minister. If I could succeed in bringing acutely to your minds the whole content of that "What now?" I should have won you not only to my standpoint... but also to my viewpoint, no matter what you might think of my theology, (p. 104) Barth raised the question, Would it not be for theology's own good if it attempted, as I have said, to be nothing more than this knowledge of the quest and questioning of the Christian preacher, full of need and promise? (p. 102) I cannot emphasize too strongly how I thrilled to be introduced to Karl Barth and to read these words, for they expressed for me everything I believed most strongly and that to which my life was committed. The moves of my theological pilgrimage have come, not through academic endeavor apart from the Church, but very concretely in my passion to have something significant to say in preaching - and that for the well-being of the congregation and for the best possible expression of the biblical faith. Of this purpose for my ministry of preaching, teaching and pastoral care, I have all along been aware. But, that the result should be the traversing of the theological spectrum from far right to far left is to me a very great surprise, for I began as a champion of orthodox Christian tradition and evangelical faith expression. As I said above, I do this exercise first of all for myself, to review the way I have come, the better to understand where I am and where I am going. So to quiet the questions, "Who cares?" "So what? etc., I simply say, "I care; it matters to me, " and I invite any who are interested in the evolution of my theological understanding and the emergence of my present faith perspective to listen in as I tell my story and then to interact with me as the story unfolds. © Grand Valley State University �Threat & Promise of One’s Mind Being Changed Richard A. Rhem Page 3   Still by way of introduction, let me note the passive mood of the title of this series - "How My Mind Has Changed.” I state the series thus intentionally rather than How I Changed My Mind, because I want to point to a process of growing awareness, epiphany-type experience in which truth dawns upon one. To be sure, this does not happen in a vacuum; I have worked intentionally at seeking knowledge, at serious investigation, persistent pursuit of understanding through intensive reading and reflection. Nonetheless, there is a gift quality to new insight and deeper comprehension. Furthermore, I did not start out to arrive where I am. No one is more surprised than I am that I stand at the far left of the theological spectrum, judged beyond the pale of Reformed confessionalism. My mind has been changed in face of the knowledge available in the respective disciplines of human inquiry; biblical study and study of the development of dogma to be sure, but also the findings of the natural sciences, behavioral and social sciences, history and comparative religions. Before the veritable explosion of knowledge, my understanding of religion and, specifically the Christian faith, has changed. In a word, my mind has been changed. The journal of liberal Christianity, The Christian Century, on three occasions asked Karl Barth to write an article on how his mind had changed over the previous decade. He complied with their request, covering the decades 19281938,1938-1948, and 1948-1958. The journal has continued the practice, occasionally asking scholars to indicate how their mind had changed. It is from the series in The Century that I take the idea for these lectures. I have entitled this first lecture "The Threat and Promise of One's Mind Being Changed." That title signals what I have experienced in the movement of my understanding of Christian reality. The experience is threatening because one's personal faith, one's identity, and in my case, one's professional life is called into question. But with the ongoing movement over the years there has been great promise of intellectual freedom and deeper humanity. Let me begin with the threat - the fear of losing one's faith or salvation. This is especially critical for one in the Protestant, Reformed tradition where saving faith has been identified with believing certain things to be true. In the Lutheran confessional family one speaks of "right doctrine." In the definition of faith in the Heidelberg Catechism, Q & A 21, the Question is "What is true faith?” The Answer: “It is not only a certain knowledge by which I accept as true all that God has revealed to us in his Word, but also a wholehearted trust which the Holy Spirit creates in me through the gospel, that, not only to others, but to me also God has given the forgiveness of sins, everlasting righteousness and salvation, out of sheer grace solely for the sake of Christ's saving work.” © Grand Valley State University �Threat & Promise of One’s Mind Being Changed Richard A. Rhem Page 4   One can see here two elements: a certain knowledge of biblical revelation and wholehearted trust. The second element is often pointed to when the warmly personal aspect of the Catechism is spoken of. But the first element points to the content of faith's knowledge and the assent to what is revealed in Scripture has had heavy emphasis. In his growing up, "package version of Christian Faith," Marcus Borg defines faith as he was taught in his Lutheran tradition: Faith meant strong and correct belief. It meant believing what God wanted us to believe, as disclosed in the Bible. Faith as strong belief meant that doubt was the opposite of faith. Faith as correct belief meant believing the right things. For me, that meant believing as we Lutherans believed. In a footnote, Borg notes that such an understanding of faith left a lot of people out. One wasn't sure of Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and Methodists - they were marginal. He can't remember speaking of Episcopalians but certainly Roman Catholics were out. I grew up in the Reformed tradition in its most conservative expression and the definition of the knowledge God revealed in the Scriptures was very definite and clear. The faith paradigm, I now know, derived from the 17th century, the period of Protestant scholasticism in which the fresh discovery of the Gospel of the Grace of God as it erupted in the 16th century was carefully systematized. More of that in a subsequent lecture. My point here is that, if one has been nurtured deeply in such a conception of saving faith, one has a whole system of belief to which one must assent, and to tinker with the respective articles of belief is to call the whole structure into question - and that can be very threatening because one risks losing everything, including, of course, one's salvation. By way of contrast to make this point sharper, one deeply formed in Roman Catholicism would find challenge to the institution more threatening than challenge to any particular article of faith, for there exists in the religious experience of such a person an implicit faith in the Church through which grace is mediated in the Sacraments. Catholic religious experience is more intuitive, less intellectual as a belief system. Thus, one might say that for one nurtured as I was, a challenge to the belief structure would be comparable to a challenge to the Church for a Catholic Christian. One doesn't leave the Church easily if one has been deeply formed in the Catholic tradition. As I reflect on this, I discover an interesting fact that, while it is a belief system that must be assented to intellectually, once that assent has been made and one is deeply formed in a particular belief system, one tends to shut down the intellectual pursuit of religious truth. One becomes emotionally engaged; correct © Grand Valley State University �Threat & Promise of One’s Mind Being Changed Richard A. Rhem Page 5   belief is no longer an intellectual matter but one in which one's being, one's identity is involved. And so my very identity is at stake – who I am, how I perceive myself. To pursue this further would take us into the psychology of the person, an area in which I am not schooled to speak. But it is obvious, as one sees the reaction of persons whose faith structure is challenged, that there is much more going on than an intellectual discussion of alternative expressions of faith. Again, the greater seriousness with which one's religious commitment is lived out, the greater the threat to one’s personhood when a faith structure is called in question. I have experienced the fear of free fall and the pain that wrenches one when one’s faith system is called in question and, even more, as a pastor, I have witnessed it over and over again in my people. My religious faith and life are so centered in the core of my being that to threaten them is to threaten me. A mind change is threatening and can be costly to one whose professional life is in the Church and the field of religion. Here I speak, as well, from personal experience, both my own struggle and, even more, the struggle I see in colleagues in ministry. If there is one overriding reason why the Church is the most conservative of all social institutions and why it continues adherence to faith structures and social positions out of touch with modern knowledge and human experience, I would claim it is the threat felt by persons in leadership if they acknowledge that their mind has changed. Since these lectures are about how my mind has changed, I will speak first of my own experience over the past three decades. My four years in the Netherlands at the University of Leiden under the mentorship of Hendrikus Berkhof were simply invaluable. I had graduated from seminary with my orthodox conservative Reformed faith intact. I had sought in my education to buttress the faith of my childhood nurture. I believed it all. I believed it strongly. I believed it passionately and I was determined to proclaim it in its conservative evangelical expression. I was also defensive, although I did not recognize that. I regret that I did not question more, read more broadly, quest more openly. Finally, four years of pastoral experience here in Spring Lake forced on me for the first time questions and wonderings I could not put away. And a new curriculum, Covenant Life, produced by the Presbyterian and Reformed Churches opened new directions, which I pursued during my three years in New Jersey. For the first time in my life, I began to think, desiring to know the truth. My pilgrimage to Europe and post-graduate study was not a flight from the pastorate, not first of all to attain a degree; it was an existential quest to test the truth of the Christian faith as I had learned it. I am a late bloomer. I was 32 years old when I began my search and I had the time of my life. © Grand Valley State University �Threat & Promise of One’s Mind Being Changed Richard A. Rhem Page 6   When this congregation invited me to return to be their pastor, I had gone through a thorough transformation. My personal life in shambles through the breakup of my marriage, I had come to a core conviction about the Christian faith and I knew I had one sermon at least to preach. I said, "Give me Jesus and the resurrection and the rest is negotiable." I provide this background sketch because it reveals how fortunate I have been in having the post-graduate experience in Europe after enough time in concrete ministry to have begun to sense the limitations of my understanding and my knowledge, and then to have the opportunity to come to a congregation where there was already an affectional and trusting relationship so that I could begin to bring the knowledge and insight I had gained into coherent expression. For the first two decades after my return, I literally preached and I taught out of that European reservoir of learning. I had a place to preach and teach that allowed my four years of reading, reflection and writing to come to expression, to be assimilated and to mature. And, while the responsibilities of an exploding parish were demanding, I never stopped reading and thinking, the congregation being my laboratory for the exploration of new knowledge and fresh insight. The relationship with the congregation was solid and healthy. The growing insight into the development of the Christian faith shared with the people was gradual. I was aware of movement in my understanding and I was aware that I was endeavoring to broaden and deepen the faith knowledge and experience of the congregation. I was conscious of being on a journey of growing understanding and I was intentional about bringing the people along. We were all clear that we were in life, together as a faith community seeking understanding. The ideal of those early years - an ideal never lost - was the union of intellectual integrity and evangelical passion. The next significant happening in my own development occurred in 1985 when I was invited to become one of the editors of a theological journal founded by the Reformed Church in America. The Editorial Board of ten met twice yearly for three days. I was already heavily engaged in denominational work, having at the time four responsibilities, one of which was the chairing of the Board of Theological Education that was responsible for the seminaries. But, the Consistory gave me their blessing and I accepted the invitation and profited greatly from the discussions in which we determined the themes for the respective issues. Even more, it now became my responsibility to write and publish. The journal, Perspectives, was founded by the Reformed Church for the express purpose of addressing the leadership of the RCA and beyond with the intention of stimulating discussion of the pressing issues of Church and society - a hope to initiate theological awareness and conversation in the Church. There was an inner core of the Editorial Board that was especially committed to dealing with © Grand Valley State University �Threat & Promise of One’s Mind Being Changed Richard A. Rhem Page 7   what we felt were theological positions that needed to be examined if the Church was to be a factor in the broader cultural conversation that shapes the future. I was one of only two pastors on the Editorial Board and I soon learned that I would be the one to handle the topics that were most likely to meet with resistance from the conservative part of the Church. Why? Because my pastoral position was safe. This congregation by that time had had fifteen years of theological probing in sermon and teaching. This congregation had given me the freedom to study, to think, to bring to expression new ideas and fresh statement of the faith. The scholars who made up the rest of the board from RCA colleges and seminaries had to take into account their position in an institution accountable to the whole Church and therefore, there were some topics better left untouched. From the safety of my position in this congregation, I had a freedom they did not have. I had occasion to experience first hand why the academic contingent of the board was cautious. In 1987,I was invited to become the Professor of Preaching at Western Theological Seminary. I declined a full-time position, not being willing to give up my pastorate here, but accepted the position halftime. About that same time I was assigned responsibility by the Editorial Board, in the midst of a full board discussion, to write a piece on the extent of God's grace. The article, entitled 'The Habit of God's Heart," appeared in the September 1988 issue, just as I was about to begin the second year of teaching. I wrote the article as I have always preached and taught here at Christ Community. I was cautious in my claim, but it was, nonetheless, evident that I was sensing a broader sweep of God's saving grace than was the rule in the RCA and the Reformed Confessional documents. And further, it was clear I hoped that to be the case. Having called Hell into question, all hell broke loose in the Church. I could see on the ashen face of the seminary president that there was trouble afoot. At a faculty meeting, one of the professors who was on the Editorial Board and who had read the manuscript before the issue went to print asked, “Why did you feel you had to raise this issue?” The rest of the faculty, with whom I had good relations and from whom I received respect, were strangely silent. The Professor of Systematic Theology said not a word on this burning theological issue. The one who raised the earlier question had been teaching at the seminary for over two decades and was known to hold essentially the same position I espoused in the article. What was going on? Obviously, fear reigned: fear for professional position, fear for institutional support. I saw it all very clearly. I said to the President, "I will resign; I have no need to bring the school into a battle." An Executive Committee meeting was called in October and I was asked to appear. Surveying the room, I sensed the group was pretty evenly divided between those who would have supported me and those © Grand Valley State University �Threat & Promise of One’s Mind Being Changed Richard A. Rhem Page 8   who would have demanded retraction or resignation. I offered to complete the second year and leave. The following fall I would have been installed in the newly endowed Chair of Preaching which was the fruition of an idea I initiated while serving on the Board of Theological Education. But, instead, I simply came home here - again giving my full time and energy to this congregation. I relate this experience because through it I learned first hand how threatening it is in the Church and its institutions to challenge the accepted paradigm of faith and traditional practice. Once again, I am one of the fortunate ones. I have a marvelous faith community that has always been totally supportive and has extended to me the freedom to think, to probe, to challenge and to attempt the translation of the tradition into new expression. I did not seek out the seminary position and I did not suffer loss when I left it. But, I have been in a rather rare position with which not many are blessed. I think the seminary administration and faculty lost an opportunity to affirm the critical importance of academic freedom. But, I was not the president, I was not a faculty member well settled in with no place to go. I think they all might have better stood together, not in support of me personally, but in support of the freedom necessary to wrestle with the biblical and confessional tradition. But, there is a cost involved; they chose not to risk. My experience convinced me that an academic institution with close ties to the Church, which looks to the Church for its financial support, will be very slow to challenge the tradition and to be creative and innovative in the articulation of the faith. The deck is stacked against change in society's institutional structures. Not change, but continuity is the goal. In sum, the Church's academic centers are severely proscribed in the degree to which they can engage in the kind of theological reflection that potentially issues in a paradigm shift. One comes not to expect theological renewal from the Church's academies. If this is the case with the academic institutions, it is surely even more the case with the Church's bureaucratic structure. Management with a pinch of inspiration and some resourcing is all one can expect from denominational centers. Keeping the machinery in good order and the structures in place is a difficult task in a denominational institution with a broad spectrum of theological understanding. I need not belabor the obvious: theological renewal will not emerge from denominational headquarters. Those who carry out the task of denominational leadership are vulnerable to criticism from all sides and can lead only from the middle unless they are willing to risk their professional position. © Grand Valley State University �Threat & Promise of One’s Mind Being Changed Richard A. Rhem Page 9   Let me underscore a statement made earlier - the deck is stacked against change in society's institutional structures. I became so deeply impressed with this reality. I will go into the specific changes that I underwent in subsequent lectures but, when I was called to account for positions I espoused, for example, on the extent of God's grace, I was criticized for not bringing my doubt about the traditional salvation paradigm first to the Classis, and, to be sure, this is the way the order of the Church conceived of the proper process for dealing with a change in one's biblical/theological understanding. Such a procedure would have eventuated in no public statement of my belief and I would have been given the option of being re-convinced of the tradition or being silent about my change of understanding, or being adjudged - as I was - as beyond the pale of the Reformed confession. It would have been a fruitless exercise and I knew it. I assumed writing as I was in a theological journal, founded for the purpose of stimulating theological discussion, was a new and better way of effecting change in the Church. But, the old system for all practical purposes guarantees there will be no significant change in the confessional stance of the institution. There are those both in the pastorate and in the academic and bureaucratic structures of the Church who were in essential agreement with me at critical points but, by their own admission, they dared not stand up and declare publicly that agreement. In the case of the seminary, in particular, but it holds true to some extent for the colleges as well, the strongest financial support often comes from the more conservative congregations and the institutions are economic prisoners of the most conservative elements in the Church. I suspect this has always been the case, but my experience vividly demonstrated to me that the very leaders whose responsibility it is to move the Church along with fresh insight and ongoing translation of the faith, as the human story unfolds and knowledge from the full spectrum of the respective disciplines of learning explodes, are not free to do so. To do so puts one's career in jeopardy and the institution at risk. This is the way traditions perpetuate themselves, preserve their originating vision, and insulate themselves from the threat of change. Finally, however, no person or institution can be insulated from change. In former ages and earlier times some measure of isolation was possible, but in a world marked by globalization and the information society, it is possible no longer. We are awash with knowledge of every conceivable subject under the sun and the Christian tradition must finally persuade of its truth and meaning in the market place of ideas and alternative religious visions. In a word, in the dizzying pace of historical development, the Church must change or die. © Grand Valley State University �Threat & Promise of One’s Mind Being Changed Richard A. Rhem Page10   The problem of deeply grounded, well-established institutional religion is precisely its clarity and completeness. It is a life map that gives a person, a community, an orientation in the world. It tells one who one is and how one should live. It creates a tribe, a community, perhaps a national identity. Life's questions are answered, confusions ordered and mysteries domesticated - not totally, but sufficiently to make life bearable, having some sense, meaning and purpose. But, the human experience in the cosmic drama is not static, but dynamic - ever changing, evolving, creating new realities to be negotiated and assimilated. Unless the conception of reality, the forms and the structures of the institution, are allowed to change and evolve with human knowledge and experience, the life map, the structural experience of the tradition will be more and more removed from real life, religion will be compartmentalized, no longer giving guidance and insight to live within the emerging human situation, rather becoming more and more irrelevant, an add-on to life rather than its generating center. The more I reflected on what I encountered in the hostile and fearful response to the essay I wrote on the extent of God's grace, the more I recognized how rigidly and uncritically the biblical/theological paradigm of my heritage was held. I came to an awareness of the parochial narrowness of my own tradition. As I think back on my own development, I realize my European study had opened up to me a whole new vista on Reformed theology simply by experiencing Church and society in the Netherlands from whence my forbears had come. There the Reformed faith had moved along with cultural development, whereas my experience and knowledge of my faith expression had been mediated through an immigrant mentality and piety- and that makes a world of difference. Dutch Reformed theology encountered the Enlightenment and was in conversation with the whole phenomenon of modernity, having to articulate the biblical faith in face of a wholly new cultural epoch. The immigrant community in this country, on the other hand, never really engaged the challenge of the modern period. In 1983, I was given a sabbatical which began in the fall, as I spent Monday and Tuesday in Ann Arbor at the University of Michigan where the Catholic theologian, Hans Küng, was giving public lectures on Monday evening and conducting a cross-discipline seminar for a three-hour period on Tuesday afternoon. The seminar was by invitation only and I was most fortunate to be invited, along with professors and students from the College of Arts and Sciences, the Law School, and the Medical School. Küng had just been disciplined for his bold theological probing by the Vatican. The courses he taught at the University of Tubingen in Germany were no longer accredited for those preparing for the priesthood. He had also just, along with David Tracy of the University of Chicago, gathered an international Ecumenical Symposium at Tubingen in 1983 to discuss "A New Paradigm of Theology." Papers delivered at the symposium are published in the volume Paradigm © Grand Valley State University �Threat & Promise of One’s Mind Being Changed Richard A. Rhem Page11   Change in Theology. At the symposium, Küng charted the epochal shifts in theology to test his scheme of periodization. Beginning with the primitive Christian apocalyptic paradigm, the historical progression moves through the ancient church Hellenistic, the medieval Roman Catholic, the Reformation Protestant with its two consequent paradigms of counter-reformation-Roman Catholic and Protestant Orthodox paradigms - the modern Enlightenment paradigm, and on to the present contemporary ecumenical paradigm. Küng came on the idea of paradigm shifts in Thomas S. Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, in which Kuhn portrayed scientific development as occurring, not as had been commonly assumed, in smooth cumulative progress, but rather in leaps triggered by paradigm shifts, the displacement of one model of understanding by another. Küng applied Kuhn's discovery to theological development and found points of significant shift there as well. Paradigm as Kuhn defined it and as Küng utilizes it means “an entire constellation of beliefs, values, techniques, and so one shared by the members of a given community.” Küng’s periodization marks off those points in the movement of history where a major shift in understanding took place, a shift from one constellation of beliefs to another - a change in the explanation model through which Christian faith was interpreted. The points of shift can be debated and the flow of history cannot be rigidly sectioned off. Nevertheless, the periodization Küng has suggested has been widely received. Insight into major paradigmatic shifts in the history of Christian dogmatic development was critically important for me. My major area of study at Leiden had been the History of Dogma, but the charting of the points of significant shift was very helpful to me in surveying the historical development. Having encountered the strong resistance to my probings of the traditional theological paradigm of my faith family, I began to realize that we had never faced the challenge of the modern world. In 1991, I published another piece in Perspectives entitled "Sleeping Through a Revolution,'' in which I set forth my growing awareness of the theological impasse of Reformed theology of Dutch origin in America. I wrote: Reformed theology in America, the roots of which lie in the Netherlands, has managed to sleep through the revolution of the modern world and survive. Through strong ethnic identity, internal growth, and a militant mind that maintained an adversarial attitude over against modern culture, a Reformed community of Dutch origin still exists. But the defensive posture that has largely characterized it has prevented it from translating the richness of its sixteenth-century legacy of Reformation theology into a proclamation of the gospel to engage modern thought. I stated my conclusion in straightforward fashion, contending: © Grand Valley State University �Threat & Promise of One’s Mind Being Changed Richard A. Rhem Page12   Theologically we are stuck, and the best and the brightest know it. Reformed orthodoxy has slept through the revolution of human understanding and knowledge created by the Enlightenment, never to this day having come to terms with the autonomy of the human person, the throwing off of all forms of authoritarianism, and the rise of historical thinking. These cultural assumptions are now being challenged. Many observers believe we are living at an epochal hinge point in history, experiencing the emergence of the post-modern age. But we will not be able to move directly from a seventeenth-century paradigm to the postmodern world without going through the baptism of the Enlightenment. While its assumptions are losing their self-evident status, what will not be lost is the value of critical rationality, and what will not be tolerated is any return to authoritarian claims, be they of church, of tradition, or of Bible. In theology old paradigms keep their adherents even when theological development has left them behind. But they can do so only by some form of authoritarian claim. In the case of Reformed orthodoxy the authoritarian claim of the Bible has held theological movement hostage, hindering meaningful dialogue with the sciences and philosophy. We are theologically stuck, and we will not become unstuck until we learn to value Scripture as authority, but break loose from its authoritarian use. Understandably, my contention was not received kindly. It was a serious charge and aroused a good deal of defensiveness and denial. But, I had supported my claim with a survey of developments on the broader cultural scene and specifically the philosophical/theological conversations that had marked continental theology. Recognizing the contemporary critique of Enlightenment thought, I pointed to developments in post-Modernism that held out possibilities for a fresh consideration of the 17th century paradigm that was still the ruling faith understanding. I concluded the essay pointing to the need to develop a new understanding of scripture, which I understood as the problem, the cause of the ideological impasse that marked my theological tradition. Of Reformed theology, I wrote: ... Its doctrine of Scripture has remained immune from the acids of criticism, and an authoritarian use of Scripture continues, making it impossible either to engage the cultural assumptions that remain as a legacy of the Enlightenment, or to capture the attention of an obviously spiritually destitute and groping present generation where the yearning for transcendence is pervasive. Perhaps the insights and breakthroughs in science and the spiritual bankruptcy of the West have created the moment that will compel us to move beyond both the theological impasse traced above and an authoritarian use of Scripture. In his biography of Karl Barth, Eberhard © Grand Valley State University �Threat & Promise of One’s Mind Being Changed Richard A. Rhem Page13   Busch records a conversation of Barth in which he referred to being dubbed orthodox. That was fine with Barth, if it pointed to a willingness “to learn from the Fathers.” But he rejected any restriction to the doctrinal position of any teacher school or confession… “Confessions” exist for us to go through them (not once but continually), not for us to return to them, take up our abode in them, and conduct our further thinking from their standpoint and in bondage to them. (Karl Barth. P. 375) That is the freedom we must discover in order to enter the contemporary discussion, bringing the richness of Reformed theology into engagement with a post-modern world. Having thrown out the challenge, I moved next to an essay on Scripture, "The Book That Binds Us" (December, 1992). It was here that I had long felt the problem of theological impasse was located. It was in a new understanding of the nature and function of scripture in the life of the Church that I discovered the freedom to think, to deal with the questions and issues that arise in the ongoing human story. And that freedom is the promise of the new insights that marked my mind change. I have lived through the sense of threat when faith formulations are challenged by new knowledge and ongoing human experience, but I have lived through it, emerging on the other side of the struggle with a larger vision, realizing that all along my God was too small. I have come to know a freedom and a joy in the human experience I had not earlier known. And I have found that the Mystery that is God, the cosmic reality that has been discovered through the sciences, and the wonder of being human can only fill one with awe. To live with awareness, wonder and gratitude is the deepest reverence, the highest devotion. This is what marks the religious quest in the emerging cosmic reality. References: Karl Barth. The Word of God and the Word of Man. Peter Smith Pub. Inc., 1958. Eberhard Busch. Karl Barth: His life from letters and autobiographical texts. SCM Press; First Edition edition, 2011. Hans Küng & David Tracy, editors. Paradigm Change in Theology. T. & T. Clark Publishers, 2000. Richard A. Rhem, “The Book That Binds Us,” Perspectives, December 1992. Richard A. Rhem, “The Habit of God’s Heart,” Perspectives, September 1988. Richard A. Rhem, “Sleeping Through a Revolution,” Perspectives, April 1991. © Grand Valley State University � https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/5d56bd8c292ec69651004b3e974183b7.mp3 372babea626dbde5de4964bdc5431cc0 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Series Summer Lecture Series: How My Mind Has Changed Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI References Karl Barth. The Word of God and the Word of Man, 1958, Eberhard Busch. Karl Barth: His Life from Letters and Autobiographical Texts, 2011, Hans Küng, David Tracy, Eds., Paradigm Change in Theology, 1983, 2000, Friedrich Schleiermacher. On Religion: Speeches to its Cultured Despisers, 1797 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RA-3-19990706 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1999-07-06 Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 application/pdf Title A name given to the resource The Threat and Promise of One's Mind Being Changed Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource eng Description An account of the resource Talk created, delivered, or published by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on July 6, 1999 entitled "The Threat and Promise of One’s Mind Being Changed", as part of the series "Summer Lecture Series: How My Mind Has Changed", at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Tags: Dogma, Reimagining the Faith, Inclusive Grace. Scripture references: Karl Barth. The Word of God and the Word of Man, 1958, Eberhard Busch. Karl Barth: His Life from Letters and Autobiographical Texts, 2011, Hans Küng, David Tracy, Eds., Paradigm Change in Theology, 1983, 2000, Friedrich Schleiermacher. On Religion: Speeches to its Cultured Despisers, 1797. Dogma Inclusive Grace Reimagining the Faith https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/564319e51c5731aff26a0a6d3ba9c66a.mp3 1d6a6e9bd83d61844766a8012dc9472c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Wed. Night Lecture Series Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RA-3-19920226 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1992-02-26 Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Title A name given to the resource The Gender of God, Session 2 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource eng Description An account of the resource Talk created, delivered, or published by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on February 26, 1992 entitled "The Gender of God, Session 2", on the occasion of Wed. Night Lecture Series, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/18b365805ef3f033167c970275821251.mp3 c68f1e3a6088e0bee9f5f726c5800f41 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Wed. Night Lecture Series Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RA-3-19920219 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1992-02-19 Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Title A name given to the resource The Gender of God, Session 1 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource eng Description An account of the resource Talk created, delivered, or published by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on February 19, 1992 entitled "The Gender of God, Session 1", on the occasion of Wed. Night Lecture Series, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/e448efec1d046ba2e78ca10f62b97d7c.mp3 c6edcb173687e5651ec0738293d53c87 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Sunday Morning Talk Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI References Hans K Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RA-3-19901021 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1990-10-21 Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Title A name given to the resource Talk on Hans Küng's Theology for the Third Millennium: An Ecumenical View Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource eng Description An account of the resource Talk created, delivered, or published by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on October 21, 1990 entitled "Talk on Hans Küng's Theology for the Third Millennium: An Ecumenical View", on the occasion of Sunday Morning Talk, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Hans Küng, Theology for the Third Millennium: An Ecumenical View. https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/a433d6de91b47ab3c2e352f935014015.mp3 aef7fa22b06de15fbd8a335d66677929 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Tues. Night Talk/Discussion with Muskegon Classis Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RA-3-19890418 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1989-04-18 Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Title A name given to the resource The Extent of God's Grace Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource eng Description An account of the resource Talk created, delivered, or published by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on April 18, 1989 entitled "The Extent of God's Grace", on the occasion of Tues. Night Talk/Discussion with Muskegon Classis. https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/0a5e74ab39ed767c9c2324ddc05eed25.pdf 5257a82ecff82ff95d205b4d527e54bc PDF Text Text On the Celebration of The Golden Wedding Anniversary Of Norm and Maureen Campbell Prayer offered by Richard A. Rhem September 2012 Oh God, Eternal One, in whom we live and move and have our being, in the midst of this happy celebration we pause consciously to experience and to acknowledge your Presence, present to us. We do so naturally at life’s critical junctures, life’s moments awash with meaning – those moments that cause our hearts to sing or to break, our minds to be radiant with light and illumination or numb in somber darkness. We pause; we are still. We are present to you who are present to us – the presence of Mystery in whom and before whom our lives are played out. In the quietness of this moment, we pause to give thanks for the fifty years of life together shared by Norm and Maureen – (two-thirds of their respective 75 years of life!) – for their love and faithfulness, for the richness of their experiences, for the model they are of strength and steadiness, of faith and devotion, of kindness and gentleness. We celebrate their years as lovers, partners, friends, and we give you thanks that, as children, grandchildren and a large circle of friends, we can share these moments with them. Memories wash over us of special times and seasons. The film of fifty years flashes through our minds – times when we laughed until the tears washed over our cheeks; �Anniversary Prayer Richard A. Rhem Page 2   times when the struggle was intense, and the goal far off; times when dreams came true, and times when dreams were shattered; times when joy burst the soul, and times when grief filled the heart; times of health and strength; times when health seemed threatened and the future put in question. Oh God, we remember with laughter and with tears, and we own it all, the whole long, wonderful, fragile, perilous, beautiful journey. For it is the tapestry of two lives lived well, lived fully, authentically, before your face – a tapestry with entwining threads of all the colors of the rainbow: brighter and more somber tones, light and shadow. And through it all your presence, your faithfulness, even your presence in absence. We give you thanks, O God, for your grace that has enabled them to be all they are, and we seek your benediction upon them as they move beyond this significant landmark. Fill their future years with the richness of harvest, enabling them to savor the fruits of their love and labor. Favor them with good health and even new adventure. Surround them with the loving care of their children, the happy exuberance of their grandchildren, and embrace of the circle of their friends. May your mercy be experienced with every breaking dawn and may peace mantle them with every golden sunset. And as they gaze on the grandeur of the night’s starry heaven, may they know themselves enwrapped together in the Mystery of the abyss of your steadfast love. With gratitude we gather around these tables, acknowledging the gifts of bread and wine. And in the midst of this joyous feast, we remember the one who broke bread and poured the cup, and has become for us the Bread of Life, the Wine of New Creation, Jesus Christ our Lord. �Anniversary Prayer Richard A. Rhem Page 3   It was my lucky day when Norm and Maureen showed up at CCC. Obviously they cared deeply about the church, about the faith, about compassion and justice. Intelligent, thoughtful, engaged, and just as nice as could be! With them we shared weddings, baptisms, funerals, and simply friendship. Nancy and I are blessed by them; to be their pastor a great privilege. Norm and Maureen, you have earned our respect and, more than that, our love. It is with great joy that we celebrate with you 75 years of life and 50 years of marriage. � https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/a9b7f30d7f2c7c615a316ef40295e1b8.wav 85525626d159b13a57dac6104b5b23da Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Family Gathering Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RA-1-20120901 Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf audio/wav Title A name given to the resource On the Celebration of the Golden Wedding Anniversary of the Campbells Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource eng Description An account of the resource Prayer created, delivered, or published by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on September 1, 2012 entitled "On the Celebration of the Golden Wedding Anniversary of the Campbells", on the occasion of Family Gathering. Tags: Family, Faith, Life Journey, Grace of God, Celebration of Life, Anniversary, Prayer. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2012-09-01 Anniversary Celebration of Life Faith Family Grace of God Life Journey Prayer https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/3b861a2c1d9aec50c02c08fdbfa8379e.pdf 4b747c8c0a824e81890f1d0b7b2dbf4d PDF Text Text 1 Grand Valley State University Special Collections Kent County Oral History collections, RHC-23 Miss Mildred Schulz Interviewed in Fall 1974 Edited and indexed by Don Bryant, 2010 – bryant@wellswooster.com Tape #53 (30:19) Biographical Information Mildred Schulz was born in Sturgis, St. Joseph County, Michigan on 15 November 1890. She died in Grand Rapids on 6 January 1985 at the age of 94 and is buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Miss Schulz never married. She was the daughter of William J. Schulz and Mary L. Peters. William Schulz was born in Germany in May 1860 and immigrated to the USA in 1864 according to census records. He was a wood carver. Mary Peters was born Aug 1860 in Germany and immigrated to the USA in 1871 according to census records. William and Mary were married in Chicago, Illinois on 1 June 1889. Mildred had a sister named Marie who was born in Illinois in September, 1894. The family name is spelled consistently as SCHULZ in the city directory, census, birth and marriage records that were located. The name is found spelled SCHULTZ in Mildred‟s obituary. ___________ Mildred: …and not a word, you had been there said that I had been there either one or one and a half years and I thought you said that he started when it was in nineteen…..let‟s see nineteen sixteen, I think he said. Near as he could remember he couldn‟t just remember either and the other girl that worked there was a bookkeeper and I didn‟t know her too well, but she worked downstairs and I know about two and a half to three years ago, my sister died, she lived with me here and he, this girl sent a bouquet of flowers and I thanked her for it and everything, but since that time I cannot find out where she is. Interviewer: Was this before the first World War that you started to work for them or after the first World War? Mildred: It was after. Interviewer: Mildred: After. Sometime in the twenties, maybe? I don‟t know, yes, I imagine so. Interviewer: But Mr. Voigt was still alive? �2 Mildred: Yes, all three of them. All three of them were still alive. Interviewer: And Papa was a big fat man? Mildred: The Papa was what? Interviewer: That he was a pretty big man. Mildred: Yes. You mean their father? Interviewer: Yes, their father. Was he alive when you started to work there? Mildred: Oh, no, I never saw him. Interviewer: Oh, you never saw him? Mildred: No. The brothers were the boss then. Interviewer: I see. Who was the boss? Was it Carl that was the boss? Mildred: No, Frank. He was the boss. That is, he was the older one, I don‟t know whether he was the boss or not but. The rest of them wouldn‟t have it that he was boss when I‟m around, I guess. Interviewer: worked? I was wondering, how many hours a week, do you remember how long you Mildred: How many hours? Interviewer: Mildred: Did you work Saturday, you worked Saturdays? No, we never worked on Saturdays. Interviewer: Never worked on Saturdays? Mildred: I think, once in a while on Saturday morning that we would come down you know and I believe it‟s every third or fourth Saturday morning. And finally I said the man I work for I said what‟s the use of coming down here on Saturday? I said you don‟t come down here until twelve o‟clock. I said and that means I got to sit around all afternoon, you know just waiting for your two or three letters. He said “well that‟s silly” he says I, he was kind of German, he talked kind of German he said “that„s silly,” he said, “well, we won‟t come down anymore on Saturday.” Interviewer: Oh, that was kind of nice for you, gave you a day off, extra day off. Mildred: Yes, and we quit at five o‟clock and as far as … �3 Interviewer: What time did you go to work in the morning? Mildred: Well, he said we could come anytime we wanted to; didn‟t make any difference to them. As long as I had my, get my work finished, you know. And Carl was real nice too. I did quite a lot of work for him. Interviewer: Did you? Mildred: He had more letters than anyone else. Interviewer: Yes, was that because he did more like sales work for the…? Mildred: Yes, you see Frank Voigt, I don‟t know, he never got around in time. I don‟t know he slept too late or …what was the matter with him. But the younger Voigt, he was there on time. I never took his work very much, some way or other. Interviewer: Well, do you, were you conscience of their dividing up the responsibility like one say was in charge of production and one in charge of sales. Or was it more or less formal than that? Mildred: No, it was kinds all the same, you know. Course they all had different jobs. The older man that I worked for he just had a few letters a day and they were mostly personal. And the middle one would handle most of the letters and things. Then I had charge of the all the bookings of the flour. Like we sent flour to Australia and every place like that. Interviewer: Oh, did you? Mildred: Quite a few places and they would book maybe fifty cars or a hundred cars of flour on certain date and then they would order it out. You know just as they needed it. They had the various sizes. There were eighths and halves and all the different grades of flour. Interviewer: I see. Mildred: That was kind of a… Interviewer: An eighth or half would be eighth of a car load or half a car load? Mildred: No, there would be in eighths that would be like a eight pound sack or in it would be half sacks you know and eight sacks like that. Interviewer: I see. Mildred: Crescent was our main grade of flour. Interviewer: Was the difference between Crescent Star a difference in quality? I mean one was better flour than the other? �4 Mildred: No, the Crescent was a general flour used by almost all housewives and then their Columbian flour was a spring wheat flour that was just that was just for bread. Suppose to just for bread although you could make bread out of Crescent too. But it was more springy like, you know, it was nice flour. The cake flour was that was what they called Royal Cake Flour that was handled by all the fancy restaurants here in town. Interviewer: Mildred: The pastry cooks. It was a beautiful flour. Interviewer: Yes, that was really finely milled bleached flour, I suspect. Mildred: Yes, You know they would never, would put their cake flour in the little cartons like you see it now days, you know and I used to say to them you know you‟d sell a lot more cake flour I said if you put it in those fancy little cartons, you know. No, we don‟t want to do that. They would never take advice from anyone. But see then the other people got all the flour orders here in town – the cake flour orders - and they didn‟t. He says funny we don‟t sell more cake flour. I said well I told you why. But he wouldn‟t take it that way. Interviewer: Oh, that‟s funny. And they sold it as far away as Australia? Mildred: Yes, Australia and I think it was Australia, foreign countries. They had several where they would book maybe a hundred carloads of flour or something like that and then order it out you know. They‟d try to book it, we had a little book where we translated how many barrels and how many tons that they would book, you know. It was an interesting place to work and I don‟t know why I stayed so long. Everybody said why don‟t you get out and get more money someplace else maybe. I said, well I can walk back and forth from there. You know where the mills were? Interviewer: Yes, down along the river, down here, weren‟t they? Mildred: One was there and the other was the river at Pearl Street. Interviewer: Yes, and that really you were within easy walking distance of your job. Mildred: Yes, I was, you know, I could come home at noon and I don‟t know I kind of liked it there, you know. Interviewer: Did that really pay less than other places in town? Mildred: They did at that time. I thought. Of course nobody got what they get now, I guess Interviewer: No, course I hope the prices aren‟t what they get now either. My goodness. �5 Mildred: Well, it was a very nice place to work as far as that goes. That was the only thing I never thought they paid quite as much as they should have and I know when I went to work for the lawyer I‟d get quite a bit more money just to start and I didn‟t know a thing about law. Interviewer: Do you remember how much they paid you when you quit? At the time you quit. How much were you making? Mildred: Well, what? Interviewer: The time you quit working then how much were you making a week? How much money did they pay you a week? I don‟t even know what wage scales were like then you know? Mildred: Well, I don‟t remember it was pretty close to I think, it was pretty close to fifty dollars. Maybe it was fifty, I don‟t know, I can‟t remember exactly how much it was. But I know I got more at the lawyer‟s offices, but I didn‟t like it there. You know I didn‟t, after you learn law, did you know much about law? Interviewer: Not a great deal. Mildred: After you learn law, why then it is very easy. Interviewer: Yes, oh, we are working fine (referring to the tape recorder). Mildred: The same thing all the time. Interviewer: Probably monotonous, after you‟ve been in the mills. Mildred: I imagine it would be, I was there five years and that was enough for me. I didn‟t like the people I worked for too well. Interviewer: That makes a difference. If the Voigt‟s were easy going, easy people to get along with, was that true of all three brothers? That they were pretty easy to get along with? Mildred: Yes Interviewer: Or didn‟t you have much contact? Mildred: Not among themselves, they fought like the dickens among themselves, just like brothers do now days, you know, little kids as well as older ones. I don‟t know, they were always nice to us. I like it, I think when I quit, well they all quit because they went out of business, you see. Interviewer: Yes, that was in the fifties sometime, was it? Mildred: I don‟t remember the years they went out of business. Interviewer: Yes. �6 Mildred: They didn‟t like it because the men all went on strike, two different strikes. And they weren‟t going to. I know, Ralph went out and said, if you fellows get cold out there, come on down in the basement here, it will be warmer for you. Interviewer: This is when they were on strike? Mildred: This is when they were on strike, you know. Interviewer: It was nice in those days, people knew you by name, when you worked for somebody. Mildred: You‟re always nice to the men, too. But, see they didn‟t get enough money, either. Interviewer: Yes. Mildred: That was the reason they went on strike you know. Interviewer: Is, was the milling business, did they have somehow have a way for storing that wheat up and stretching the milling season, or was it pretty seasonal business? Were you rushed at some times of the year and no business at other? Mildred: Sometimes in the year when they had new crops came on, why they have a spurt in the business, but they did a real good business. Ralph says the reason we didn‟t lose any money in our mill, that was the oldest one, I mean the younger one. I called on him when he was sick, the reason we didn‟t have any great losses they way the firms do now a days and go out of business is because we had it up here. Interviewer: Bright boy. Mildred: Yes. Interviewer: Well, they didn‟t have labor unions to contend with and didn‟t have a lot of other things I guess. They moved. They lived over on the West side, here for a long time. Mildred: One time, on Mt. Vernon…. Interviewer: And then they moved over. Mildred: It must have been a long time, before I went to work there. Interviewer: I am sure it was. Mildred: I can remember after that it was purchased by, let‟s see who was that, who did buy that now? A home for people you came to town here that didn‟t have any work, you know. Interviewer: Oh, Yes. �7 Mildred: Until they could get work, they could stay there, you know. Interviewer: Yes. Mildred: What do they call that place? It is… they have a place now on College. Interviewer: Is it Evangeline Booth? Mildred: No, Interviewer: No, I don‟t know what it is. Mildred: It is real nice. I know a girl who lived there, she was trying to get a job and she finally landed a job at the Voigt Milling Company. Then, they‟re supposed to get out and find a place to live, you see. Interviewer: How many of you worked in the office there? Mildred: There were three of us up at the, that worked upstairs and I think there were eight who worked downstairs. Interviewer: Yes, you did secretary work but you also did booking, order booking. Mildred: Yes, Interviewer: It was probably a little more fun to have more variety. Mildred: Yes, Interviewer: Mr. Radke, that one that mentioned that is still living, was he in the office with there you? A bookkeeper or something? Mildred: He wasn‟t a bookkeeper. He did drive a truck for a long time. I don‟t know what he did towards the last. He guess he acted like a salesman, too. Interviewer: Yes. Mildred: They wanted him to stay at the Voigt house; he and his wife stay there while after all until they got the thing settled where they were going to go and what they were going to do. But he said I don‟t want to be tied down there. Interviewer: You went to see Ralph when he was sick? Just a few years ago? Mildred: Yes, in the hospital and then he fell and broke his, I don‟t know his leg or just injured it, I guess. And we went to the hospital to see him, my sister and I. And then we went to his home several times to see him. �8 Interviewer: Yes. Mildred: And he said he appreciated it so much. Interviewer: Have you been in the house, since they have made a museum out of it? Mildred: What‟s that? Interviewer: Have you been over in the house since they made a museum out of it? Mildred: No, a friend of mine that wanted me to go there with her. They advertise in the paper to come look at the house, and I said I have been in that house so many different times, why should I pay money to go see it. Interviewer: Yes, was he in the downstairs bedroom, when you went over, was he using the downstairs bedroom? Mildred: I don‟t know if it was a downstairs bedroom or something they made into a bedroom. Interviewer: Actually it was bedroom because there is a bathroom right beside it. Mildred: Is that right? Interviewer: It was Mr. and Mrs. Voigt‟s bedroom, at one time. And then the kids were all upstairs. Mildred: Is the third floor still there? Interviewer: The third floor is, was a ballroom, I guess. Now, it is just full of storage. They have an awful lot of stuff stored up there. Mildred: Oh. I imagine so. Interviewer: Because… Mildred: Because the last time I went there, no it was another time that I went there, and he had all kinds of fancy little vases you know, awful pretty things and so I said, “What are you going to do with all these vases?” I thought maybe he would give me one seeing how I worked for him for so many years. He said, “Nobody is going to get anything around here until after I‟m gone.” Interviewer: He was pretty generous to leave that house to the city. Mildred: He didn‟t know what to do with it, you see. He was the last one, he had a niece that wanted, but she had a home of her own, too. But he was always so crazy about her. The first time I met her I couldn‟t see her for dust, I don‟t know. She was kind of rough and tall. Interviewer: Was that Mrs. Perkins‟ daughter? �9 Mildred: Yes, Mrs. Perkins‟ daughter. Mrs. Perkins was so nice. The sisters were real nice. Did you know Mrs. Hake? Interviewer: I‟ve never known any of them because I have just been in town for three or four years. I Mrs. Perkins and Mrs. Hake were both very nice people, weren‟t they? Mildred: Yes, Dr. Hake use to be my father‟s doctor. Interviewer: Oh, did he? Mildred: He was a very good doctor, but he was kind of rough talking too, you know? But he got the people cured, I guess. Interviewer: Well, that‟s the main thing, I guess. Miss Emma Voigt, the one who always stayed at home, didn‟t marry. We hear less about her, than we do about the others. Mildred: She was real nice. Interviewer: Oh, was she? You probably remember her? Mildred: I never knew her too well, but she would come down to the mill once in a while. She would come in and shake hands with us, she was friendly. Interviewer: Yes, one of the people who came through, used, came through on one of the days we had the house open, worked at the house one time. And she was telling us that….. Mildred: What was her name? Dort something Interviewer: Mrs. Dorr, and I don‟t know what her first name was. Mildred: What was her name? Interviewer: Dorr, I think it was. Mildred: Oh, I remember she was there when Carl was sick. I guess with the last sickness he had, she took care of him. Interviewer: Oh, he was married at one time too, wasn‟t he? I heard from someone that she was a very pretty woman. She must have died? Mildred: You mean Carl‟s wife? I never met her or anything. But I know he always called himself a bachelor. Interviewer: Oh, Mildred: So, I said to the people at work, “hasn‟t he ever been married?” They said, “oh yes, he is no bachelor.” He wanted me to think, he was a bachelor. �10 Interviewer: A gay blade! Mildred: He married, I understand some woman that lived in Chicago and she had a job in one of the big stores there, Marshall Fields, or some big store. She worked there. Interviewer: Oh. Mildred: They said. I don‟t know, I never met her. He went to Chicago at different times. They were a peculiar family in regards to a car; nobody could have any car, only the Voigt car. Interviewer: Just one? Mildred: And whenever they went any place they had to go together. Interviewer: Oh, my, that‟s not very modern. Mildred: I couldn‟t understand it. Interviewer: You mean each one of those brothers, didn‟t have a car of his own? Mildred: No. Interviewer: Just the Voigt car? Mildred: Just the Voigt car. Interviewer: That must have led to a lot of fights, I would think. Mildred: I think so too. They seemed perfectly happy over it. Interviewer: Did they have a chauffeur, or did they drive it themselves? Mildred: Ralph drove it. Interviewer: Yes. Mildred: Ralph always drove it. Interviewer: Was it a big car? They go for a pretty big drive? Mildred: The older brother never went with them on these trips, as far as I know. Interviewer: Yes. Mildred: He would fight with them all the time, I guess. Well, we had a lot of fun in that place though, awful lot of fun. Interviewer: Oh, that‟s good. I think that matters almost as much as being paid. You know you can stand to be paid a little less if you are having a good time when you work. You found that �11 out when you went to work for the lawyers, I guess, didn‟t you. There is more to life than money. Mildred: Oh, dear, I don‟t know. The older of the lawyer fellows was very brilliant. He was one of these big fat fellows that we always called him “five-five”. I don‟t know people came and called from all over for his advice. Interviewer: Yes, Mildred: So. I guess he must have been very brilliant. And the middle one, I went to court one day for a trial. In the court, he keeled over, and had a stroke or something. I think it was a stroke. They took him to the hospital and he only lived a few days. Just before that, he had called me up. I was on a jury case. He called me up and said this girl was going on a vacation. That was after I had quit you see. Would I take over and come and work for him? I said sure I would be glad to. I worked for him mostly anyway there. Then somebody said he keeled over in court, you know, I couldn‟t imagine. Interviewer: That‟s really bad. Mildred: His wife always said she had a hard time trying to calming him down, he always got excited about every case he had, you know. Interviewer: Probably had high blood pressure, nobody knew it in those days. Mildred: I am have too, mine‟s two hundred and ten. Interviewer: Oh, really? Mildred: The time before I last went to the doctor and the last time I went to the doctor, it was down about thirty-five degrees. Interviewer: You‟ve improved. You‟re not ever going to let it that high… Mildred: I don‟t know why it would be so high; here I am all by myself… Interviewer: You don‟t feel like you get excited that much, huh? Say, one story you could probably check out for us is somebody told us, you know we are always picking up rumors. You know when we go to check them out, not all of them turn out to be true. One of the things we had told to us was when you worked in the office down there, they were very stingy about electric lights and you had to cluster the desks together, so you could all work off one light bulb. Was that true? Mildred: I didn‟t understand just what you said, about the windows? �12 Interviewer: No, the light bulbs, that they didn‟t use, that somebody told us you had to put the desks together so you could all use the same light bulb in the office, that they didn‟t want to have two or three lights burning, that‟s not true. Mildred: We ran the thing, we were in an office by ourselves, and they had their offices, we had our toilet, and they had their toilet. But they were always using ours. I don‟t know why, but…. Interviewer: Maybe they like it better. Did the brothers have a private office of their own or did they share an office? Mildred: Ralph‟s office was downstairs, that‟s the younger one; he had just a desk downstairs. And the other two had the other two rooms upstairs. Interviewer: So they each had an office and he didn‟t rate an office by himself? Mildred: It didn‟t have anything to do with the lights; we ran the thing to suit ourselves. Interviewer: Oh, you did. Mildred: And the heat and everything, we ran by ourselves. Interviewer: They didn‟t tell you, you couldn‟t have enough heat. Mildred: No. Interviewer: You know these rumors get started, one of the rumors that we had heard… Mildred: How did you happen to get my name? Interviewer: Now, I‟ll have to look. Mildred: I know there is a place here in town that handles all the stuff from the homes like that. Interviewer: Hmmm. Now, I don‟t know how we got your name. I, all the women who worked down there put down on cards the names of anybody they had heard that was connected with the family or the business and I‟m suppose to check them out and sometimes I don‟t even know how the name came. Now there‟s a Mrs. Balser, who worked for the Voigts. Here is Radke Mildred: Radke. Interviewer: Radke. On the west side, lives at Tamarack, it says here. Mildred: He did live there for awhile. Interviewer: He‟s on Ninth Street. �13 Mildred: His wife died and he got married again and I imagine he bought this house on Ninth because I called him up the other night. Interviewer: He‟s mentioned and I haven‟t been to see him yet, and there is another one here Mr. Ralph Zacharias. Mildred: Mr.who? Interviewer: Ralph Zacharias. Mildred: No, I never knew him. Interviewer: It says he worked for the Voigt Mills eight eighty-one Sixty-first Street, southeast. That would be way southeast. Well, you know sometimes I‟ve checked out a couple of these names and it turns out they haven‟t been, they haven‟t known the Voigt‟s Mildred: They may have worked in the mill, you know storing and packing of flour. Interviewer: Yes, and that flour was really well known, wasn‟t it as far as all over the Midwest. Mildred: It was very good flour and they had a very good business, they always did have. I don‟t know what happened; they didn‟t want to give the fellows any more money. They wanted to hang on to their money. Interviewer: It was hard because they felt like their father had built up the business. Mildred: Yes. It used to be the Voigt Herpolsheimer Company. Interviewer: Yes. Mildred: Of course, I didn‟t know that. Interviewer: That was before your time, then. Mildred: Yes, that was the old man, their father. Interviewer: Did they ever speak of him very much? Mildred: Once in a great while. No, I never heard. I never did hear them talk about him. I asked Ralph one time, How come you never got married, I said to Ralph you know and he said “My goodness, I have too much to take care of here. How can I take care of all that? I couldn‟t keep a house and do that too.” I said “your father did” and I think he had seven or eight or nine children. “He was married and had all those kids.” And he said “times were different then.” Interviewer: Yes. Mildred: I know he went with a woman a long time. �14 Interviewer: Didn‟t get married? Mildred: Didn‟t get married. As far as I know anyway. Interviewer: The sisters never did come to the business, except occasionally. Mildred: They had an interest in the buildings I guess when they first bought those two mills; then the sisters had part of it. I know when they sold the mills, the sister Emma got a certain portion of it. Interviewer: Yes. Mildred: Mrs…..The other one, what is her name now, the younger one? Interviewer: Mrs. Perkins. Mildred: Perkins, Mrs. Perkins, she was gone then but her daughter and son got the mother‟s share. Interviewer: Her son was Voigt Perkins, right? Mildred: Right, Voigt Perkins. Interviewer: Then her daughter married a man named DuBay [Dubee], and they have got one son. Mildred: None of them liked [Arend V.] Dubee. I don‟t know why, he used to work at Michigan Trust Co. and I used to know a girl that worked there and she didn‟t like him either. She said he never did anything to me. Interviewer: Their son, Charles Dubee has just been in the hospital with a heart attack for. He is such a young man, too, just in his forties. He‟s had a very severe coronary…. Mildred: I saw him at Ralph‟s funeral, I think. He was there. I thought he was Voigt Perkins because he looked so much like him. Interviewer: Yes. Did they all run to be heavy people? Mildred: Were they what? Interviewer: Were they all pretty heavy people? Mildred: No, just the older fellow, Frank .He was the only one that was heavy, the rest of them were just medium. Interviewer: Yes. �15 Mildred: Well, Ralph inclined to be that way a little bit too. Interviewer: Not spectacularly, this young Dubee guy is really heavy. Mildred: Nice looking man, like my sister said when we went there the first time and she said look he‟s still stylish looking. He was an old man then but you couldn‟t help but realize that he was like he was kind of almost nobility, you might say. Interviewer: That‟s good to know. Mildred: He wanted everybody to think that he was a little better than the rest of them. I don‟t know why, I just had that opinion. Carl never paid any attention and Frank didn‟t either. Interviewer: Neither of them went east to school. Now Ralph went east to college, didn‟t he? He went to Yale. The other brothers didn‟t, did they? Mildred: I don‟t know whether the older one ever went, but the second one, no, he couldn‟t even get through school he said his dad had to take him out of school and put him in Howe University. Interviewer: Oh, I see. Mildred: Someplace in Ohio I guess. So they said they had to do that with him. I said how come Ralph went to Yale, because I didn‟t he was quite as brilliant as the rest of them. Well, He said my father put him through Yale. I said well that‟s it then, it‟s the money isn‟t it? And Ralph heard me say that but he said it no wasn‟t the money he would not have that way. Carl said to Ralph you know she is right don‟t you. Interviewer: You talk to me like you had a pretty free life there? Mildred: We did, we had a nice… Interviewer: Well, that‟s good, are you alone here? Do you live alone now? Mildred: My sister died two and a half years ago. Interviewer: This is pretty good that you are able to stay on and take care of the house, be here by yourself. Mildred: Everybody says I‟m real brave, but my sister‟s bedroom was there and I can‟t even clean in there, I go all to pieces. Interviewer: Yes, well it is hard when you lived with someone for awhile. Mildred: I had her right in my arms. I was lifting her from her chair. I was going to put her in bed. I had right a hold of her. She just grunted three times and fell over and then I couldn‟t hang on to her. I tried to call a neighbor that was around over there mowing the lawn. He was gone I �16 couldn‟t get him. I finally got my sister‟s sister-in-law and her husband; they just got in the house. They got here within ten or fifteen minutes. She was gone. I knew she was gone then. I thought so anyway. Interviewer: Yes, oh, dear. How long have you been retired? Mildred: Let‟s see, about ten years, I guess. I retired when I was sixty-eight, you see. Interviewer: Hmmm. Sort of nice these days, nowadays they make you retire. Mildred: … about twelve years Mildred: Well, I have a woman staying upstairs. She works at American Laundry, and her husband died just before she came here. She didn‟t want to stay in the house anymore where she lived. She wanted to stay on this side of the river. I don‟t know why she lived here, because her place of work is on the other side of the river. I couldn‟t understand it, you know. INDEX B P Balser, Mrs. · 13 Perkins Family · 9, 14, 15 D R Dubee Family · 14, 15 Radke, Mr. · 7 H V Hake Family · 9 Voigt Family · 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15 Voigt Milling Company · 7 Voigt, Ralph · 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 � https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/b90928beade4c1cf2ee13d5d0aa4d404.mp3 f406e3a71f01d19205ee98cfa3e65381 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Grand Rapids Oral Histories Subject The topic of the resource Heritage Hill (Grand Rapids, Mich.) Local histories Memoirs Michigan--History Oral histories (document genre) Description An account of the resource Taped and transcribed interviews conducted in the early 1970s primarily of the children and grandchildren of many of the founders of Grand Rapids, Michigan; many of whom were residents of the Heritage Hill neighborhood. Interviews were collected to develop a significant collection of oral resources that would supplement other primary and secondary local history materials. Initially funded as a private project, Grand Valley State College (now University) assumed responsibility for continuing the project until 1977. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Various Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/452">Grand Rapids oral history collection (RHC-23)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf; audio/mp3 Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text; Sound Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-23 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1971 - 1977 Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-23_53Schulz Title A name given to the resource Schulz, Mildred Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Schulz, Mildred Description An account of the resource Mildred Schulz was born in 1890. She worked for Voigt Milling Company as a secretary and bookkeeper for Frank Voigt. She died on January 6, 1985 at the age of 94. Subject The topic of the resource Michigan--History Local histories Memoirs Oral histories (document genre) Grand Rapids (Mich.) Personal narratives Heritage Hill (Grand Rapids, Mich.) Grand Valley State University Women Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf audio/mp3 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Grand Rapids oral history collection (RHC-23) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1974 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/bce7a773d89015269d1fec51a9b34f6c.pdf 169058ef9eec272619643f944aeda675 PDF Text Text 1 Grand Valley State University Special Collections Kent County Oral History collections, RHC-23 Mr. and Mrs. George (Helen) Jackoboice Interviewed November 5, 1974 Edited and indexed by Don Bryant, 2010-bryant@wellswooster.com Tape # 52 (1:33:37) Biographical Information George Adolphe Jackoboice was born 17 June 1908, the son of Edward J. Jackoboice and Helen Matilda Hake. George was married to Helen Gast about 1937. George passed away 12 January 1987 in Grand Rapids and is buried at Mt. Calvary Cemetery. He was chairman of Monarch Hydraulics, Inc. Besides three sons and their families, George was survived by his wife, Helen. Helen Gast was born 7 August 1910 in Grand Rapids and was the daughter of Peter B. Gast and Emily Alt. Helen died 31 December 2008 in Grand Rapids at the age of 98 years. Helen‟s father, Peter Gast was born in Westphalia, Michigan in 1874, the son of Bernard and Teressa (Platte) Gast. Helen‟s mother, Emily Alt was born in Grand Rapids about 1875, the daughter of Nicholas Alt. The parents were married in Grand Rapids on 29 June 1899. ____________ Interviewer: But you were related to Mrs. Hake‟s family? George: Yes. Is it your grand, your mother or was… Interviewer: George: My? Interviewer: How‟s that? George: Clara Voigt Hake, and I differentiate because I also had a Clara Jackoboice, who was an aunt. But Clara Voigt was married to my mother‟s brother. Interviewer: Yes. George: Interviewer: Doctor William F. Hake. Yes. George: That‟s the background, and but as families we had been well acquainted of course for several generations. Not… Interviewer: George: And you‟re an old Grand Rapids family too, right? Yes, we are. �2 Interviewer: Is it your daughter-in-law, Barbara Jackoboice, who teaches French? Both George and Helen: Yes. Helen: That‟s Tom‟s wife. I have a friend who‟s taking French lessons from her. Interviewer: Helen: Oh, really. Interviewer: Yes, it‟s Peggy Strong and she‟s doing a Smith‟s Club tour of France this year and she‟s brushing up on conversational French… Helen: Oh, I see. Interviewer: …with Barbara, yes. George: Barbara‟s very proficient. Helen: Oh, she‟s lovely, very lovely. George: She graduated from Stanford but spent a year in Paris at the Sorbonne. Interviewer: So she speaks French like French people. Oh, yes fluently. She lived with a French family when she was… George: Interviewer: Well, that‟s nice. You‟re younger than any of the Hake brothers though, aren‟t you or the Voigt brothers? George: Helen: Oh, yes. They were really friends of the family. George: My family. My mother and my father. Interviewer: George: I was going to say that you, that they would be. Oh, another generation, oh yes. Interviewer: Another generation removed from you. You remember any of them though? The Hakes, Voigts? Interviewer: George: Yes, did you know them well? Knew them all. Interviewer: Yes. Yes, because we‟d gotten in some interesting things. I had a talk last week to a gal who‟s a secretary in the Voigt mills, you know? �3 Helen: Yes. She worked for Frank mostly. And… Interviewer: That‟s a long time ago. George: Interviewer: George: Yes. Oh, this is right after the First World War Yes. Cause he has been dead for years. Interviewer: Helen: Who was that? Interviewer: Helen: Yes. Her name was Mildred Schulz and … Did you know her, George? George: No, but Mary Orth, worked over there for years and years. Unfortunately, now Mary Orth, if she were alive would tell you an awful lot. Helen: She‟s gone. Interviewer: Yes, she‟s well, this Miss Schulz said she couldn‟t remember but one person that she thought worked in the offices over there that might still be alive, besides herself. And she‟s just a pretty old lady. Her memory wasn‟t good on dates when things had happen. She was in think well up in her eighties. And it was funny cause the week before I talked to a Mrs. McLachlan who was the daughter of the man, who built the house. A man named Jungbaecker, John Jungbaecker. And I think he built for the Hake family. George: Hotel. Interviewer: George: Interviewer: Yes. I think he also built, I‟m guessing, but I think, he also built the old Charlevoix Oh, did he? Where the Olds Manor is now, my family once owned. Oh, I didn‟t know that. George: Well, originally it was known as the Rasch House way back in early history. Frances Rasch is my grandmother. And then the Rasch House was replaced by a hotel called the Clarendon. And then the Clarendon had a name change and was called the Charlevoix. Because a man by the name of Bedford, who had the island house in Charlevoix, had a second operation in Grand Rapids and that was the Charlevoix Hotel. We did not operate the hotel. We owned the building and the land and leased it to Bedford. Bedford incidentally was one of the two men who killed, murdered King Strang. Remember the story of…? �4 Interviewer: Yes, Bedford was …. George: Interviewer: George: Helen: Yes, I remember very well. We always said he was so dapper in his youth. He was. Interviewer: Are you also a native of Grand Rapids? Yes, my maiden name was Gast. So Peter was my father. Interviewer: George: Helen: One of the better known murder cases around here. You remember old Bedford? George: Helen: Oh yes, I remember reading that, in the old papers. Oh, yes. A well known family. Gast Motor Sales. My mother was an Alt. Interviewer: Well, that‟s interesting. You both have such deep roots. George: Well, yes, you see this is all interwoven traditionally and historically with originally the west side. Of course… Interviewer: George: there. Now was your family a west side family originally? Originally except my mother. She was born on the hill up on Ransom & Crescent Interviewer: Oh, yes, right on top of it. George: You see her maiden name was H-A- K-E; which is the maiden name or which is the name of her brother who married Clara Voigt. The, I‟m almost tempted… Interviewer: George: That parking lot occupies the site now. Interviewer: George: Helen: Ransom & Crescent would be where the hospital was. Yes. It‟s a… I have, excuse me. [George leaves to retrieve some items] This must be interesting work for you. Interviewer: It‟s fun for me. I came here about four years ago and part, I was then in the process of trying to get my master‟s degree which I‟ve since given up on because I was working �5 out of an Ohio university. I was too far along and couldn‟t transfer enough credits. But in the course of doing some work. I did a lot of research into early Michigan history. I got just fascinated with Grand Rapids so I consequently took a course at Michigan history and wrote a paper on Grand Rapids „cause I think it‟s so fascinating. Helen: Well, how wonderful. Well, it‟s just fascinating. Interviewer: Helen: Oh, I‟d love to read it. Interviewer: Well, the interesting part of it was trying to explain how Grand Rapids came to be here, because it didn‟t really have all the natural advantages of some of the other cities. And yet it got to be the second biggest city in the state. And I worked on the, trying to explain why. [George returns into the room] George: This was a program on the occasion of my grandfather and grandmother‟s Fiftieth wedding anniversary. Interviewer: George: Oh, and this would be William Hake? And this is the picture when they were married. Interviewer: Yes, isn‟t that nice? And then as you turn the pages you‟ll, that‟s when they were on their Fiftieth George: Isn‟t that beautiful? They were two fine looking people. Interviewer: George: Yes, they were. Interviewer: Helen: Is she in the portrait over the mantel? Yes. Interviewer: I thought, but, that was taken at a younger age than this but she‟s a very handsome woman. Oh, this tells the family history then. George: Yes, pretty much till that time. Interviewer: And he also was German background. George: Oh, yes. Interviewer: I wasn‟t sure what the name Hake was. �6 George: He came from a little town called Dunschede, which is northwest of Cologne [Germany]. Interviewer: George: Have you been back there? Oh, yes. Interviewer: Chased down your family? George: Yes, we go to Europe quite often. Then, she was born in Altensteig in the Black Forest, Germany, which is near Freiburg. Interviewer: Helen: You mentioned the home is shown somewhere there too, a picture. Such a pretty old home. Interviewer: Helen: She had, they had fifteen children. Interviewer: George: Which one was your mother? My mother was Matilda, Helen Matilda. Interviewer: George: Matilda. She was one of the younger children. Yes, she was Interviewer: George: She was quite a bit younger than Doctor Hake, wasn‟t she? Yes, but they were very close. Interviewer: George: Helen: Oh, how many children there were? Yes, oh, isn‟t this neat? Course everything. You must tell about his love for the, not having any children of their own… George: Doctor Hake graduated, I believe from the University of Michigan (I‟ll have to check that). And they never had a family of their own. That is the Doctor and Clara, but he was, he offered his services free, as long as he lived, to St. John‟s Home to the villa, the Sisters of the Good Shepherd which is now Villa Maria. The Sisters of the Poor. And he did all the… Interviewer: …did all their medical for free - for the children. Interviewer: Gee, that was remarkable. �7 George: He did all that as long as he lived. He was a quite charitable man. I think that probably folly for me to presume, but I would believe that he was disappointed he didn‟t have a family. Interviewer: Yes, cause in those days people had pretty large families. Yes and the Voigts were large family too originally. Interviewer: That‟s right. Well, you now once in a while when we‟re working around the Voigt house we pick up the, pick up a story that somehow the family, the mother and father didn‟t approve of the children getting married. And we have heard yes and no on that, from different people. Do you have any knowledge of how they felt about that? George: other. Interviewer: George: I know that, I believe Frank whom you mentioned never married and I forget the Carl was married there for awhile, wasn‟t he? Well, you never knew much about that was always kind of a… Interviewer: That‟s an interesting thing, because I met this little old ninety-one-year old that remembers his wife as being very beautiful. George: Interviewer: George: Interviewer: George: And Ralph never married. No, I know that. That isn‟t to say they probably on occasion didn‟t have an affair, but I don‟t know. But they never officialized it. No, no no. Interviewer: Never settled down and had a family. That‟s interesting. This house that your, that shows here, now where was this house? George: Interviewer: George: Interviewer: George: Interviewer: George: That‟s where the parking lot of the Butterworth Hospital. This is Ransom and Crescent? Yes, that‟s where it is now. There‟s nothing left. There‟s nothing left of it. And that‟s a beautiful house. Yes, it was a large, large grounds there. It must kill you to see what happens to some of the beautiful old houses. Yes, �8 Helen: It really does. Interviewer: It‟s a nice thing to have that. George: The others, of course, the doctor and Clara went to Europe, I don‟t know on how many different visits, but I know that, see he was Catholic, she was not. Interviewer: George: Interviewer: George: Interviewer: George: Interviewer: George: Yes, she was an Episcopalian. She was buried in St. Mark‟s church, absolutely. She also had very friendly relationships with the Catholic Church. Oh, yes. That‟s right. „Because she was widowed I understand and did a lot of things for them. Yes, she was a, you obviously never knew her. No, no. Of course, Helen I think was her favorite in-laws. Helen: She was very, very nice to me. I remember the time that my engagement was going to be announced and my sister had a formal tea for me. So I invited, of course, the aunts that were living and I didn‟t know her but she did come to the tea. And I always remember she sent me just a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a corsage. She wanted to wear that day because… Interviewer: Wasn‟t that sweet? Helen: I thought that it was very sweet. And so on every, we were married on the seventeenth of June and so on every seventeenth of June, every anniversary, I had a phone call at eight o‟clock in the morning saying, “Hello.” She had a very deep voice, she‟d say, “Do you know who this is? This is your Aunt Clara wishing you a happy anniversary.” Well, I thought it was very sweet. I always have very nice memories of her because she was so nice to me. And on various occasions we would be at a restaurant, maybe at the Pen Club or at the Schnitzlebank and a drink would be set before us. Now maybe we didn‟t see her with her brothers in the corner and it would be compliments of the Voigts. Interviewer: Wasn‟t that nice? Helen: So that‟s my little story as an in-law. Interviewer: Oh, that‟s a really nice one. George: You see the, we‟ve been in the machinery business in Grand Rapids for a hundred and eighteen years. �9 Interviewer: What firm are you? George: Monarch Road Machinery Company. Originally it was, or prior to the Monarch Road Machinery it was known as the West Side Iron Works. And before that it was know under my grandfather‟s name, Joseph Jackoboice. Well. The building…. Interviewer: George: He was French, originally No, he was not. Interviewer: He‟s not? Interviewer: I was just guessing. George: Well, that‟s an interesting story. I won‟t be too long at it, but actually first of all my grandmother Hake came from Altensteig, my grandmother Rasch came from Breisgau and my grandfather came from Westphalia. But my grandfather Jackoboice came from a border city which was then Duchy of Warsaw and but was adjacent as a border city to the kingdom of Prussia. Actually, officially he was no, he was born according to unconfirmed reports it‟s hard to get any verification because the records have been in such disarray, some of them were bombed out in World War Two. He was actually born in Poland. Interviewer: Was he born in the Corridor, the Polish Corridor? George: No, no it was further south. It was in that area well, Bohemia was in there and so on. Like many of the old families in town here, the Rasches or the Herpolsheimers for example, came from what generally is known as Bohemia and so on. And he came to this country alone. He came when there were less than seven thousand people of his nationality in this country. Interviewer: George: What year was that? Eighteen fifty-two. Interviewer: Yes, he was an early arrival. George: He came with an education and he came with money. And he never spoke of his past. He never corresponded. He was a very, very successful man but he lived, he had good health until he died. Never looked back. Interviewer: George: Interviewer: George: Did he drop, did he drop his accent and come, make an effort to learn English. Oh, he spoke English beautifully. He never spoke in his native language? I don‟t know. „Cause he was born before I. �10 Helen: He spoke in German; we never knew it, until about a few years ago. George: My father and my Aunt Clara Jackoboice, now that‟s Clara the other Clara, spoke beautiful German. They wrote the old German script. But why this man came here alone he obviously didn‟t come over because of any military problem because he was past that age, he as I say came with an education, because he came with money. Interviewer: Maybe investment. George: Well, at the time, at the time that people came in eighteen fifty-two, in the eighteen fifties, in general, they came for political reasons, not for economic reasons. Interviewer: George: That would be before Bismarck, wouldn‟t it? Yes, it was after Metternich. Interviewer: That‟s right, just after Metternich. George: The Congress of Vienna. He was born in eighteen twenty-four. But it‟s kind of a mystery as to why; he was the first, absolutely the first of his nationality to be in Grand Rapids one of the very first to be in the United States. Well, anyway that‟s a long and different story. But… Interviewer: George: And he came and set up immediately than as a… In business, yes. He was very, very successful and the business continues now. Interviewer: Under the same family. George: Same family. But the building you see on this started with the Voigts, the building you see on the west side of the river which is red and white is called the old German Schoolhouse, was his factory. It wasn‟t his first, it was his fourth. Helen: When that‟s all lit up at night. George: Interviewer: George: Interviewer: George: Interviewer: George: Interviewer: Yes. Oh, yes. You see it from the Civic Auditorium. And that was your family‟s original or fourth one? It still is. We still own it. You still own it. We illuminate it at night and …. Did you keep it as a historic…? �11 George: Yes, it‟s on the roster of the city‟s historic buildings, officially, declared by the city commissioner about a year ago. And, but right across the street were the two old Star Mills which were also owned by the Voigts. Now the mills that… Interviewer: Was the Crescent Mill very far from the Star Mill? George: It was three blocks away, three blocks north of the Star Mills. I mean the Crescent Mills were at Pearl Street and the Star Mills were near Bridge Street. The Star Mills were kind of a secondary manufacturing... Interviewer: George: The Crescent Mill was the big operation. Yes, yes. Interviewer: And that was a rolling mill for, first row, I mean they took up rolling mill rather than grindstone. George: Well, I don‟t know, possibly they had. But they were of course originally you know they were partners with Herpolsheimers, the store, you‟ve heard that, of course. Do you know Bill Hardy in town here? Interviewer: No, I don‟t. George: Well, Bill was a Herpolsheimer. Interviewer: Is that why they have the Hardy-Herpolsheimer‟s Store at Kalamazoo? George: Yes, well I guess part of the reason. Interviewer: That‟s part of the reason? George: But, the Voigts of course with my father well his company always did all the millwright work, in the mills. So there was a strong business relation between the Voigts and ourselves, as well as family relationship. Interviewer: Now you made machine too machinery. George: Oh, yes. We were manufacturers, yes but we also used to do they used to build steam engines and things saw-mill machinery log-mill machinery. Band saws, rip saws. Now we‟re entirely power hydraulic controls and systems. Actually we don‟t make any road machinery. It‟s all sophisticated devices for operating other components on other people‟s products and so on. Interviewer: Someone starts a machine you have things in there that keep it going. �12 George: Yes, for example this is farfetched but in Disneyland in Florida for example, I bet you we must have twenty-five to fifty of our controls, that help control the automation. And they‟re all hidden you never see them. Interviewer: So you‟re actually in the systems controls business now rather than the fabrication of metals. George: Yes, we (???) it‟s all very much involved in some oil hydraulics or in a segment of it. So, but anyway, because of that „across the street‟ connection and „three blocks away‟ connection, why the Voigts of the Voigt people were in our place all the time. Back in those days of course more things were done by horse and buggy and on foot that now as and it was very informal. And the Leitelts, I don‟t know if you‟ve ever heard that name? Interviewer: No, I haven‟t. George: But Adolph Leitelt and my father were very close friends. Well, years once upon a year, there was a, my father and his company had always done most of the major maintenance. Well in spite of this close family tie and also the relationship with the Leitelts, that was Adolph Leitelt„s iron works which was across the river. And the Voigt senior told my father, my dad tells this story, he says Ed, I want you to know take care of this boiler problem so he had his crew over there Monday morning. But prior to the arrival of my father‟s people Leitelt‟s people were there. And there was quite a who does, who does this job? And they were all close friends, you know. Interviewer: Competitive. George: So my dad just withdrew but they, the mills and their people always had a friendly habit, anytime they wanted a little job done, they‟d come to my father‟s place and so he‟d say oh go ahead and use the machinery and forget it. Well, after this happened they came over and he said, “Fellows, I‟m sorry but why don‟t you go to Leitelts to have that.” Well, that brought out the Voigts in their hiding and the thing came out in the open. And Dad said, “Listen, Voigt senior told me explicitly to take care of this, and I did. But when I arrived, Adolf Leitelt‟s crew were there.” So and then they went on to explain Voigt senior well, he said, “Ed, I‟m awfully sorry but I told you this in full sincerity and my sons not knowing what I had done called Adolph Leitelt.” He said, “So it‟s the tempest of the teapot.” It was all straightened out they laughed about it, you know. But… Interviewer: Did any of the social relations in among the families, was the fact that you were all Germans and German in background a strong factor in the fact that you all got along so well. George: I think so. Interviewer: They tended to have feelings about it. �13 George: They thought quite a bit alike. Clara Voigt, and I have to be historically honest, could be well, a little bit dramatic and little bit volatile at times you know. And maybe you sense that. Interviewer: She was sort of, the people I‟ve known that talked to that remembered her at all, remember her [as] a certain grand dame. George: Yes, she was. Interviewer: A grand old lady. Helen: She wore the wide black-belted band with the big diamond, or she had a lot of big diamonds that she wore. She was a small lady, I mean a short lady and she always was all dressed up. George: She, I know every, my Grandfather Hake lived to be ninety-four and he was a very, very active, alert vital man right up to the day he died, he was only sick a week, died of pneumonia and that was it. But until his ninety-third year he‟d swim in Lake Michigan and I don‟t mean paddle around to his knees, he‟d really swim. And he would always a very tall, very erect man. And he would always walk down to St. Mary‟s Church although he also belonged to St. Andrews Cathedral, and he was, he retired after all these children. He retired in his sixties and lived in a grand manner until he died. But in this process of living, I would say for his time the good life he would have his children come up there practically every week. There were always one of the sons or daughters up there visiting. And he loved company. He would never associate with old people he says that makes me old; he wanted to be with young people. And so practically every Sunday night during the winter months there‟s be some family up there and invariably they‟d play cards. He loved to play Hearts or Poker. And when they were playing, why it was always the Voigts here and the Hakes here and they‟re all gunning for each other. They really had a rather… Interviewer: Now, we have some kind of information. And now I can‟t remember who gave it to us, that when they played cards they played cards in a special room upstairs, in the Voigt house. They didn‟t play downstairs, in the house, that they used an upstairs back room and that they used to listen to the radio and play cards. George: That must have been later in years. Interviewer: In later years, yes. And we kind of got the feeling that old Mr. Hake err, or old Mr. Voigt ran that family with rather a strong….. George: He did. From what I‟d always heard. I never knew the father, I did know Ralph and Carl, quite well, and of course my Aunt. Interviewer: Well even Ralph and Carl were enough older than you were. �14 George: Oh, yes. Interviewer: Be in the next generation. George: To get back, you see years ago when their offices were down on Pearl Street, the big mill. But they always had the old, the remnants of the old horse barn. And so they would park their car there and Ralph generally would walk. You could always tell when Ralph and Carl weren‟t getting along even though they lived in the same house, if they rode together to the parking place three blocks up they were friends. But if Ralph, who generally always drove walked back alone, they probably had some misunderstanding. Now that doesn‟t mean they were ever mad for very long. Interviewer: No, but natural family things. George: Yeah, that‟s right. Interviewer: Well, I always heard they only ever owned one car. George: I‟ve never known them to own two. Interviewer: Yes, even though the two were grown businessmen, they operated out of one car. George: Well, typical of that, you know Carl until he died wore button shoes. Interviewer: Oh, no. George: Oh, sure. He always wore button shoes. Interviewer: A real modern. Helen: He‟d always say if we met him, remember the day we were leaving on a trip day before we were in the bank and we met him and he said uh, “Now when you get home, come over to my museum.” Interviewer: He called the house a museum? George: Yes. Interviewer: I also heard that, what precipitated their decision to go out, you know to decide not to operate the mill anymore was when they ran into union trouble. Was that true? George: Well, that was, I think part of it, but they also ran into tremendous competition from General Mills, Pillsbury and people like that. Helen: Who would they have left it to? Interviewer: Well, that‟s the… �15 Helen: They had nobody. Interviewer: They had no children at that point, yes. Make more money selling out really. Helen: I should think so. George: Yes, well of course also the codes for manufacturing and production sanitation became more stringent in later years, than they had when they were riding high. And so they, I think and I think they had more money than they could spend and the glamour had worn off. Now on this money there, my father used to tell me that he would talk to Voigt senior, as a father, Ralph, Carl, and the rest of them and he said Carl senior was very penurious and he had Dad said, “Carl what are you going to do when your sons inherit all your money?” And he says, “They‟ll spend it?” He said, “Ed, I really don‟t care.” He said, “I had my fun saving it if they have their fun spending it, that‟s up to them.” Interviewer: What a neat philosophy. George: I remember he telling this to my father. Interviewer: Well, you know when you go through the house now, you realize that they were very saving people. George: Oh, yes. Interviewer: „Because they kept the things that are there in the house are just beautifully kept. You know the dresses, they‟ve got so many dresses upstairs, that are you see the pictures of old Mr. and Mrs. Voigt and the dress will be upstairs; really in beautiful condition. Was the ballroom, there was a ballroom upstairs wasn‟t there? George: Yes, on the top floor. Interviewer: Now then, I noticed that you had the lovely invitation. Did they used to have formal parties like that at the Voigt House? George: That was my…. Interviewer: Helen: No, I meant there were parties like that at the Voigt House? I think so because… George: My mother uses to speak that way. She used to go there quite often. Helen: I think so, because your aunt used to talk about those little gold chairs. George: Yes. The musical chair there that… �16 Helen: That, then she had that one musical chair. I didn‟t know much about that, but she used to tell your sisters about it. A chair they bought I believe in Switzerland. One you sat on it, it played a tune. In those days it was just something, a music box under the chair. But I never saw that. But she did make a lovely present to me of two pictures. One day she called me over for and I had tea with her and when I left… Interviewer: This was Aunt Clara? Helen: Aunt Clara. She said I want you to have something. And she gave me lovely, I think they were pastels of Grandmother and Grandfather Hake that had been made, and she told me (in) France. George: Could well have been. They… Helen: George: Helen: George: Beautifully framed, I still have them. She really adored the doctor. She always called him Doc. My Doctor. My Doctor, yes. Interviewer: All the reports we have was that they were very, very congenial couple. George: Yes, they were. Interviewer: And well, I guess she may have been dramatic but people liked her, didn‟t they? Helen: She, well, she was a very open… you knew where she stood. Interviewer: The daughter of the builder of the Voigt house said that he also built their house, which is on Madison? Was on Madison, or where was their house? Helen: George: Washington. Well, they…. Interviewer: Doctor and Mrs. Hake George: I think she had, I think they had a guarantee five, maybe even seven houses. Interviewer: Well, this one must have been within about a decade of when he built the Voigt house. This Mr. Jungbaecker built a house for her and she wanted her money‟s worth. She‟d come back to him and back to him with her plans and say now, are you ready to give me a good price? On her plans, you know. So I guess none of them were fools about money. George: No, they weren‟t. Well, they actually, the doctor died, and I know because I was there just a day or so before he died, he died and they lived on Washington Street. �17 Interviewer: On Washington Street? George: Helen: Just about a block west. Just around the corner. George: It‟s I think, it„s the second house from the corner, had a circular porch. Its glory days were when they lived there, as was true of that whole area. Helen: It‟s almost next to the old Percy (?) home wasn‟t it? George: Somewhere in through there. Helen: (?) On the Corner. I think next to (?) Interviewer: Where they, so they all lived close together. George: Very close. Of course, they all had it seems to me that I was told maybe she said that to us when they because some of them never married but oh, Voigt senior, provided in his will that if they lived in the within the house their expenses would be paid by the estate. Interviewer: Oh, they did. I‟ve got to turn this [tape] over. I don‟t want it to run out. [END OF SIDE ONE TAPE #52] Interviewer: Before he went out of business with Mr. Herpolsheimer, Mr. Voigt bought a lot of midi skirts and midi blouses; you know a whole lot of them. And she said she always wore those skirts and midi blouses in the morning, you know, when she was around the home, running the house. And then would dress up in the afternoon. And she said to the maids one day she said there were some of these midi blouses upstairs that had never been worn, she said I‟ll have to wear one every day till I die because they‟d never wear out. And I thought, oh dear I‟m sure they had enough money she could have just given them to the Salvation Army. But people didn‟t function quite that way, in the old days, I guess. Helen: Remember, I knew one cute kind of a cute little incident, about Aunt Clara. We were having dinner one evening, one at the Schnitzlebank, and [she] was there with her brothers. She had been quite sick and it about was her first time out. And so, when I saw her I, we both went over to speak to her. And I said to her, “Well how are you Aunt Clara?” She said, “Well of course, I guess I‟m alright.” She said, “I‟ll tell you Helen, I‟m going to have kraut tonight if it kills me.” Interviewer: Well. I‟m surprised at the people that at the memories of the people who had worked for them are very, very pleasant memories. They have very, they apparently were very friendly down-to-earth people in that and they are remembered by their help as being not, you couldn‟t just do anything I mean they demanded good work, but if you worked well you got along very, very well. And the gal I talked to last week who was a secretary who worked for �18 Frank and Carl and Ralph, said she was permitted to say anything you know She said when they, she booked orders, she apparently booked the orders that would come in from Australia and all those other places, you know. And she said, “Well I used to tell them you ought to get out on the road and talk to more people and sell more things here in the United States, we wouldn‟t have to ship it so far.” But he never took my advice, she said. And I thought it was interesting, not because of that but because apparently it was a very free office, you know that it wasn‟t run on a very formal basis. And she said that they were on a very first name basis. Not that she called them Mr. Hake, or Mr. Voigt, but they called her by her first name. George: I think, I don‟t think anything would have pleased Ralph more than if they had taken the old mills and preserved them. And of course, Ralph almost thought it would make a great, he told me once, he thought it‟d be great for like an atmosphere restaurant. And of course, that never came to be. And also there was a time, about ten years ago, when there was an effort to establish hotel there on that land. And Ralph was laughing he said, “George you know they think that‟s great news.” He said, “Fred Pantlind, Fred Z. Pantlind talked about that to me thirty years ago.” He said, “So there‟s nothing very new.” But if every, if people would have always prefaced their requests by saying, “Ralph we‟d like your house or we‟d like your mill and we want to call it the Voigt Grand Rapids Mill or the Voigt and Jones Mill.” If you identify the Voigts and Ralph, I think, loved that identification and he deserved it, really the family did. I think very honestly that if an effort had been made during Ralph‟s life time not when, not the last few years, when he was ill, but if they would‟ve said Ralph we‟d like to have your family residence we‟d like to have it recognized what can you do to see that it goes to the city for historic purposes? I think Ralph would‟ve done everything possible to see that realized. I am on the museum commission. Interviewer: Now, that is eventually who is going to control it? George: Well, actually it‟s on formally and I suppose legally it‟s under the control of the City of Grand, under the ownership of the City of Grand Rapids. But it‟s really under the jurisdiction of the museum. Then that in turn is subrogated, believe to the Historical Preservation Commission. Interviewer: Well, those gals were really... George: Helen: George: Helen: Oh, they deserve the glory. Just dedicated their lives, to that house. They‟ve done a great job. I think they really deserve a lot of credit. Interviewer: Oh, yes. And you know they‟ve that‟s a labor of love when they go down there. George: Well, I was on the finance committee. �19 Helen: I‟ve had luncheons there and they‟re fantastic. Interviewer: Yes, they do a beautiful job. Really do. George: I was on the finance committee with Frank Frankfurter, David and John Hunting and myself, to have that house transferred legally to the status it now enjoys. And the Grand Rapids Foundation of course contributed substantially. I think Dave Hunting senior did an awful lot to realize the ownership change. Interviewer: I know him just a little, he‟s a dear person. George: He is. He‟s tremendously alert. John, young John, you know is his son. He‟s building right over here. Interviewer: Helen: George: Helen: George: Is that where Marilyn, the new house is going to be right over here. That‟s where, yes. With the doctor though. It will be lovely. Looks just great. He‟s a very vital person for his age. Interviewer: I should say so. George: You know, I don‟t know if you‟d heard the incident or the story of the time that the Doctor and his wife were crossing Lake Michigan to attend the wedding of one of my uncles that is Theodore Hake. Interviewer: No, no I haven‟t heard it. George: Over in Milwaukee. Well, actually my grandfather already was in Milwaukee for two weddings. They were a week apart and the family and friends they were all invited of course. So actually my mother was going, but my brother came down with measles or something like that and so at the last minute she deferred going. But many of the Hakes went and also the Doctor and his wife Clara. And they were on a ship called the Naomi, which caught fire in midlake. And it was quite a disaster. It‟s been written up in many of the journals, in fact I understand that there is a free-lance writer in Grand Rapids now who has been working on the story of that. But as the story was told to me by my uncle, the fire was pretty much discovered, at least they learned about it early in the evening, when they because they were all as usual playing cards in the salon. And as they were dealing the cards… Helen: Excuse me, it wasn‟t early in the evening, it was late at night George: Late at night, yes. Well it all depends on how the Hakes would interpret “early in the evening” and “late at night,” course they never knew tomorrow, half the time. �20 Interviewer: They were not early, not early to bed people. Helen: They were all playing cards. George: They were all playing cards and somebody said, “I smell smoke.” And with that they pretty soon obviously the ship was a total disaster. And the Doctor Hake was I believe the only doctor on board and he administered to many of the people, some of whom died. And there are pictures of that ship and... Interviewer: Were they able to get to port without sinking. George: Yes, they took the lifeboats out. Oh, yes, Very much so. And they show, we have pictures somewhere where they towed the charred hull into Grand [Haven]….There‟s really nothing left of the upper structure. And my, I know the doctor‟s wife she was a little bit hysterical so the story goes and so she left her stateroom and was waiting to be rescued and she was in her corset and carrying an umbrella. Helen: You know when they wore corset covers? Interviewer: Oh, yes. With a corset cover and an umbrella. Was prepared for all emergencies wasn‟t she? Boy, that‟s a fantastic story; I‟ll bet that went the rounds. Wow. Oh, dear. George: Well that there were just pages of publicity on it. Interviewer: Was this like about the time of the World Wars or earlier than that? George: Oh no, no this was way back. Interviewer: Before the First World War? George: Interviewer: George: It‟d be it‟d be I would say about nineteen seven or eight seven or eight? Oh, yes about seventy years ago Interviewer: Oh yes, that‟s a long time. George: There‟s another friend there that I believe figured in the Voigt family background as a friend. That‟s the old Kusterer family. Of course there were a lot of these old German families you know, and they all clung together. Some of these families I have well a familiarity with because my grandfather Hake among other things was agent for the Hamburg-American Line. And at the time he was the oldest agent and there are in this group both in years and in years of service. And a suspicion is always been suggested that he did that because he liked to go to Europe and whenever he went he would divide his children into two groups. He‟d take first the one six and then the other six. �21 Interviewer: Oh, isn‟t that wonderful. George: And I presume he figured it was more economical that way anyhow. But in the process he was instrumental in arranging the passage of most of these old German families in Grand Rapids. And their home was really quite a congregating place for these Germans. You know originally you speak of the west side, right across from where we used to live which is all long gone but the expressway, right directly across the street, one of the Voigts lived. And the other one lived right around the corner on Court Street. Interviewer: Yes, that‟s what I understood from the very old lady that I talked to. She could remember going to, she could remember going to Union School with Carl Voigt. And then she remembered Ralph and she remembered when Ralph went away to school. He went to Andover, I think and then to Yale. And she could remember that he went away to school but she had gone to Union School with Carl. George: Well, years ago they had many wagons you know, dray wagons and they had beautiful horses. And just on what was then known as Shawmut Avenue, now Lake Michigan Drive, they had a pasture that was not very large but they‟d it was all fenced in. And the horses were finished many of the horse were stabled there. The others were stabled down across from our old building. And I used to go up there and watch these draft horses. They‟d run toward the fence and you‟d think they were going right through. But they were friendly, gentle souls. They had excellent care. Interviewer: Beautiful horses? George: Oh, yes. They were. Interviewer: They probably took just as good care of the horses as they did everything else. George: Yes, that‟s right Interviewer: I can never get over the woodwork in that house because it„s so beautifully kept. You know the house really (is) in remarkably great condition. I think that‟s the... Helen: George: Didn‟t they say about the carriage house too, George? Yes, Helen: Harnesses and everything. George: They had harnesses in there and they just… Helen: Everything was so lovely. George: Yes, they‟re just waiting for somebody for some horse to appear and the harness would be all ready for them. And they had I believe an old, I didn‟t see this but I was told by a �22 fellow at the time who worked for Cadillac and he used to collect old cars, and he said they had a beautiful electric I think, wasn‟t it electric? Helen: That‟s what they said. Interviewer: They had an electric car? They were handsome things. George: Yeah and that was I think sold to somebody up north. Interviewer: Were they great travelers? Were the Doctor and Mrs. Hake great travelers? George: Oh yes, they‟d gone to Europe, oh half a dozen times. Interviewer: It seemed to me if you look around the bedroom upstairs that there are obviously things that came from… Helen: She told me that she had seen, I think three different Popes. And that she always asked the Pope to bless his hands, because he was a doctor. Interviewer: Oh, isn‟t that lovely? Helen: She told me that. George: Well, he had, the doctor incidentally occupied a home which had been my grandfather‟s home, his father‟s home, on the site that is now occupied by Grand Rapids Press. And this home was originally built by Martin Sweet who in turn after he sold this house to my grandfather, bought the house or built the house rather which is now the Women‟s City Club. Interviewer: Oh, yes. Was this the Sweet that had Sweet‟s hotel? George: Yes. And Martin Sweet and my grandfather - that whole clique they were… Helen: They had the sweetest little house going up the hill there. Just darling. Interviewer: It makes me sick to think of how pretty this city must have been at one time. George: Yes, it really was. Interviewer: Really was beautiful. George: So many of the better things have been unfortunately torn down. Interviewer: Well, the, you know… Helen: The City Hall… Interviewer: Oh well, it‟s really brutal to think that such a beautiful building could have gone. Helen: George was on television one night trying to save it. �23 Interviewer: Hall? George: Oh yes, and who was it, Posey Benton who was it chained herself to the City Oh, Mary Stiles. Interviewer: Mary Stiles, yes. I heard about that when I first moved here. Helen: We were in Europe and at the Nordic Hotel was it, Oslo? No, it was Vienna, one of those. Well, anyway we walked in, we walked out of our room in the morning walked downstairs to the desk and a man held up the paper and he says, “Isn‟t this your home town?” And there she was, on the ball, you know. Interviewer: Do you remember the family well enough to know if they were interested in music or if they were interested in, if you read old Grand Rapids history there was always such an active interest in music in this community-the St. Cecilia Society, the Ladies Literary Club and well, the Women‟s City Club. Were any of the family, the Voigt family that you know of, interested in music or in any other…? George: I really don‟t know. I don‟t know. The only, I would venture though that the Voigts might have some interest in music through my Aunt Augusta Rasch-Hake, who was quite a pianist. And she studied in Vienna under Lesterchensky who was probably the foremost teacher of piano in the last two hundred years. And she used to play for example in concert with Percy Granger. Interviewer: Oh my, she was really good. She died only about two years ago. She was in her nineties. But she had a tremendous talent for music. And that‟s why she, her father sent her to Vienna for further study. But probably because of family association the Voigts and I‟m only surmising this because I would venture that they had themselves a pretty good interest in music. Interviewer: There was the room off the drawing room, now they call the Music Room but I don‟t know if it was called the Music Room then. But they have several you know they have several instruments around. Helen: How about the music? Did you find any old music? Interviewer: I think there is some there, but I‟ve never really gone through it. It‟s, I‟ve really been more interested in digging into the library to what books they had. Thought it was interesting to find out what books people kept around in those days. George: Have you ever talked to any of the other members of the Voigt family? The surviving… Interviewer: No. As a matter of fact, I was going to talk to Charles Dubee and then he‟s been in the hospital and I guess he‟s out in recovery right now but, he‟s he had a heart attack. �24 Helen: Oh, did he? Interviewer: Yes, and the word down at our church, is he‟s a member of our church, and word down around our church was that it was a pretty severe heart attack. So and I don‟t…. Helen: He was awfully heavy. Interviewer: Well, I‟ve only been doing this for about the last month or so and really he‟s had his heart attack and I really didn‟t think that it was even tactful, to go and talk. But he‟s one person that I know that I plan to talk to. The Pantlinds lived across the street from the Voigts. George: Yes, I believe that way back… Interviewer: And isn‟t that Mrs. Whinery? Isn‟t Kate Whinery a Pantlind? Helen: That would be Kay Whinery or Dosey. George: Then there‟s Hilda. Interviewer: I talked to Mrs. Hanchett over the phone but she said she didn‟t, she‟d been away from town so much that there was nothing she could add, to the story. George: You know Hilda Pantlind? Interviewer: No, I don‟t. George: Well, she‟s married to Charlie Armstrong. They live in Arizona I believe most of the time now, don‟t they? Helen: She comes in the summer but her sister‟s here. Cause I saw her at the beauty shop. Interviewer: Now who‟s her sister? Helen: George: Helen: Dosey Pantlind and isn‟t that Dosey? I don‟t know I only knew Hilda. Who were we talking about Hilda and her sister, Mrs. Whinery I‟m sorry. Interviewer: Kate Whinery Helen: George: Yes, I‟m thinking of Fred Pantlind‟s, no. I‟m thinking of Boyd Pantlind‟s wife I talked with Boyd today. Interviewer: Well. I just, I guess one day I was at Susan Lowe Guild and Kate Whinery belongs to Susan Lowe Guild and she mentioned that she lived across. I‟d come from the Voigt House, �25 that day, and she said that they lived across the street. But she‟d never been in the house very much. Were you ever in the house very much? George: Oh, yes. Helen: You were in. George: Not often but … Interviewer: Just the normal course of events. George: Yes, I tell you who might be able to give you some information too, is Bruce Gilmore. You see Bruce Gilmore occupied the Idema house which he I believe owned. That‟s where the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance is. Interviewer: Oh, that‟s right next door, isn‟t it? George: Yes, yes. Now what association Bruce would have had with say Ralph or Carl, I don‟t know except they were neighbors. Now Gene Gilmore works, Bruce is pretty much retired. He‟s, his brother was with him in the Bahamas here a few ago. And Bruce, I think will be back as soon as the weather warms up a bit. And he might be able to give you some information too. Interviewer: You‟re still active in business, aren‟t you? George: Oh, yes very much so. Interviewer: Yes, so you can‟t get away in the winter like everybody else. George: Helen: Oh, I can get away any time I want to. He‟s president. Interviewer: Well that doesn‟t mean you can take off as easily. It‟s usually if you‟re the president you have to stay and… George: No, I can say that because our three sons are in the business and also my nephew and they do a tremendous job. Interviewer: Oh, so you‟re a little freer then. George: Oh, yes. Interviewer: You don‟t (feel) you‟re chained. Well, I know that Mrs. Jackoboice, you‟ve done a lot of traveling. Helen: We do, but we‟re not very Florida fans or anything like that. We just returned from Mexico, we were down there for about three weeks. But… �26 Interviewer: That‟s nice. Helen: Yes. George: We were supposed to have gone last September. We went on a southern trip through Europe including Eastern Europe, Soviet Union, Hungary and so on. And, but my wife here had a little scare which fortunately… Interviewer: A heart thing? Helen: No, I just had a sudden flare and it was really something. I‟m a very, very well person and I just felt funny pain and I just thought well I‟ll go and have it checked you know. And, my word, they put me right in the hospital, had x-rays and what have you. And they thought I had something just terrible. And so I…. Interviewer: Oh, that‟s awful. Helen: Yes, it turned out to be nothing. Interviewer: Oh, that‟s good. George: Meanwhile … Interviewer: But meanwhile you cancelled your trip. Helen: By the time, yes, he said no way could you go on that trip, because it was something with the digestive system. Interviewer: Well, my sister-in-law has been into Russia twice and she said the only thing about Russia, is you don‟t want to be sick in Russia. Helen: That‟s where… Interviewer: Be healthy if you get around it. She loved it though. She said it‟s worth going just to through the Hermitage. Helen: My husband has been there several times. Interviewer: Have you? George: Helen: Oh, yes. Been all through Eastern Europe. I don‟t want to get sick in India either. Interviewer: I think there are a lot of places you prefer not to…. Helen: There‟s a lot of places I don‟t want to be there sick. �27 Interviewer: But on the other hand you can‟t stop going just on that chance. Helen: Course not. Interviewer: Right, right. George: There‟s I guess they were gradually are restoring or recollecting or collecting some of the furnishings and so on, of the Voigt place. „Course the attic; it was just loaded with… Helen: Yeah, they‟re gradually doing, well, I think what they‟ve tried to do is reconstruct what it probably looked, might have looked like early on. Not in its later days. George: I wouldn‟t think that there‟s too many basic changes, do you, from the old days? Helen: No, I remember when whenever I‟d go there though she‟d invite me over for tea, we always went directly to her room. Interviewer: You did? Helen: Clara never sat downstairs. Interviewer: Did you ever know Miss Emma Hake, err Voigt? Helen: Yes, I just knew her. And she‟d probably be there, but you knew, you could hear her moving around something. But if Aunt Clara had a guest she went to her room. And we sat there and it was a very pleasant room upstairs, you know which one she had? Interviewer: Yes. Helen: And she‟d always say, oh come up here and then she‟d always point out “my Doctor”. She had his picture all over the room and we had tea and we‟d visit. Interviewer: One of the fascinating things that you know about being down there is that the desk, the letters in the, stuffed in the cubbyhole of her desk are her letters. They‟re the letters and they‟re you know, it‟s as if she‟d left the room because you know the letters that are there she left a letter to Bishop Whittemore and a letter to a Catholic Bishop about something that she was corresponding with him about. You knew it‟s just as if she walked out of the room and were coming back. Except that the date had stopped you know, several years ago. So that‟s really it comes as close that houses come to living history, as almost any place you walk into. George: That‟s right. George: I don‟t think you‟d ever find a house... Interviewer: No, because everything you have the feeling the family just stepped out. And it‟s like the turn of the century. And there they are you know, just stop action. And they‟re very few �28 things they‟ve got Ralph‟s picture that LeClaire did in the downstairs hall. But most of the rest of the stuff you can go through the house and it looks very old. Helen: Wouldn‟t that make a fantastic movie? Interviewer: No, it‟s really a remarkable thing. The other thing I don‟t pick up about the Voigts is that they were very, very involved, now the time when your grandfather arrived here, well, back in the eighteen fifties if you look down the roster of the people who were mayors and officers in town they were always the prominent businessmen in town. And the politics didn‟t get separated from the business until, say after, oh well after you all, I think after that you got into a different kind of person being in politics. From, but early on it was liable to be prominent businessmen in town who were married and so forth. But the Voigt‟s name doesn‟t come up ever being involved in politics at all. George: No, not that I can recall. My grandfather was city treasurer for a period of years. And he always, he was credited generally with having established the bookkeeping system which until recent years was still the nucleus of the city systems. Interviewer: That‟s interesting. George: But that was Hake, you see, William Hake. And, but he was, he was quite active in city affairs and his brother John even more so. Interviewer: But you never pick up the name Voigt? George: No, not….. Interviewer: No, I‟ve seen the name Hake but I‟ve never seen the name Voigt. George: The Voigts were very keen business people. They tell a story and then there‟s (nothing) irregular about it, it‟s just typical I think of their time, and their generation. That they would buy wheat and of course, in those years there never was any governmental control on or anything on it. Well… Interviewer: They were real gamblers? George: Yes, well if you buy wheat on say futures, why if it went down, well, boys the mill bought that. If it went up, that was the Voigts. Interviewer: That was the Voigts. They still say you know that they say the commodities market is a great place for the real gamblers of the world. Rest of us… George: I think you know, you speak of the house I think, they guarded that house very well. I mean, I don‟t think the house was ever at any time abused by anybody in the family. It was always sentimentally regarded and well maintained. �29 Interviewer: Yes. Oh my goodness, yes. You just have to look behind doors you know and the polish the obvious gleam on all the woodwork had to come from loving rubbing you know. And diligent rubbing on some and apparently I think the woman who was their housekeeper is still alive. George: Yes, I think she is. Interviewer: And there‟s another person I have on my list to go talk to because it hasn‟t been loaded down with gunk. No or anything. It‟s just really cleaned and polished and such beautiful I don‟t think any of us these days think much about oak you know as being this great wood. But in that lower bedroom where Ralph was at the end of his life well that looks to me to be cherry wood. In there, its beautiful close grained woodwork and probably as pretty as wood as there is in the house. It‟s really nice. You know your room reminds me of the houses down around Charleston. Helen: Oh, really. Interviewer: This isn‟t Cyprus, is it? George: This is walnut, solid walnut. Interviewer: Helen: It‟s just beautiful wood. Thank you, thank you. Interviewer: Just lovely. Helen: We think so, we just love it. George is very “booky” and he always wanted a lovely library. So, we built it. Interviewer: Oh, it‟s really nice. But I love the color of the wood. George: This, this walnut is about that thick all the way through. I shudder, if you could even get, even get it now. Remember Warren Rindge? Interviewer: No, I don‟t. George: Well, Warren was one of the last traditional you see he was educated in Europe and Warren wouldn‟t touch anything modern. But things like this he loved. And he always said this was the finest library he had ever built. Interviewer: Oh well proportioned to the room is beautifully proportioned. Helen: We think so too. Interviewer: And the paneling is so lovely. �30 Helen: Now that‟ll be….. Interviewer: Oh, the little dentalling around the edges that goes up to the top. George: rooms. They were about, they were full time they were about eight months on these two Interviewer: I didn‟t know that there was a company that made all that finished mill work that went into the Voigt house. And that this Mrs., this Mrs. McLachlan that I talked to was the daughter of Jungbaecker (and) that it was her father was the head of this company. I still can‟t, the name has slipped my mind, they did finish mill work and they turned out those handsome you know the stair runs that are so pretty down there. I thought, I wondered about that and….. Helen: You know so much about architecture you must have… Interviewer: Not really, very much at all. But I was interested in that because she was telling me she worked as a bookkeeper in this place and she said that at the time they had built this house that the foreman of the room upstairs made eighteen dollars a week and they stepped down to nine dollars a week for the man that ran the elevator. This was for a sixty hour work week. And they worked ten and a half hours every day except Saturday. Ten hours and ten minutes every day and then on Saturday they could go home at five o‟clock, instead of six. George: Helen: That‟s what my father said their work schedule was two years ago. Really? Interviewer: Is that fantastic! George: Well, all the [way] up until the war years we always worked Saturdays. Interviewer: Oh sure, I remember that. George: My father always said that they‟d start at six and they‟d quit at six except Saturday they‟d quit at five. Interviewer: Isn‟t that fantastic? George: Helen: George: Helen: And the only day they had off was Sunday. They didn‟t complain, they didn‟t have strikes and things, did they? No. They do now. Interviewer: Gosh, it‟s hard to think about that. And I said, “Well didn‟t you mind the long hours?” And she said, “No, everybody worked. Even the bosses.” �31 Helen: That‟s the truth. Interviewer: You know if everyone‟s working it‟s all the same thing. I‟ve got to switch cartridges while we still want before we get interrupted, if you don‟t mind. [END OF TYPEWRITTEN TRANSCRIPT. But the interviewer and the Jackoboices continue talking as they view pictures and mementos. In the file, there is now a paper copy of all of the following transcript which matches the CD recordings.] George: This is a picture of the Voigt house here. Interviewer: This is the Detroit Free Press, oh, yes. George: Yes, Helen: Have you ever been there when they model some of the dresses? Have you seen Barbara in that one? I understand she is absolutely gorgeous. Interviewer: Yes, she is. You must have a very slim figure to fit into the dresses. Helen: Barbara said someone called me one day and they said that she should have her portrait done in that dress; someone that knew her very well. Interviewer: Yes, she really should. Helen: Someone told David you should go down with a camera and take her picture in the dress. Have you seen it? I would love to see it... Interviewer: Yes, and it is just wonderful. George: This is… Interviewer: Oh yes, now, I didn‟t know she was a business woman here. George: Oh, I think that.... Interviewer: Oh, it was, that‟s just because she was just in the family business. George: Not to my memory, was she ever active in the business. Interviewer: According to the gal in the office, it was the three brothers that came down to the office, the girls never came down. Neither your Aunt Clara nor Miss Emma ever came down. George: I never saw them there. I don‟t remember ever seeing them. Interviewer: Hmmm. �32 George: This is just a partial and I am looking for more, there has got to be another page of the Naomi… Interviewer: You don‟t have a date on this? Yes, yes you do, May twenty-second nineteen seven. That‟s right, you were correct about that. Helen: Is that the white book? George: Yes, Interviewer: Many thrilling accounts of the catastrophe are told. George: There might be some other pages in there too. Interviewer: They were going to attend the wedding of Louis F. Hake. George: Yes. Interviewer: And Miss Mary Buerger of Milwaukee. Yes. I would like to read that before I go. I don‟t want to read… George: I think I have a more complete. This is an item on my uncle, the Doctor. Interviewer: Did his elementary studies at the parochial school and public schools. His parents sent him to Notre Dame University where he spent three (days) years. After leaving this institution, decided his choice on the advice of his friends to take up the biological course. He entered the famous Ann Arbor University where he graduated in eighteen eighty-two. Received the degree of MD, youngest member among five hundred students. Obtained a situation in the pharmacy department of the wholesale retail drug concern of Thum Brothers. George: Here is another thing… Interviewer: A man used to live downstairs from us when first moved here, we had an apartment his family were the Hazeltine Perkins, you know Carl Montgelas. George: I know Carl… Interviewer: Yes, that‟s interesting. Cecelia Hake, isn‟t that a pretty one, this a beautiful, did you compile this book? George: That was my mother did that, most of it‟s in her handwriting. Interviewer: That‟s beautiful. George: So, it‟s… �33 Interviewer: Here is Doctor. Hake‟s death, practicing physician, specialist in children‟s diseases in Grand Rapids since eighteen eighty-two died Saturday morning at three fifty-seven Washington Street SE. Helen: That‟s what I thought. Interviewer: That‟s a good thing to know. He was only fifty-seven when he died. Helen: George: Oh, was he? Yes. Interviewer: Yes, had traveled and had the distinction of having met three popes, that‟s what you told me. Helen: That‟s what I had said. Interviewer: The last, the Thirteenth Pope Benedict, he was a graduate of both University of Michigan and Notre Dame and studied abroad. He was eleven years, a major in the state troops and for thirty years attendant physician at St. John‟s Orphan Asylum. This was work he did voluntarily and was married to Miss Clara Voigt on September twelfth, eighteen eighty-nine. Surviving are his widow, his father who is ninety-one years old and resides at two forty-six Ransom. Three sisters and Mrs. Helen Jackoboice. That would be your mother. George: Yes, my mother. Interviewer: And eight brothers, wow. Protestant, Jew and Catholic alike attended the funeral services for Doctor. Hake Tuesday last week at the Cathedral. Some praying for the repose of the soul of the departed, others testifying at least by their presence that the late doctor, by the best of his ability struggled and accomplished much for the betterment of his fellow citizens, and the greater glory of the common good. George: He predeceased his father. Interviewer: Yes, now this UBA Home and Hospital United Benevolent was the fore runner, that‟s Blodgett, isn‟t it? George: You know, I could be wrong, I associated that with Butterworth. Interviewer: I think, Butterworth is St. Mark‟s. It was St. Mark‟s before it was Butterworth. George: Could be. Interviewer: Yeah, this I think you‟ll find is the forerunner, and here is a picture of the Voigt Mill and a picture of it. George: I imagine there is a lot of those. �34 Interviewer: Mary Hake and Arthur Gore. And here, there is a dinner menu on here, too. Did you ever look at those meals we could never eat them now a days? Helen: Isn‟t that …. Interviewer: Fantastic. Home of Mary Hake Gore George: That was... Interviewer: George: Oh, your mother did a beautiful job, didn‟t she? That Gore was a sad story, there is enough things in that Hake tribe to …. Interviewer: Well, I think in a big family like that there were some, some tragedies as well as some… George: And yes there really were. Interviewer: You can‟t ever have a big family like that without some sadness as well as ….She has each of her children here and she has, isn‟t this neat. Helen: I just love to, you know how you go looking for something and looking in a drawer and you spend the whole afternoon reading? You know? Interviewer: Oh, yes. Helen: Just looking at pictures. Interviewer: Here it says one eighty-four Ransom, a breakfast immediately afterwards, oh a wedding breakfast. George: Here is one on the McGraws; it is years and years ago in the paper…. Interviewer: “Judy Jots it Down” must have been going on a long time. There must have been a lot of Judy's. Mr. Francis B McGraw of the firm of Duran & McGraw and Amelia L. daughter of ex-alderman William Hake in St. Andrews Church Thursday, full dress affair was conducted on a magnificent scale. Finest velvet covers being laid from the carriages into the church. The bride was superbly dressed in white satin with wreath and veil. The groom wore the conventional full dress suit of black with a diamond crescent on a white neck scarf, my goodness, how times have changed. Because this story appeared in the eighteen seventy-six in the old Grand Rapids Daily Eagle, One of solid gold nuggets we ran across when looking over a scrapbook that was loaned to us by Lewis F. Hake. George: This was another menu for another daughter. Interviewer: The wedding of Mary Hake, and this was the one you said was such a sad story… about Arthur Gore. Mock Turtle Soup, California Salmon, Red sealed Bordeaux, Sweetbread �35 patties, Snipe on toast. First time I‟ve really known what snipe really was, they use to kid us about snipe, Saddle of antelope larded with Sauce Picante, Roast Turkey, Spring chicken, French peas, tipped asparagus, Spareribs, Roman punch, Chicken Salad, Potato Salad, Shrimp salad. Helen: Watched their calories. Interviewer: Raspberry ice cream, Strawberry, Charlotte Russe, then Champagne, Pyramids of Macaroons kisses, French torte, Fresh fruit and French coffee. That‟s a magnificent meal, isn‟t it? George: I think that is the only picture existing. I have blown this up from a very small tintype. This is the house where Doctor Hake practiced medicine in, after my grandfather who still owned the property and moved into the big house. This is Hake right here in the picture. This one is the same one you see up there. Interviewer: Oh, yes, now that is your grandfather? George: Yes. Interviewer: Isn‟t that nice. George: These were painted by Gregori, who painted all the murals at Notre Dame University. Interviewer: Of course, he did a fine job, now where is this house? George: This is the house, long torn down; it stood on the present site of the Grand Rapids Press. Interviewer: Oh, I see. George: In the back there was an orchard, there was also a well. And it always has been stated, that the well there which predated the use of the water that was there by the Arctic Spring Water Co, if you remember that name. And originally by Kusterer of the brewery who had the old Furniture City Brewery. And Kusterer and my grandfather were very close personal friends. Kusterer went down on the Alpena, if you remember that story. Well, after my grandfather‟s family grew, he moved on the hill and kept this property until later it was sold after his death. But Doctor Hake practiced medicine out back and the house was entirely different. The walls in that, Interviewer: It is made from limestone out of the river. George: That‟s right Charles Belknap lead a drive to keep the thing, he failed. Interviewer: What a shame, what a treasure that would have been. George: Yes. �36 Interviewer: Your grandfather lived here? George: That was his first house, actually when he first came to the city, he didn‟t live there because he wasn‟t married he was just a kid he came from Germany. He had his first job with John Clancy who had the first wholesale grocery in Grand Rapids and my grandfather learned the Indian dialect and worked there. He got married at St. Michael‟s church in Chicago. Interviewer: When your grandfather first came, they were still making payments to the Indian every fall. George: Yes, he came about eighteen forty-seven – eighteen fifty or so. Interviewer: They were still making payments to the Indians every October and November until eighteen fifty-eight or so. Helen: This is built over the old spring. George: That‟s the old brewery. Interviewer: “The past crumbles easily”…Fox Deluxe Brewery on Michigan Street, now was this torn down for the expressway? They lost the depots and everything. Now this is Christopher Kusterer a German brewer who went into partnership with John Pannell, Grand Rapids. They started a large brewery on Michigan Street. A large pure cool gushing spring. George: That‟s the spring. My grandfather was in many different, lumbering, a lumber mill. Interviewer: These old people turned their hands to a lot of things in the course of getting established, didn‟t they? George: Here is an item when Doctor Hake came back from Europe one time. Interviewer: Nineteen fourteen, oh, they were in the war zone in Europe. In view of the present events in Europe the great Peace Palace at The Hague is a huge joke. On his arrival from a trip to Europe, accompanied by Mrs. Hake we went direct to Hamburg, Germany from Amsterdam after a visit to The Hague and only a day or two after we visited the famous monument to the peace of the world. Leading powers of the countries were clutching at each other throats. They were there when war was declared, weren‟t they, in August nineteen fourteen? You see that would be at the time. Were clutching each others‟ throats, and practically all of Europe were seething in the heat of the impending conflict. We were impressed with the beautiful urns of wonderful design, emblematic of peace, the contributions of the Czar of Russia and the German Kaiser. The beautiful tribute of Japan and we‟re told a prominent place had been reserved for a tribute from the United States. Doctor Hake could not refrain from emphasizing the inconsistency of the situation and emphatically remarked that the present the wonderful Peace Palace, erected by Carnegie is a travesty on the sentiment of peace among nations. I believe the war now in progress will set civilization back a half a century. Boy, how right he was. �37 George: Yes. There is a little story about when he returned I believe from this trip, there was a little dinner party and many of the people of the city of some prominence were in attendance and I believe the Voigts were there too and even though my Uncle obviously was German as were the Voigts. The thing got a little controversial and they had quite a splash in the paper about the sentiments expressed by Doctor Hake that apparently weren‟t considered .the thing to say with war so imminent. And he was criticized for it, rather strongly, but he didn‟t retract, I don‟t think. .. Interviewer: Was there any feeling in your family, any reaction against German people expressed? Or you had been here so long by that time… George: Oh, no we had no relatives over there. Interviewer: One of the things that comes through as you look over the history of Grand Rapids is that the German people have disappeared into the population. Whereas the Dutch have retained this Dutchness. Helen: Yes, that‟s right. Interviewer: But the German people have just joined the Yankees. George: I think it is rather fitting and I think a tribute to these people. Both my grandfathers are memorialized in the Grand Rapids Museum. Interviewer: In the public museum downtown? George: Yes. In the Ethnic groups. Interviewer: That‟s something to be proud of. George: Yes, incidentally on this one picture here, this was not at the Voigt house anymore. Interviewer: No, that is not there at all. George: That was originally an egg house. Interviewer: That room doesn‟t look anything like that now, that room looks quite different, this looks more like a drawing room but this one has been turned into a music room. Maybe not the way it looked. A lot of the furniture went to various relatives. George: Yes, that„s my understanding, when you come in there is that model mannequin with the bridal dress on. Well that‟s Doctor Hake‟s wife. Interviewer: George: Is that her wedding dress, that‟s the one that Barbara modeled, isn‟t it? Oh, is it? I don‟t know. �38 Interviewer: I think that‟s the one, because it is a beautiful wedding dress. George: Not to distract you from that, but here are some cablegrams, telegrams and so on at the time of that Naomi disaster. Interviewer: Oh, yes. Isn‟t that neat, all those barred by the sad misfortune on the lake stretch hands across and join in hardy congratulations. Everybody safe and doing well; may this gloom not cloud your joy; may the sunshine of the day be the sunshine of your life. Who is M. Richard? Louis Hake & bride. George: He was, I don‟t know, some relative, but this Albert Hake is… This all ties in because of the … Interviewer: Naomi disaster. I‟d like to really take the time and really read through this, if you wouldn‟t mind me coming back. I would love to come back and sit and read sometime. George: Oh, sure, glad to have you. Interviewer: There is no use reading into the tape recorder. George: No, I know. Interviewer: And I think your mother did a beautiful job in putting this all together. George: I have a lot of this stuff that is just… Interviewer: Now, here you are, Mr. and Mrs. William Hake requesting the honor of your presence of their daughter Helen Matilda to Edward J. Jackoboice, June twelfth, one thousand nine-hundred and six, nine o‟clock. St. Mary‟s Church. Now where is St. Mary‟s Church? George: That‟s on the West side where Father Bingham is pastor now. That is, that is one of the really sleeper churches of the dioceses. You see, that is the second oldest parish in the dioceses of Grand Rapids. Interviewer: That is before St. Andrews? George: No, St. Andrews is first. Interviewer: And St. Mary‟s was second? George: Now, St Mary‟s Church was not the second Gothic church, it was the first church in the Gothic style. St. Mary‟s is an older parish, but St James has an older existing structure, But that St Mary‟s church was in a Gothic style. It is a gorgeous church inside. Interviewer: I‟ll make a point to go over to St. Mary‟s. I‟ll make a point to go over and look. Now, this is your grandfather? William Hake. �39 George: Yes. Interviewer: Isn‟t that something? George: Now that‟s McGraw. Interviewer: Did your grandmother outlive your grandfather? George: No, she died when she was about seventy-eight. Yes. Interviewer: Boy, he was how old when he died? George: ninety-three. Interviewer: Wow, ninety-three. That‟s fantastic George: There were a lot of write-ups about him. He was a very, very colorful man and a dominate personality. These are some of the things that happened at the Hake house. There‟s picture over there of the Naomi over there. Interviewer: Burns, Wednesday morning, Grand Rapids Michigan. One of the heroes of the Naomi disaster - William Hanrahan. Thrilling tales. Grand Rapids people aboard were saved, but lose their clothes and their valuables. Bet they lost some wedding presents too, didn‟t they? George: Yes. Interviewer: Oh, my, that was a big thing, worse than the cyclone. They did lose some lives, though? George: Oh, yes. Obviously mostly crewmen there, that burned to death Interviewer: No, isn‟t that something. Now here it is, soloist…. George: Now is that my sisters? Interviewer: Ruth Jackoboice, is that your sister? George: Yes, I use to have twin sisters Helen and Ruth, and they played the French Harps. Interviewer: I talked to one of your sisters; here it is Miss Gast - that is you! George: Interviewer: George: Yes. I talked with her, and she‟s very much involved in the money raising thing... She… �40 Interviewer: … for the diocese, isn‟t she? She said she would just as soon I talk to you. She would get back to me later. She apparently has put a lot of time and a lot of work…. George: Yes, she has… Interviewer: She was very kind. George: She is in Florida now; she will be back sometime this week. Interviewer: Were the regarded in town as an eccentric family in town? George: No, let‟s see. I guess a qualified yes. Interviewer: What made people in town feel like that about them? Clannishness mainly? George: Obviously, they were very family oriented. They had strong convictions on thrift and economy which really is no fault. Interviewer: That‟s really a virtue, but they were pretty well known for …. George: I know they used to have a decorator years ago and he was highly regarded an as a friend, very fine and very expensive decorator, but say he painted the outside, they had these big beams. Well Mrs. Voigt, she just get a fish pole after he‟d left and would put white gauze on the end a fish pole and she‟d reach up there to make sure he painted it all. If it was wet, it was all right, otherwise he‟d missed and she‟d want to know about it. Interviewer: I heard another tale like that. This old gal whose father built the Voigt house, did a lot of work for her father before that. She used to take the bills around and present the bills, and she‟d go to the mill office with the bills and she said he‟d always say, “Oh, John. How did John get at this figure? This is too high, this is too high.” And her father said, “Now he‟ll say this to you. He‟ll say John‟s just robbing me blind.” And he said, “Well you just stay there and you don‟t say anything. And then he‟ll pay you.” And she said it was just like that. You‟d go in and he‟d say “Oh John is jus robbing me. This should be, no this price is too high.” Then she waited a while and wouldn‟t say anything and then he‟d pay her. And she said every time she went to collect there was always this little act they went thru. George: You know, there was one controversy, not so many years ago I would say prior to Ralph‟s death, when the mills were sold to the City of Grand Rapids and the city I think was wise in acquiring the land, because we are now one of the few cities in the country, who own both sides of the river in the downtown area with rare exceptions. I think that is a great thing they are striving to do but the Voigts were highly criticized for that because according to the reports they got anything from five hundred and eight thousand to five hundred and say fifty thousand dollars for it. But what most people entirely forget is that the Voigts owned the riparian rights and by riparian natural waterways laws and so on, the city never could have acquired that unless the Voigts had surrendered those rights, which meant later they could make a parking lot and �41 eventually a planned plaza on the west side. See these canals fed the water wheels for the Voigt mills. And also, something and I am almost positive I am correct because I had it confirmed by one of the leaders of at least one of the hospitals. George Welsh, and I always regarded George Welsh, I disagree violently on many things. Did you know him at all? Interviewer: I never knew him, but I wish I had, he was quite a colorful character? George: Yes, he was and naming the auditorium was a well deserved honor for him. But when they say they paid five hundred and some-odd thousand dollars for these old mills. And the city did. But they not only got the mills and the land on which they stood, they also got the land to make a parking lot out of that land. But most importantly the Voigts have never been given credit for it to my knowledge; they gave a hundred eighty thousand dollars to St. Mary‟s Hospital and a hundred eighty thousand to Butterworth Hospital. And there is three hundred sixty thousand dollars and everybody said they were getting top dollar but no one comes forth and says they also gave it back. George: I had a friend and maybe this is analogous, but his family, and they lived in Grand Rapids, are just notorious and they were just plain stingy. And yet I seen this fellow would turn right around and argue with the newspaper boy whether it should be two cents or three cents. And on one occasion he turned right around and he gave me season tickets to a most coveted football season. He said, Ah, here you take them.” I said I would pay he said, “No, I don‟t want anything.” And I think the Voigts in some ways were like that. Interviewer: They wanted the value for their money. George: Yes. Interviewer: Of course one of the things we forget, and I think it is true here, is the genius of Grand Rapids has been the businessmen. Extremely capable businessmen. And I was sort of interested in meeting you because one thing about my study of Grand Rapids, it is a natural course of events in America now. But one of the things I think made Grand Rapids strong was home-owned business. You know, that the people that own the businesses live here. George: Yes, Interviewer: And there were so many businesses, were home owned businesses right here that were strong and diversified. And of course, that‟s passing on. George: You take with us now, we‟re. There are no outside owners it is all family. Interviewer: But you are becoming more and more rare here in town. George: Yes, that‟s right. But as I say we have been in business continuously as a family in the machinery business in Grand Rapid without interruption for a hundred and eighteen years. �42 Interviewer: That‟s a record. George: Very frankly, we enjoy it tremendously; we have an awful lot of fun. We sell throughout the United States and about twenty-five foreign countries. You‟ve got a really good booming… Interviewer: George: But we work at it, and we enjoy working at it. Interviewer: And you have three sons in the business? George: Three sons in the business, all three sons are in the business. Interviewer: I thought maybe when Mrs. Jackoboice said that one of them was writing about Wordsworth; maybe you had a college professor in the family. George: I think it started out that way, I think he likes that as an avocation but I think he likes business better. He might not agree with me, but he is down there all the time. Take my wife. Her people have always been in business, both of my grand fathers were in business and my father was. Business talk has always been dinner table conversation as a lot of these old family names in town. You know the Herpolsheimers, Wurzburgs and the Voigts. You weren‟t overly impressed because their names came up so often. Interviewer: And they were your neighbors and you saw them every day. George: Just like, here we were flying to Europe a few years ago and actually the man was Don Maxwell who was the editorial chairman of the Chicago Tribune and we were flying together he and his wife and Helen and myself we were visiting, half-way across the ocean and he rather facetiously at the end said well George you know you have been name dropping a little bit. I said Mr. Maxwell I disagree, it just so happens that because these people made some mark on the world and they are well known figures, doesn‟t mean your name dropping or I am. Actually, I know these people, I know them very well and they are personal friends of mine. I don‟t believe I am doing any more than giving them their modest merit. INDEX B G Bedford, Mr. · 4 D Dubee, Charles · 24 Gast Family · 1, 4, 40 Gilmore Family · 25 Gore, Arthur · 34, 35 �43 H P Hake Family · 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 13, 16, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 27, 28, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 Hanchett, Mrs. · 24 Herpolsheimer Family · 9, 11, 43 Hunting Family · 19 Pantlind Family · 18, 24, 25 J Jackoboice Family · 1, 2, 9, 10, 33, 39, 40, 42 Jungbaecker, John · 3, 16, 30 K Kusterer Family · 20, 36 L R Rasch Family · 3, 9, 23 Rindge, Warren · 30 S Schulz, Mildred · 3 St. Cecilia Music Society · 23 St. Mark‟s Episcopal Church · 8 St. Mary‟s Church · 13, 39, 41 Stiles, Mary · 23 Sweet, Martin · 22 U Ladies Literary Club · 23 Leitelt Family · 12 University of Michigan · 6, 33 M V McGraw Family · 35, 39 McLachlan, Mrs. · 3, 30 Monarch Road Machinery Company · 9 Voigt Family · 2, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 21, 23, 24, 28, 29, 37, 41, 42, 43 Voigt, Clara · 1, 4, 13, 33 O W Orth, Mary · 3 Whinery, Mrs. · 24, 25 Women‟s City Club · 22, 23 � https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/97bc849e31349448be62db2c84842671.mp3 6414af789bf64b461989218c2cf11560 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Grand Rapids Oral Histories Subject The topic of the resource Heritage Hill (Grand Rapids, Mich.) Local histories Memoirs Michigan--History Oral histories (document genre) Description An account of the resource Taped and transcribed interviews conducted in the early 1970s primarily of the children and grandchildren of many of the founders of Grand Rapids, Michigan; many of whom were residents of the Heritage Hill neighborhood. Interviews were collected to develop a significant collection of oral resources that would supplement other primary and secondary local history materials. Initially funded as a private project, Grand Valley State College (now University) assumed responsibility for continuing the project until 1977. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Various Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/452">Grand Rapids oral history collection (RHC-23)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf; audio/mp3 Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text; Sound Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-23 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1971 - 1977 Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-23_52Jackaboice Title A name given to the resource Jackoboice, George and Helen Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Jackoboice, George Jackoboice, Helen Description An account of the resource Helen Gast was born August 7, 1910 in Grand Rapids. She married George Jackoboice in 1937. They had three sons. Mrs. Jackoboice died on December 31, 2008. Subject The topic of the resource Michigan--History Local histories Memoirs Oral histories (document genre) Grand Rapids (Mich.) Personal narratives Heritage Hill (Grand Rapids, Mich.) Grand Valley State University Women Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf audio/mp3 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Grand Rapids oral history collection (RHC-23) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1974 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/dd694b27a46f5c26312c278ea5e7dea5.pdf bc1380b77b47f9561489b13d78e87926 PDF Text Text 1 Grand Valley State University Special Collections Kent County Oral History collections, RHC-23 Mr. George Jackoboice Interviewed November 5, 1974 Edited and indexed by Don Bryant, 2010-bryant@wellswooster.com Tape # 43 (1:16:37) Biographical Information George Adolphe Jackoboice was born 17 June 1908, the son of Edward J. Jackoboice and Helen Matilda Hake. George was married to Helen Gast, the daughter of Peter B. Gast and Emily Alt. George passed away 10 January 1987 in Grand Rapids and is buried at Mt. Calvary Cemetery. He was the chairman of Monarch Hydraulics, Inc. Besides three sons and their families, George was survived by his wife, Helen, who died 31 December 2008, aged 98 years. George‟s father, Edward Jackoboice was born in Grand Rapids on 16 June 1864, the son of Joseph Jackoboice and Frances Rasch. Edward died 8 May 1935 in Grand Rapids. George‟s mother, Helen Matilda Hake was born in Grand Rapids circa 1873 and died 23 May 1952 at St Mary‟s Hospital in Grand Rapids. The parents were married on 12 June 1906 in Grand Rapids. The Jackoboice family is buried in Mt. Calvary Cemetery on Grand Rapids‟ west side. ____________ Interviewer: Now, I think we‟re getting somewhere because the dial is, is really working here, I just didn‟t have this thing, this is tricky, it doesn‟t plug in quite right…Back it up and play it back. I‟ll play it back and then we‟ll see if I, if that‟s what it was. I think it is. This is an interview with Mr. George Jackoboice in his residence at two thirty-one Park Hills Drive. It‟s raining out. Mr. Jackoboice, is an old time resident, although by far the youngest we interviewed so far in this series. He‟s a member of an old, German family, some of whom lived on the west side of the river in the early days. He is currently the, are you the principal owner George of the, you‟re the president of the Monarch Road… Mr. Jackoboice: Machinery. Interviewer: Machinery Company. And I‟m going to let Mr. Jackoboice, I‟m going to ask him to talk, about his earliest memories about his family, about his grandparents or any of the other relatives that he remembers vividly and, tell us about, growing up in Grand Rapids. Mr. Jackoboice: Thank you, it‟s a real pleasure to be interviewed by you this rainy election evening. You asked about my present place in Grand Rapids community as you have so well and correctly stated, I am and have been president of the Monarch Road Machinery Company for forty-three years, which means only that I haven‟t had a promotion in a long time. We are probably perhaps the oldest machinery business in this part of the state, having been in �2 continuous operation in the machinery business since 1856 or, as of now, for one hundred and eighteen years. We represent the fourth and the beginning of the fifth generation, both in the business and in Grand Rapids. Interviewer has asked if I can recall some of the more significant things connected with my boyhood and youth in Grand Rapids. I actually, believe I could ramble on for several hours, perhaps several days, under the right set of circumstances where one thought, would lead to another. I was born and raised on the west side of Grand Rapids, approximately on the corner of Mount Vernon Avenue and Allen Street. This area has since been taken over by the expressway, however when I was a young man, growing up, this was one of the more significant and I might add, more beautiful neighborhoods in, on at least the west side of the river. I can recall many of the more famous families who were the nucleus of Grand Rapids society of that generation. To continue my, all of my grandparents were in Grand Rapids prior to eighteen fifty-three. Now this is no great tribute to me, I happened to be born into this, into these families. My grandfather William F. Hake was perhaps the earliest German or one of the early Germans at least to come into this area. He came from a town in Westphalia, Germany, sometimes remembered and called Westphallen by the older German residents. He came from a town, a village called Dunschede, D-U-N-S-C-H-E-D-E, which is near Attendorn which is in turn is northeast of Cologne, Germany. He came over here as an orphan boy, when he was somewhere between seventeen and eighteen years of age. His first position was in Detroit and he became a very close friend of the founder, I believe, of one of the early Detroit newspapers. I cannot recall whether it was the Detroit Free Press or the Detroit News. But he was a printer‟s devil and then later on he decided to go to Grand Rapids, Michigan and he walked the distance according to his diary. He lived in Lansing, Michigan for a very short time and he once laughingly said, but with some measure of regret, that he had an option on the land, there now stands the State Capital. He paid forty dollars for this option, which he later surrendered. He then moved to Grand Rapids and became involved with a man by the name of John Hanchett, who was a pioneer harness maker. The employment with this gentleman continued for a very brief time. After which he became involved with John Clancy who, history will recall, founded the first wholesale grocery in the Grand Rapids, or Western Michigan area. My grandfather married a lady, a very beautiful lady, I might add, by the name of Anna Maria Schettler, who was a native of Württemberg, province of Württemberg, Germany. Interviewer: Spell her last name for me. Mr. Jackoboice: Her name was S-C-H-E-T-T-L-E-R and her first names were Anna Maria. She came first to Chicago with her parents and I might add also, that her home city was Altensteig, which is in the Black Forest of Germany, not too far from Freiburg. I visited these places so I know where of I speak. She lived on a hill, and the significance that in her later married days, she �3 also lived on a hill, occupying a beautiful home which is now the site of the parking lot for Butterworth Hospital. It is on the southeast corner of Ransom and Crescent Street. She came, to get back however, she came from Chicago, and my grandfather and grandmother were married at St. Michael‟s Church in Chicago and it was said that one of the original Marshall Field family were in the wedding party. They came to Grand Rapids where my grandfather, because of his integrity and his thrift and his energy, was determined to be a success and I might add that he was. I can epitomize his career in this very brief statement that he came here as an orphan boy knowing practically nobody and when he died at 94 years of age, the City Hall flag was at half mast for three days. He was engaged during his lifetime in furniture manufacturing, lumbering, the wholesaling of liquor, he also had a wheelbarrow company and he was at one time treasurer of the city of Grand Rapids and placed into execution the bookkeeping system that was used until about oh, thirty, thirty-five years ago. Interviewer: When did he arrive here in Grand Rapids, George, when did your grandparents come after they were married? Mr. Jackoboice: My grandfather Hake arrived in Grand Rapids I would have to guess slightly but I‟m correct within three or four years, about 1850, I believe the correct date is 1847. Interviewer: Do you remember him? Mr. Jackoboice: Oh very, very vividly. He lived as I say, until he was ninety-four years of age. He was a very active man and right up until a week before he died he was, quite a stroller about town with his high silk hat and his gold cane. He was very meticulously dressed and a very popular and quite an interesting personality. He was known to have bet significant sums on whether it would, the temperature for example would drop to “X” degrees on a hot day or, if some candidate or other would win an election. He was nicknamed at times “Bet a Million Gates” in tribute to one of the more significant legendary characters of his generation. According to the stories that my mother and uncles told me, on two occasions he bet 15,000 dollars which was then a very high sum, on the outcome of presidential elections. Both times, fortunately he won. They had fifteen children, twelve of who lived to maturity, and the last one died only about two years ago. The last uncle was Louis F. Hake. His children were involved in their time with, merchandising, with coal, with insurance, with music, with medicine and practically all the facets of the business life of Grand Rapids. They were a very interesting family and they married into some rather well-known and well-established families. Currently one of the better known members in the local historical group is Dr. William F. Hake who was married to Clara Voigt, who was the lady, if you have gone thru the Voigt House, stands at the left as you enter and she is dressed in a bridal outfit as, at the entrance as I say of the parlor of their home. Interviewer: Excuse me; this is your Grandfather Hake? Mr. Jackoboice: This was his son. �4 Interviewer: No, I mean the man you started to talk about. Mr. Jackoboice: That‟s correct. Interviewer: Was your great grandfather; let‟s start over; who was the man who came here in the eighteen forties or fifties?Mr. Jackoboice: William F. Hake was my grandfather who came here in the early, prior to eighteen fifty. His son was also William F. Hake but he was a doctor. Interviewer: And he is the one who married… Mr. Jackoboice: He is the one who married the Voigt. To continue with my grandfather, William F. Hake, who should not be confused with his son who was also William Hake but who was a doctor and the doctor was the gentleman who was married to Clara Voigt. Continuing, however as I indicated with my doctor, with my grandfather William F. Hake, he was an inveterate athlete of sorts and until he was 93 years he swam every summer in Lake Michigan and by that I don‟t mean that he waded out up to his knees, he would go well over his height and swim for probably a quarter a mile along the shore line and up until the year before he died, this was his regular practice. He also would walk up and down Michigan Street hill because that led to and from his home; he had many friends along the route there including Mr. Kusterer of the Brewery. Kusterer was of an old Grand Rapids brewing family and was one of the persons who went down with the steamer Alpena as it was crossing from, I believe Grand Haven to Milwaukee, it was only by the most strange, strangest circumstances that William F. Hake did not make that trip, and that is of course another and very lengthy story. To continue with some of his children, and I cannot give, even a capsule history of all of the twelve surviving children because that would take far too many hours. But, Dr. William F. Hake was a very prominent physician and surgeon in Grand Rapids. They had no children and in each case they loved to travel. So they made frequent trips to Europe and at a time when travel was not as simple as in these days of jet transportation. He, among other things, donated all of his medical services to such charitable organizations as the Sisters of the Poor, the Sisters of the Good Shepherd which at that time had an institution which operated a laundry, and also took care of girls, who in the minds of many were delinquents; and also of Saint John‟s Home. His, in his medical career he amassed a reasonable amount of money and, of course his wife, Clara survived him and she became again, a resident of the old family home, the Voigt House on College Avenue. And the College Avenue home, of course has been so well recorded and documented that it probably should not be again mentioned her. My mother… Interviewer: Excuse me, when did Dr. Hake die? Mr. Jackoboice: Dr. Hake died of pernicious anemia about nineteen twenty-two, that‟s within, within a year or two either away. Interviewer: Did his wife live into the fifties, I think…. �5 Mr. Jackoboice; Yes, I would think well past the fifties. I often would have luncheon with her. She was very frankly, very, very fond of my wife, who was, whose maiden name was Helen Gast. And whenever we would meet down at any of the restaurants of the city, why they would always, she would always send a little remembrance over to my wife in the form of a friendly drink or equal. Interviewer: I just asked George about where Dr. Hake was buried because I had never found him on the Voigt lot. Now, you tell your story George. Mr. Jackoboice: Dr. Hake was buried at Mount Calvary Cemetery on the west side which is right off Leonard Street. Dr. Hake, it should be mentioned, was Catholic. His wife, Clara Hake was not. But at that time in history, there was a rule in the Catholic Church that non-Catholics could not be buried in a Catholic cemetery, so there was a little problem there which later was resolved in this way. Some time, some years after Dr. Hake had died, she, he was removed at her request, to a plot in Oakhill Cemetery, which is on the southeast side of the city, and it is, it was there that she later was buried. There was a huge granite cross placed on his grave by his widow at Mount Cavalry and ironically it was done by an outside stone mason and one of the uprights unfortunately was just a little bit off kilter. Now that has no real significance except perhaps one shouldn‟t patronize, especially in things like that, their own native trades‟ people. Interviewer: You were to talk about some other members of that generation of Hakes, besides Dr. Hake? Mr. Jackoboice: Yes…, there‟s one interesting story, if you don‟t mind, I‟ll go back to my grandmother‟s generation. Interviewer: Not at all. Mr. Jackoboice: My grandmother was, who was named, whose name was Anna Maria Schettler had a sister who was named Louisa. Now Louisa was a very, very beautiful girl. If you‟ve ever seen a picture of Southern Belle, which is a rather famous portrait, she was a very, she bore a very close resemblance to that person. Now, I never knew Louisa but Louisa lived in Chicago. She was first married to a man, I believe by the name of Miller. They had no children and Miller was very, very successful as a rathskeller operator in Chicago and this was certainly before the days of the Chicago fire, which really doesn‟t mean a thing except that it goes way back in early Chicago history. Louisa, as I indicated, was a very beautiful woman she had very, very many friends, she was very vivacious and vital and, suddenly Miller died and left her with a than considerable amount of money. Louisa then married a man somewhat older than she and he was a bona fide German count and, the story goes that, he was, he had the title of Count Von Dreisen, but he didn‟t necessarily have the money that, should accompany his title. Well, they lived in glory and traveled with the finest society in Chicago and my grandfather went off and chided her for being so reckless with her money and she said, “Well, Bill (my grandfather‟s name), I would only say this: That I would like to abide by your wishes Bill but I have nobody to leave this �6 money to except my sister, your wife and I have no need for saving it because it‟s more money than I could ever spend. Later on Count Von Dreisen died and Louisa found herself impoverished. She lived in a very modest apartment overlooking the boulevards on once she had ridden in glory with fine horses and furs and the best that Chicago could offer. And it was ironic that this lady who turned down any inheritance from her father, in favor of her sister had to ask, or had to call upon her brother-in-law to pay for her funeral. Interviewer: Now, was there other members of that Hake, of your mother‟s generation who were particularly interesting Mr. Jackoboice: My mother, of course, was Helen Matilda Hake; she was one of the three daughters of William F. Hake and Anna Maria Schettler, who lived to maturity. She went to Saint Mary‟s Academy, at Notre Dame, Indiana and she, often mentioned that Helen Studebaker, among others was one of her classmates. Helen Studebaker was, of course, was part of the old carriage family later to make the Studebaker automobile. She was married to my father Joseph Jackoboice, Edward, I‟m sorry, Edward Joseph Jackoboice and they had and I am the son of that union along with my brother Edward and four sisters. I will tell about them a little bit later. But my mother was a tremendously interesting person, she seemed to always had her suitcase packed and would be ready to travel at a moment‟s notice. She would, I‟m, sure drop any wifely chores to show her children a very good time, either by taking a walk to the park or engaging in games or anything of that nature. She was fun loving, she played the piano, she spoke fluent German and reasonably, fine French, she lived to be seventy-nine years of age and certainly, life never was the same again after she died. She was, as I say a tremendous person. And I‟m sure that sentiment is accurate also by my brother Edward and my sisters Frances, Rita, Helen and Ruth. And Helen and Ruth were twins. Helen died at twenty-seven; Ruth is the surviving twin, Rita the youngest died at seven years of age. Interviewer: Why don‟t you tell, tell us about the Jackoboice family, when they came to Grand Rapids, and what they first did, and anything you can think of interest in, along that line, George. Mr. Jackoboice: Thank you. The grandparents on my father‟s side were Frances Rasch; that was spelled R-A-S-C-H. She came from the Kingdom of Prussia, which is now, of course a part of Germany. My grandfather, Joseph Jackoboice, came from a border city in what was then known as the Duchy of Warsaw. And as the Kingdom of Poland and of course, it was a land that had suffered politically and economically because of its tri-partitions, by in turn, the concurrently I should say by the Austrians, the Prussians and the Russians. Joseph Jackoboice, according to the unconfirmed records, was born in Kalisz, which was a city in Poland which is 1800 years old, and was formally on the Amber route from the Orient to Eastern Europe and of course, eventually into Western Europe and he came. Interviewer: When was he born, approximately, George? �7 Mr. Jackoboice: My grandfather Joseph Jackoboice was born March sixteenth, eighteen twentyfour. He came to the United States, no later than eighteen fifty-two when he was twenty-eight years old. He came at a time, when migration from that part of the world was for political reasons, not economic. He came to this country with an education and he came with money. Almost immediately upon arrival here he established himself in business. And that explains why, when I said at the beginning of this interview that I represent the descendents of a family who had been involved in the machinery business in Grand Rapids continuously for one hundred and eighteen years. Interviewer: One question I have about the name Jackoboice, was that name spelled differently in the early days, is it a German name, or was it a Polish name or was a family of mixed origins? Mr. Jackoboice: I would believe, that the name was Anglicized or corrupted. The original spelling according to the best information we have was J-A-K-U-B-O-W-I-C-Z, which would by its ending be more Russian than probably Polish. He himself, almost immediately upon his arrival in Michigan, changed his name to Jackoboice. It is significant, however that in either version there are ten letters. So that in essence the name was Anglicized from probably phonetic reasons. But it was not shortened. Why he did this, nobody seems to know. I personally have spent a considerable amount of money in several trips to the old country to determine why he left. Although he was a very, very successful man in business and although he had the health, and the finances and the time to travel, he never did so. He always remained in Grand Rapids, Michigan and frankly there is very little that can be found, showing correspondence between this country and his native land. There are no letters, there is no documentation, why he came, nobody knows. He rarely ever spoke of it. And it‟s kind of a fascinating and very intriguing mystery. Interviewer: Then he had no brothers or sisters who came here, is that correct? Mr. Jackoboice: He came alone. He came alone and, when he came and I mentioned earlier that he was about, he came, he was born in 1824 and he came here in 1852. So he would have been approximately twenty-eight years of age. And at twenty-eight he obviously was beyond the age of military service so he did not come for military reasons. As I say again, it‟s a fascinating mystery, I don„t know except that, the name in its original spelling is a very well name, a very well known name in Poland. Whether he spoke languages other than Poland, Polish or English or German, I do not know but I believe he spoke all three, if not a fourth. His wife Frances Rasch, as I indicated came from the Kingdom of Prussia, from the town, from the town of Breslau. Her entire family came to Grand Rapids, into Kent County and many of them pioneered and homesteaded in the fruit and apple and peach orchards in the Conklin, Sparta and Wright areas. They still have these extensive orchards there. Another branch of her family went to Florence, Alabama and founded a village there by the name of St. Florian. And there‟s an old house there which was built by her brother which, in its time was a sort of miniature Gone-with- �8 the-Wind mansion. I don‟t know whatever happened to it, but it was when I last saw it twenty five years ago, it was then even very decrepit so it‟s probably fallen into decay by this time. Interviewer: Well, you spoke of your, the Hake family as being Roman Catholic, I‟m going to assume, that the Jackoboices were too and also I believe they had something to do with the beginning of Saint Mary‟s Parish on the West Side, is that correct? Mr. Jackoboice: That is, correct; both William F. Hake, Joseph Jackoboice and his wife, Frances Rasch Jackoboice were charter members of Saint Mary‟s Church. Mrs. William F. Hake was however, a charter member of the Lutheran Church on Michigan Street Hill. My grandfather, Jackoboice lived on the site, which is now occupied by the convent of Saint Mary‟s Church. Saint Mary‟s Church, incidentally is the ethnic, Catholic German church. It is the second oldest parish in the dioceses of Grand Rapids and it was, the church you see now, of course, followed the original church and the present church is pure Gothic and one must really go in there to see how beautiful it is, in the stained glass windows and the arrays of sacred vessels and vestments and so on but, are over there in the repository. You ever been in there? Interviewer: No, why don‟t you talk about your father and what, where he was born and where he went to school and things of that sort. Mr. Jackoboice: My father was one of the two surviving children of Joseph Jackoboice and Frances Rasch. The other children died either as infants or as young people in their late teens or early twenties. They had all met in one case, in the case of my Uncle George, for whom I am named, it was quite a blow to my father because he was only, it was his only living brother and he drowned off Manhattan Beach, as it was then known at Reed‟s Lake. My father told how he looked for him on this sultry August afternoon, and after everybody had given up searching for him, he continued and found his body in the early morning hours. He never got over the tragedy of his brother‟s drowning and only reluctantly ever would he go towards Reed‟s Lake. He however continued, his brother George by the way, was, I believe nineteen years old when this tragedy occurred. He was an excellent swimmer but apparently he was a victim of cramps and nobody saw him in time and they found his high wheeled bicycle out by the side of a tree. My father continued in the business established by his father. And that business was originally known as the Joseph Jackoboice Company and then later on, was renamed the Westside Ironworks and the extent of their manufacture, the scope of it included band saws, rip saws, cut off saws, fine woodworking machinery. I‟m a little bit ahead of myself, but prior to the manufacture of machinery, my grandfather manufactured sawmill and logging machinery, lumber recording instruments, steam engines and he also made a specialty of fire escapes which were installed on most of the early buildings of Grand Rapids and some of the ornamental iron still survives on some of the older buildings. Later on… Interviewer: Can you tell us, tell me where one could see examples of that ornamental ironwork? �9 Mr. Jackoboice: I‟m guessing a little bit on this, but I believe some of the railings, might appear and I‟d have to confirm this, on the, for example, the Ledyard Building along the side there, I believe. They also well on the late, and lamented and fire destroyed Cody Hotel, I know they had fire escapes and I used to kid my father about that because, it was quite a tragic situation and, but fire escapes wouldn‟t have helped anybody in that holocaust. But anyway….. Interviewer: The Cody or do you mean the other hotel across….. Mr. Jackoboice: I‟m sorry I meant the Livingston Hotel. The Cody was across the street and that was, I‟m so used to that because telling about that because the Cody Hotel was originally owned and operated by a relative of Buffalo Bill Cody. Later on, we continued in the manufacture of woodworking machinery; then later on became involved with the manufacturing of road machinery and road maintainers, and devices for the maintenance of highways and this occurred when the highway program of the United States was in its early days. And, quite often I would drive throughout the country with my father, visiting these various road commissions, many of them were not even known as road commissions because they had a sub-contract arrangements with farmers of a given township or county. And negotiations would be made on an individual basis. My father, I think, liked to travel around and be paid for it and he enjoyed it very much and of course this, as his chauffeur and son and companion why we had a great time together. Later on, after my father chose to retire, my brother and I assumed control of the business and is now known as the Monarch Road Machinery Company with a factory and offices on Michigan Street. We also own the building on the west side, one block south of Bridge Street which is known as the Old German English School Association Building, better known as the German School House. Many people like to believe that was the first building where we operated as a family but actually it was the fourth. The first building was on a site which is approximately where the Civic Auditorium is now. The second, was at an area now owned, now covered by the Olds Manor, historically however that was known as German Corners or Rasch or the Rasch House and that hotel was owned by my father and mother and an aunt. Interviewer: Which corner was that? Mr. Jackoboice: That was on the Northwest corner of Monroe and Bridge Street or Michigan. It is where the Olds Manor is now And they later on, they moved from there to a site on the west side of Grand River, approximately where the new Civic Theatre is scheduled to be built, approximately where the old inter-urban bridge terminates. The later on the German English School Society building was acquired by my grandfather and he converted to a factory. Interviewer: I think we‟re coming to the end of the, this side of the tape or fairly close to it so I think we‟ll turn the tape over at this point. Part Two of an interview with Mr. George Jackoboice. �10 Mr. Jackoboice: To continue, the business as I‟ve indicated previously has been variously known under different company names but has always been in full control and operation by the Jackoboice family. And during the business history, we as I have suggested before made sawmill machinery, logging machinery, then precision woodworking machinery, heavy road machinery and now we are concentrated in hydraulic power control systems and as such we sell these devices for the automatic control of things both in materials, handling, feeling, field, agricultural, automotive, the ready-mix industry and a great variety of applications, throughout the United States and Canada and probably 20 foreign countries. It is, I‟m sure a tribute to my grandfather and my father who, respectively founded the business and I‟m sure that we‟re all very grateful that because of their perseverance and industry that we survived as a tribute to the American concept of free enterprise. It is also I‟m sure worthy of a proud note, that both of my grandfathers William F. Hake and Joseph Jackoboice are memorialized in the permanent exhibits at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. And in each case they were leaders and pioneers of their respective, national origins, the one from Germany and the other Joseph Jackoboice who I‟m sure was the first by at least ten years, to be in Grand Rapids and he was certainly the pioneer of his nationality. I can only add that…. Interviewer: I wanted to ask you, what in, where in the public Museum would one go to find these memorials, memorializations of your grandparents? Mr. Jackoboice: They are in each case, on the second floor of the east building along the south wall, where they have the Heritage Hall. And there as you walk down this one hallway you‟ll run directly into the Germany exhibit and there‟s a picture there of William F. Hake and also of the old German English School House that I mentioned earlier which the Jackoboices owned and still own and immediately adjacent is the recognition of Joseph Jackoboice and the exhibit, which tells about the Polish ethnic background of the city. Interviewer: Go ahead. Mr. Jackoboice: You mentioned earlier, about some of the neighborhood interests, that I was privileged to enjoy on the west side. And of course when one goes by there now they will, they will notice that it is strictly commercial, industrial. And in no sense, does it reflect what it once upon a time was. For example, many of the old, of the older, and I would like to believe influential pioneers of Grand Rapids lived in that neighborhood. For example, directly across the street from my old boyhood home lived, the Voigts at that time, next door was T.W. Strahan. Interviewer: Excuse me, exactly where was your boyhood home, George Mr. Jackoboice: This home was at the corner of Mount Vernon and Allen Street; this was on the southeast corner. But it is entirely obliterated now because the expressway, in its construction was placed directly over the whole area within where I used to live. Directly … Interviewer: Go ahead. You mentioned the Voigts lived on one side and the Strahans. �11 Mr. Jackoboice: Strahans. Interviewer: How do you spell that? Mr. Jackoboice: S-T-R-A-H-A-N. Interviewer: Tell us about, go on with the…. Mr. Jackoboice: T.W. Strahan was a very well known man of his generation, as was his son I believe Tom. I don‟t really know what T.W. stood for but, I believe that was his father. Among other things they had a clothing store in the city which was a very popular place way back around the turn of the century, immediately adjacent was the old Bertsch Hall which was owned the Bertsch family and they, it was a huge three story house and on the third floor there was a ballroom. And of course this house was, in its glory days, was a tremendous place later on it became very decadent and I believe was since destroyed. Interviewer: Is that the Barclay Ayres and Bertsch family or….? Mr. Jackoboice: No. I don‟t believe it‟s that family. Interviewer: I see. Is Mr. Jackoboice: I don‟t know exactly the original… Interviewer: Is it spelled B-E-R-T-S-C-H? Mr. Jackoboice: I think so, I believe so. And then there was a gentleman by the name of Mordyke who lived, also nearby. Mordyke used to tell me that he once, was offered a partnership with Steketee of the department store, but he thought it was too much of a risk and rejected it. Much, I think, to his regret. Immediately next door to us was Anton Hirth who was a stone cutter and who was responsible for much of the stone work on the older buildings of Grand Rapids. And this particularly interesting to me because my grandfather Hake, provided the bond which was necessary for Mr. Hirth to get his first big contract, which was, I believe, on the old original Central High School, later to become Junior College on the corner of Lyon Street and.. Interviewer: And Ransom or Barclay? Mr. Jackoboice: Barclay, I believe, and Lyon. It is partly, it has been pretty much torn down the last few years and only the gymnasium of a much later vintage survives. In the area also, was Kutsche of the hardware store. And Kutsche, until he became an old man, was still very, very active in the business. It was later taken over by the firm of Brander and they‟re down on Leonard Street now. There was also Powers who built, the Powers Theatre, now the Mid-Town, but for many, many years housed the leading legitimate theatrical events of the city. He also owned the Powers and Walker Casket Company. And also in their area were the Knapes, of the Knape and Vogt Manufacturing Company, the family home was there. Liebermann of the �12 Liebermann and Gitlen Metal Company lived very modestly although he was certainly a very wealthy man in his time, lived also nearby. There was, Gill whose son Corrington Gill later became assistant Secretary of Commerce of the United States. There was a Drueke who is well known in the city now as the manufacturer of chess men. Also, Wurzburgs, of the department store lived, just a block away and I think that the, some of the problems of identifying the Wurzburg families and I emphasize the plurality is that according to my information Mr. Wurzburg was married three times. Each wife in turn died, but by each wife he had five children. And I think one of the, incidentally, our city commissioner, Abe Drasin, also lived around the corner and I was, I think, very much intrigued by the ethnic mix of the neighborhood at that time because many of the people have attained some measure of importance and significance in the community in later years, I grew up with and I think that would be true in other neighborhoods also, but I think that is especially significant to me. I think one of the most fascinating, and I‟m sure one of the most controversial figures I‟ve ever known, lived directly across the street and that was Edward N. Barnard sometimes know as Bernard, but we always knew him as Ed Barnard. Ed became, he was perhaps one of the youngest men ever to graduate from the University of Michigan Law school, graduating, I think when he was nineteen years of age, he became prosecuting attorney and there were a few problems involved with his tenure of office because it seemed that the electorate weren‟t too happy because he was away from his office more than he was present. Later on, Ed went to Detroit, Michigan and down there he attained considerable political prominence, both as a lawyer and also as a confidant and ally of Frank McKay. And I believe that between that Frank McKay with Ed Barnard ran the state of Michigan politically for twenty five years. Now I didn‟t know Ed legally, I knew him as a neighbor and I knew him socially. And I knew many of the nice things about Ed Barnard and those things I can never forget. For example, one day when my mother was sitting on the front porch of her house, Ed Barnard arrived and his house, which was staffed by a housekeeper, was in pretty bad decay so far as painting was concerned. So my mother said: “Ed, why don‟t you paint that house?” And Ed Barnard replied: “Well, Helen (my mother), why should I, I‟m never here?” And she said: “Because I sit here and have to look at it.” And he said: “I never thought of it that way, Helen.” That was Friday afternoon. Monday morning there were five painters there. But that‟s the way Ed Barnard was. When he died, according to the story, he left five Cadillacs, he had an estate in Detroit, complete with bridle paths and boat wells, yet he did not live there, he lived at a very modest apartment in the, I believe the Fort Shelby Hotel and took most of his meals over the slab of a soda fountain. And he had a chauffeur by the name of Henry, to whom he promised many things but, I think Henry never got much more than his thirty five dollars a week. And yet, Ed would be tremendously generous with other people. He, when he died, left several deposit boxes, and in these boxes for the most part was nothing but money. Bills to the amount of several million dollars, I think, the figure was around three. He also left one box that was solid with emeralds, diamonds, and significant pieces of expensive jewelry. The irony of the thing is that even though Ed Barnard was a lawyer, for many years a criminal lawyer, a practice which his father very much frowned against, because his father Bertram was sent here from Boston and he �13 was a very strict and ardent believer in the Bible and frankly supported missionaries around the world, Bertram, his father told me personally, that he was aghast at Ed‟s practice and told him unless he became involved in a more legitimate type of operation that, he would have to limit his visits, and Ed for all his failings, if you choose to call them that, adored his father. And Ed went to corporation law. And he would often ask me to visit him in Detroit. But Ed was really an egomaniac. He would use a person as a display for himself and you can refer to the rather interesting articles that appeared upon his death. And I think they‟ll attest pretty much to this flamboyance and theatrical qualities; the irony of it is also that, Ed Barnhard died without a will. And most of that money that he had acquired, I believe was for one reason or another contested by the Internal Revenue Service. How much of it went to the family, I really don‟t know. Interviewer: Did he have a family of his own? Mr. Jackoboice: Ed Barnhard was married very briefly to a lady by the name of Estelle Skinner. The Skinners were a very, very fine and well regarded family in the city. I believe they were married for a year for I am guessing, but perhaps a year and they were divorced. From this union they had one child. Why were they divorced, I don‟t know but, whenever Ed Barnard would return to Grand Rapids, he would always, literally have a date with his divorced wife and, you would think they were on their honeymoon. They were ardently, appeared to be ardently in love and yet, I guess they couldn‟t live together. She owned, I believe the Manufacturers building downtown, is that it… Interviewer: Which building is that….? Mr. Jackoboice: That‟s where Junior College had its offices down. It was a display, it was a Interviewer: You mean in that, farther down… Mr. Jackoboice: Yes, across from Klingmans, in that area. Interviewer: Yes, I know where it is…. Mr. Jackoboice: Yes, and that was owned by the Skinner family and Ed Barnard later on, through his wife who had died, and by the way, Ed couldn‟t have been more gracious, more beneficent to anybody than he was to his wife. She had a malignancy, I think a bone malignancy, bone cancer and he hired the best specialist in the country and provided her with every need. Ed was also marvelous to his mother. And his mother by the way was a brother, sister I should say of Frank Knox who was later Secretary of the Navy of the United States and I believe Vice President. And whenever, Ed was in town, Frank quite often would visit him. And so we did have some rather significant nationally known neighbors even back, forty some years ago. Ed always regarded us as a friend and I liked him tremendously. He was eccentric, he was a maverick, he was exciting, and I tell you, there was never a dull day when Ed was home visiting with his father and his mother and sisters. �14 Interviewer: Let‟s go back to you a little bit, where did you first go to school? And tell us about your school life. Mr. Jackoboice: I personally, attended Saint Mary‟s Parochial School, which is a Catholic school and all the morning classes in those years were in German until the beginning of World War One, when it was not considered patriotic to continue the use of the German language, as I mentioned earlier, my father and mother both spoke fluent German: I spoke reasonably good German until I was seven or eight years old. I continued on at Saint Mary‟s and then I went to Catholic Central High School. I played football there. I later went to Davenport Institute then known as the Davenport-McLaughlin Institute, a business school for a year, then I went on to the University of Notre Dame where I graduated in nineteen thirty one, in the department of journalism. And it‟s perhaps you wonder how I could reconcile journalism and the machinery business. Well, one is an avocation, the business I grew up in ever since I was a lad, I would spend much of my free time down at the factory either making toys and boats on the band saws and sometimes cutting my fingers in the process, but I did continue and graduated in journalism and upon my graduation from Notre Dame in nineteen thirty one, I entered the business in, I‟d been active there ever since. My three sons are also in the business as is my brother and his son James. Interviewer: I‟d like to go back again ad ask you about that period of life when you were at Saint Mary‟s and perhaps at Catholic Central also. Did you have what, what was your social life like in those days? Or when you were little did you, were your friends confined to your immediate neighborhood or did you, when you went to Catholic Central did you meet an entirely different, new group of people, just give me some thoughts on that if you will. Mr. Jackoboice: Thank you, when I was at, when I was growing up, I was very fortunate to have had, to have through my parents and my family connections, an acquaintanceship with a great many of the older residents of the city, the older families. And frankly, these names that I, of which I speak, there are many, many more which have so far been unmentioned, because of the time limitations…were frankly dinner table conversation. And because of that, with my father and mother who were very knowledgeable on many things, we enjoyed a great family life, and we travelled a great deal and that continued all through my youth. Later on of course when I was in high school, pretty much the same pattern of life prevailed except that then I was in my teens. Later on when I attended the University of Notre Dame, I became, I suppose more nationally minded because of the national character of the school. Most of the students there were from areas other than the Midwest, I don‟t say all of them, but a great many of them were from all over the United States plus many foreign lands. It‟s also perhaps of some interest in connection with Notre Dame that my grandfather, William F. Hake and my grandmother Mrs. Hake traveled extensively to Europe and is believed that on one of these trips they met Father Edward Sorin, who was the founder of the University of Notre Dame. And because my grandfather then had nine sons, he enjoyed this connection very much and all nine sons went to Notre Dame University and for many years it was perhaps the largest single family, to have attended Notre �15 Dame. Gregori the famous Italian artist who painted the murals, in the main building and in the church and also in the Golden Dome also painted life-size portraits of my grandfather and grandmother. These portraits now are in our home. The original organ at the old Sacred Heart Church at Notre Dame was bought by my grandfather and presented to Saint Mary‟s Church in Grand Rapids, where it remained until it was replaced, oh probably thirty years ago. It was a tremendous instrument and I don‟t think that the organists ever were equal to its wide range of pipes and possibilities. But that relationship of Notre Dame University and its principals prevailed for many years. When my grandfather and grandmother would be at the University they would share a suite in the administration building down there as a special guest of the president and the staff of the University. When my grandfather died, a delegation came from the University to pay tribute to him, at his funeral. Interviewer: I‟d like to go on a little further. Now your family, up to a certain point, pretty much lived on the West Side but you‟re not, you haven‟t lived there for a long time and when did people begin to move out of that area, members of your family, that is? Mr. Jackoboice: We continued to live on the West Side, I did until my marriage on June 17th 1936 to Helen Gast, who was the daughter of Peter and Emily Gast, were I‟m sure, a well known family in business and society in the city. We lived for a very brief period of time, after our marriage on the west side near John Ball Park. Later we moved on Auburn Avenue and then for the last, approximately twenty five years, we‟ve lived here at Park Hills Drive, in a suburb known as Cascadia, which is immediately, which is in Grand Rapids Township and directly across from East Grand Rapids. But we‟re living in a pastoral area which is a very fine neighborhood and one, where my three sons were raised and fortunately two of the three are now, also our neighbors and each case living only two blocks away. My oldest son lives in Spring Lake. And then of course, he enjoys it very much down there too. Interviewer: I‟m rather interested in your house; it‟s a very beautiful home. I don‟t believe you built it, is that correct? Mr. Jackoboice: This house is one of the oldest in this particular residential area. It was built, I would believe, in the middle nineteen twenties. I understand that the man who began it, at that period of time, had extravagant ideas and somehow, was not able to finance it adequately so he left it uncompleted and sold it to a man by the name of Alex Sergeant. Alex, with his wife and his son Snover(?) and daughter Phyllis, lived here until we acquired it and we have added to it quite significantly, we‟ve added where we‟re sitting now, a library in walnut, which is a very beautiful room and I say that not so much in tribute to me but, in a tribute to Warren Rindge who, was probably one of the finest of the traditional architects that this city has ever known. Warren was educated abroad among other things and is, and to attest to his ability he was also on the State Historical Commission and his particular emphasis was on historic doings of Mackinac Island. You‟ll see his name mentioned up there and he often attended the meetings at the island, at the Grand Hotel. Warren died about a year ago and his wife died, just very recently. But he �16 was a tremendous architect for this type of traditional building and it certainly, every time I told him in his lifetime and I remind myself afterwards, that its one of the more significant things that, I think he‟s done. Interviewer: Now, I know you have a large family and, have many cousins in addition to your immediate family but, and I‟m sure that your family and your business take a good deal of your time but [do] you have other social interests or clubs that you belong to that you enjoy in Grand Rapids? Mr. Jackoboice: Yes, I belong to the Peninsular Club where I‟ve been a member many years. I belong to Cascade Hills Country Club, I also belong to the Sierra Club and I have been a member of Hidden Valley at Gaylord for many, many years. I think I have a little sand in my shoes because I love to travel much to my wife‟s dismay at times because she said she can go to Vienna probably easier than she can to Toronto. But, over the years, beginning in nineteen thirty, I traveled to Europe and in the trip of nineteen thirty and again in nineteen thirty-four; I traveled by bicycle throughout Western Europe and in some of the areas what are now back of the Iron Curtain. But I knew those, I knew the area then, when it was an independent, they were independent countries like Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Austria, and Poland. I did not get into Russia although I tried because at that time the United States did not recognize the Soviet Union. Even though we had the co-operation of the State Department, we were a little bit reluctant to go because of the hazardous, political situation. But nevertheless we did, with a friend travel by bicycle throughout Western Europe. Then again in nineteen thirty-four, I made a similar trip alone, taking in many of the areas that I missed the first time. Subsequently I have been around the world, traveling throughout the Orient into Malaysia, Indonesia, India, up in Afghanistan, Iran, throughout the Mediterranean countries, all of Western Europe, quite a few times. And I enjoy it immensely and like to read and reminisce about these areas because I think that when you have memories and have an interest in foreign lands, you have an interest in people and you recognize their good qualities of all these races and nationalities. And I think it‟s a tremendous advantage, in both in your business and your way of looking at life. You get a really a philosophy of life rather than psychology of living. And I think there‟s a big difference in that term. Interviewer: I‟d like to go back and cover an area that I should have covered, should have asked you about a little bit earlier. Grand Rapids was one of those cities during the depression that was fairly hard hit, especially the furniture industry. Was your business badly affected at that time? Mr. Jackoboice: Yes, certainly it was affected and I might add that I learned more basic lessons in economics than I ever did in all the economics, or business courses that I ever pursued at the university. You learned many things that were not taught in books and it‟s been most helpful in my business career ever since. We of course, Grand Rapids was severely disturbed at that time by the economic problems of its day, but in the overall, I don‟t think I ever had more fun, on a more modest budget, and I think that was true of any of our contemporaries, and I‟m speaking of �17 course, of the interviewer also. We were, everybody was pretty much in the same financial plight, so I think people then would boast how little they earned a week rather than how much. Business-wise, we did at the time a considerable business with governmental agencies and of course, they were, their obligations were either deferred or denied completely and so it was a long time before the businesses in general became solvent and life became to assume a little different hue. I‟m not going to say that one way is more pleasant than the other. I think each has its place in our lives and I‟m sure that we‟re all, we all who have lived through the depression and we‟re better for it. Do you agree with that? Interviewer: Well. I don‟t remember it as vividly as you do, but I think I do, I do have that rather, some rather vivid memories and I think, some of my younger friends would behave a little differently if they had known what I knew in those days. One other, and we‟re sort of running out of time at this point, and I‟d like to ask a question, sort of a general question which I‟ve phrased in different ways when I‟ve talked to other people. And the question is this: What do you think is the most significant change in the city or in the country or in the world that you can recognize in your lifetime? Is that too difficult a question? Mr. Jackoboice: Well, with reverence, probably is so broad it‟s flat, and I think anybody who could answer that completely could copyright the formula and retire for a life on the income. But, I think that somehow, people are, I think, that the pride of accomplishment and the pride of doing a good job, no matter how humble it is, is quite lost in today‟s society. And there‟s too much of the attitude of „what‟s in it for me?‟ Which up to a point, I suppose reasonable to expect where economics have a very viable part of our lives, however I think life would be much more pleasant and enjoyable and the economic gains would follow if people were more dedicated to their lives and to their work, they would, in spite of themselves profit by it. Interviewer: I‟ve got another question, I haven‟t asked this one but, I think you are young enough to look towards the future, some of the other people I‟ve interviewed have really been very close to the end of their lives. I wonder what you think about the future of Grand Rapids. Mr. Jackoboice: Well, I think, the future of Grand Rapids is tremendous. I‟m a little bit awed by your preface about this item of age. You can be either in the old age of your youth or in the youth of your old age. I think, I prefer to be in my youth of old age Philosophically you can say well there‟s, if you can say the glass is half empty that‟s bad, if you say it‟s half full, that‟s great. Well, I believe it‟s half full. Grand Rapids for the future, I would personally love to see a revitalization, resurgence of the downtown area of Grand Rapids. I have longed been the champion of that. And I think it‟s too bad that the thing has been permitted to deteriorate. Now, I know that economics, over which many have had no control have entered into this problem, but that the same people who probably permitted it to happen, should also be instrumental in its revival. And I think, that it‟s some of these things really are quite basic and I think, the pursuit of these, better things is, such as have long been planned should be finalized and I really don‟t think that there is too much difficulty once, and I think this is an important thing, once you make a �18 start. It‟s just like when people, when a man on an autumn afternoon rakes the leaves, pretty soon a dozen other people are doing the same thing because they‟re more or less inspired by his example. Maybe in some measure that‟s what could happen to our city. Interviewer: Well, thank you Mr. Jackoboice, George, for this very interesting interview. This will go into the archives of the Grand Valley, Grand Valley State Colleges, and who knows, perhaps somebody will be listening to our voices a hundred years hence or perhaps, later even than that. Well, but we‟ll never; we won‟t live long enough to know, I think we‟ll conclude it now. INDEX B Barclay Ayres Family · 12 Barnard, Ed · 13, 14 Bertsch Family · 11, 12 Bertsch Hall · 11 C Hidden Valley at Gaylord · 17 Hirth, Anton · 12 J Jackoboice, Edward Joseph (Father) · 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15 Jackoboice, Helen Gast (Wife) · 1, 5, 16 Jackoboice, Helen Matilda Hake (Mother) · 3, 4, 6, 10, 13, 15 Jackoboice, Joseph (Grandfather) · 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 Jackoboice, Uncle George · 8 Cascade Hills Country Club · 17 Catholic Central High School · 15 Clancy, John · 2 Cody Hotel · 9 K D Klingmans · 14 Knape and Vogt Manufacturing Company · 12 Knox, Frank · 14 Kusterer, Mr. · 4 Kutsche, Mr. · 12 Davenport Institute · 15 Detroit Free Press · 2 Drasin, Abe · 13 G Gill, Corrington · 12 Grand Rapids Public Museum · 10 H Hake, Clara · 5 Hake, Dr. William F. · 3, 4 Hake, Louis F. · 3 Hake, William F. (Grandfather) · 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 12, 16 Hanchett, John · 2 L Liebermann and Gitlen Metal Company · 12 Livingston Hotel · 9 M Machinery Company · 1, 10 Marshall Field Family · 2 McKay, Frank · 13 Miller, Louisa Schletter · 5, 6 Miller, Mr. · 5 Mordyke, Mr. · 12 �19 P Peninsular Club · 17 Powers and Walker Casket Company · 12 R Rasch, Frances (Grandmother) · 7, 8 Reed‟s Lake · 8 Rindge, Warren · 17 S Saint Mary‟s Parochial School · 15 Schettler, Anna-Maria (Grandmother) · 2, 5, 16 Sergeant, Alex · 17 Sierra Club · 17 Skinner Family · 14 Skinner, Estelle · 14 Sorin, Father Edward · 16 Steketee's · 12 Strahan, T.W. · 11 Studebaker, Helen · 6 U University of Notre Dame · 6, 15, 16 V Voigt, Clara · 3, 4 Von Dreisen, Count · 6 W Wurzburg, Mr. · 13 Wurzburg‟s · 12 � https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/d03981b367b88f09d26c9d27366abcb6.mp3 a872d47800d66102aaa050b78c392d1f Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Grand Rapids Oral Histories Subject The topic of the resource Heritage Hill (Grand Rapids, Mich.) Local histories Memoirs Michigan--History Oral histories (document genre) Description An account of the resource Taped and transcribed interviews conducted in the early 1970s primarily of the children and grandchildren of many of the founders of Grand Rapids, Michigan; many of whom were residents of the Heritage Hill neighborhood. Interviews were collected to develop a significant collection of oral resources that would supplement other primary and secondary local history materials. Initially funded as a private project, Grand Valley State College (now University) assumed responsibility for continuing the project until 1977. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Various Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/452">Grand Rapids oral history collection (RHC-23)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf; audio/mp3 Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text; Sound Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-23 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1971 - 1977 Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-23_43Jackaboice Title A name given to the resource Jackoboice, George Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Jackoboice, George Description An account of the resource George Jackoboice was born in 1908. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1931. He was a member of the Peninsular club and the Cascade Hills Country Club. He co-owned the family business, Monarch Road Machinery Co. He died on January 10, 1987. Subject The topic of the resource Michigan--History Local histories Memoirs Oral histories (document genre) Grand Rapids (Mich.) Personal narratives Heritage Hill (Grand Rapids, Mich.) Grand Valley State University Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf audio/mp3 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Grand Rapids oral history collection (RHC-23) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1974 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ecefd1887f764d9df5b495aa0db48b2f.JPG e131033be9ead849e792ddbf87bc739b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Ronald Oakes collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Oakes, Ronald Description An account of the resource Collection of photographs by Ronald Oakes, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, and in the U.S. National Guard in the Iraq War. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1968/2005 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/628">Ronald Oakes Vietnam and Iraq war photographs (RHC-80)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Iraq War, 2003-2011 Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Veterans Photographs Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Relation A related resource Veterans History Project interviews, RHC-27 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-80 Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-80_Oakes-Iraq-SSGOrtizandtheIASearchstrikerteamoutsidetheSouthEastGateFOBEndurance2-16-05 Title A name given to the resource SSG Ortiz posing with the Iraqi Army soldiers guarding the rear gate of FOB Q-West Subject The topic of the resource Iraq War, 2003-2011 United States--History, Military United States. National Guard Military life Soldiers Photographs Description An account of the resource SSG Ortiz posing with the Iraqi Army soldiers guarding the rear gate of FOB Q-West Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Oakes, Ronald Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Ronald Oakes Vietnam and Iraq photographs (RHC-80) Relation A related resource Veterans History Project interviews, RHC-27 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Iraq War Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2005-02-16 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/f7c1848dc07762ea8f078399299d521f.JPG 17aea14928fce67abcc14cbfc918f388 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Ronald Oakes collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Oakes, Ronald Description An account of the resource Collection of photographs by Ronald Oakes, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, and in the U.S. National Guard in the Iraq War. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1968/2005 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/628">Ronald Oakes Vietnam and Iraq war photographs (RHC-80)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Iraq War, 2003-2011 Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Veterans Photographs Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Relation A related resource Veterans History Project interviews, RHC-27 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-80 Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-80_Oakes-Iraq-PDR_0158 Title A name given to the resource Oakes at a refueling stop in Iceland on the way to Kuwait Subject The topic of the resource Iraq War, 2003-2011 United States--History, Military United States. National Guard Military life Soldiers Photographs Description An account of the resource Oakes at a refueling stop in Iceland on the way to Kuwait, the day after Thanksgiving 2004. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Oakes, Ronald Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2004-11 Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Ronald Oakes Vietnam and Iraq photographs (RHC-80) Relation A related resource Veterans History Project interviews, RHC-27 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Iraq War Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/91fb26b675ac440a9f5deca4e1f4224a.JPG 911ed34a7a18892e10341667fecb0cc5 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Ronald Oakes collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Oakes, Ronald Description An account of the resource Collection of photographs by Ronald Oakes, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, and in the U.S. National Guard in the Iraq War. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1968/2005 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/628">Ronald Oakes Vietnam and Iraq war photographs (RHC-80)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Iraq War, 2003-2011 Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Veterans Photographs Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Relation A related resource Veterans History Project interviews, RHC-27 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-80 Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-80_Oakes-Iraq-IAoutsidetheSouthEastgate2-16-05 Title A name given to the resource Iraqi guards at the rear gate of FOB Q-West looking south Subject The topic of the resource Iraq War, 2003-2011 United States--History, Military United States. National Guard Military life Soldiers Photographs Description An account of the resource Iraqi guards at the rear gate of FOB Q-West looking south. Notice how flat the terrain is and the lack of distinguishing features. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Oakes, Ronald Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Ronald Oakes Vietnam and Iraq photographs (RHC-80) Relation A related resource Veterans History Project interviews, RHC-27 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Iraq War Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2005-02-16 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/04f1b7ff5f41acecac4b075a5d04a4d7.JPG ee7ebddd8995f0a69ccd68cbcc7aef97 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Ronald Oakes collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Oakes, Ronald Description An account of the resource Collection of photographs by Ronald Oakes, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, and in the U.S. National Guard in the Iraq War. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1968/2005 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/628">Ronald Oakes Vietnam and Iraq war photographs (RHC-80)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Iraq War, 2003-2011 Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Veterans Photographs Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Relation A related resource Veterans History Project interviews, RHC-27 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-80 Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-80_Oakes-Iraq-100_0141 Title A name given to the resource IED damage done to a HUMVEE Subject The topic of the resource Iraq War, 2003-2011 United States--History, Military United States. National Guard Military life Soldiers Photographs Description An account of the resource IED damage done to a HUMVEE. The HUMVEE is loaded on a truck head south to FOB Balad Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Oakes, Ronald Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Ronald Oakes Vietnam and Iraq photographs (RHC-80) Relation A related resource Veterans History Project interviews, RHC-27 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Iraq War Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/666a0a3214d2b1b474e0fdaaae25d7e1.JPG 3a2b7d09043cf04ae4f6748f134c05c8 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Ronald Oakes collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Oakes, Ronald Description An account of the resource Collection of photographs by Ronald Oakes, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, and in the U.S. National Guard in the Iraq War. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1968/2005 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/628">Ronald Oakes Vietnam and Iraq war photographs (RHC-80)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Iraq War, 2003-2011 Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Veterans Photographs Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Relation A related resource Veterans History Project interviews, RHC-27 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-80 Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-80_Oakes-Iraq-DSCF2147 Title A name given to the resource Spent shell-casings at the firing range at FOB Q-West Subject The topic of the resource Iraq War, 2003-2011 United States--History, Military United States. National Guard Military life Soldiers Photographs Description An account of the resource Spent shell-casings at the firing range at FOB Q-West. An M-249 LMG (Light Machine Gun) is in the background Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Oakes, Ronald Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Ronald Oakes Vietnam and Iraq photographs (RHC-80) Relation A related resource Veterans History Project interviews, RHC-27 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Iraq War Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/7fb11b822ad61d68b335b83b4add3180.JPG 51118741c8d61b25fb44914d99167723 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Ronald Oakes collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Oakes, Ronald Description An account of the resource Collection of photographs by Ronald Oakes, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, and in the U.S. National Guard in the Iraq War. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1968/2005 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/628">Ronald Oakes Vietnam and Iraq war photographs (RHC-80)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Iraq War, 2003-2011 Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Veterans Photographs Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Relation A related resource Veterans History Project interviews, RHC-27 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-80 Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-80_Oakes-Iraq-DSCF2001 Title A name given to the resource Sandstorm approaching FOB Q-West Subject The topic of the resource Iraq War, 2003-2011 United States--History, Military United States. National Guard Military life Soldiers Photographs Description An account of the resource Sandstorm approaching FOB Q-West Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Oakes, Ronald Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Ronald Oakes Vietnam and Iraq photographs (RHC-80) Relation A related resource Veterans History Project interviews, RHC-27 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Iraq War Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/52c9c928f1a8759d521934bd604160f4.JPG 7aa100d3d87ac9687489933dd06da5b4 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Ronald Oakes collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Oakes, Ronald Description An account of the resource Collection of photographs by Ronald Oakes, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, and in the U.S. National Guard in the Iraq War. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1968/2005 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/628">Ronald Oakes Vietnam and Iraq war photographs (RHC-80)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Iraq War, 2003-2011 Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Veterans Photographs Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Relation A related resource Veterans History Project interviews, RHC-27 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-80 Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-80_Oakes-Iraq-DSCF1942 Title A name given to the resource Tigris river south of Mosul Subject The topic of the resource Iraq War, 2003-2011 United States--History, Military United States. National Guard Military life Soldiers Photographs Description An account of the resource Tigris river south of Mosul Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Oakes, Ronald Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Ronald Oakes Vietnam and Iraq photographs (RHC-80) Relation A related resource Veterans History Project interviews, RHC-27 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Iraq War Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/988021398f273e4f7a360e6ee34e9db9.JPG 06b0c0cc6ef631001d8c0a535fdef08d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Ronald Oakes collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Oakes, Ronald Description An account of the resource Collection of photographs by Ronald Oakes, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, and in the U.S. National Guard in the Iraq War. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1968/2005 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/628">Ronald Oakes Vietnam and Iraq war photographs (RHC-80)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Iraq War, 2003-2011 Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Veterans Photographs Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Relation A related resource Veterans History Project interviews, RHC-27 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-80 Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-80_Oakes-Iraq-DSCF1295 Title A name given to the resource Oakes' superiors and Iraqi commanding general with assistant Subject The topic of the resource Iraq War, 2003-2011 United States--History, Military United States. National Guard Military life Soldiers Photographs Description An account of the resource Oakes' superiors and Iraqi commanding general with assistant at a dinner at FOB Q-West in September 2005 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Oakes, Ronald Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2005-09 Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Ronald Oakes Vietnam and Iraq photographs (RHC-80) Relation A related resource Veterans History Project interviews, RHC-27 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Iraq War Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/805e5bc2e93de5345d630acc457fe7d8.JPG ae9be1329be6134284f5f5b95efb7d76 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Ronald Oakes collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Oakes, Ronald Description An account of the resource Collection of photographs by Ronald Oakes, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, and in the U.S. National Guard in the Iraq War. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1968/2005 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/628">Ronald Oakes Vietnam and Iraq war photographs (RHC-80)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Iraq War, 2003-2011 Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Veterans Photographs Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Relation A related resource Veterans History Project interviews, RHC-27 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-80 Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-80_Oakes-Iraq-DSCF1161 Title A name given to the resource AH-64 Apache ready-line at FOB Q-West Subject The topic of the resource Iraq War, 2003-2011 United States--History, Military United States. National Guard Military life Soldiers Photographs Description An account of the resource AH-64 Apache ready-line at FOB Q-West. Oakes' unit's compound is just off to the right of the picture. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Oakes, Ronald Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Ronald Oakes Vietnam and Iraq photographs (RHC-80) Relation A related resource Veterans History Project interviews, RHC-27 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Iraq War Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/6e61b08c333ceaa669918361216e9b55.JPG 2492eb36bfcf62fcd0e33d7e8a53e6a3 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Ronald Oakes collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Oakes, Ronald Description An account of the resource Collection of photographs by Ronald Oakes, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, and in the U.S. National Guard in the Iraq War. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1968/2005 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/628">Ronald Oakes Vietnam and Iraq war photographs (RHC-80)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Iraq War, 2003-2011 Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Veterans Photographs Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Relation A related resource Veterans History Project interviews, RHC-27 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-80 Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-80_Oakes-Iraq-DSCF1155 Title A name given to the resource FOB Q-West from the air Subject The topic of the resource Iraq War, 2003-2011 United States--History, Military United States. National Guard Military life Soldiers Photographs Description An account of the resource FOB Q-West from the air. The white object in the middle ground is water palletized at the end of the runway. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Oakes, Ronald Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Ronald Oakes Vietnam and Iraq photographs (RHC-80) Relation A related resource Veterans History Project interviews, RHC-27 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Iraq War Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives