My fascination with the deaf started when I was 16 years old. I met an old deaf man while fishing here in Delavan’s Lake Comus. At first it was just gestures to get our points across and then it was using paper and pencil. One day this deaf man gave me an “ABC” card which showed me how to fingerspell the different letters of the alphabet. Having that was so much easier than making sure I had a pad and a pencil in my pocket all the time. Eventually, the fingerspelling got boring so I asked my friend to show me how to sign, “What is the sign for…?” From that point on my skills improved immensely. It was great to be able to communicate with my new found friend along with other deaf folks that showed up by the lake. The man who took the time to get me started with sign language was none other than August Kastner, the very soul for whom Kastner Hall was named after.
Being employed at the local gas station, I was able to surprise some of my customers when they pulled in by being able to ask them what they wanted through sign language. My uncle was grateful for my new found skill because now some of Delavan’s Deaf community were coming to the gas station where the “hearing boy” could sign. To further improve my signing skills, I also did a three year stint as an assistant track and field coach at WSD under Earl Watkins back in the mid 70’s prior to my hire in August of 1978. I felt very fortunate to have this opportunity to work with the deaf. Little did I know at that time this was to be a two way street of learning.
Working with the students all these years has made me a better person when it came to “raising kids”. I had to learn right along with them. It came with rewards and frustrations, times of tears and times of joy…an experience I would never trade away. It’s been my hope when students graduate that they can look back and smile when a moment in their lives made them recall that short, bald-headed man who goes by “DK” on the side of their chin (or Grampa as some of them fondly call me). If that occurs, then I have done my job. I’m grateful to have had the chance to work with each and every one of them, and I thank them all for what they have given me in return.