LETTERS: BOB ROSENQUIST HAS WONDERFUL TEACHING LEGACY

To the editor:

For years I have known how Bob Rosenquist entertained so many people, old and young, with his fine music. I was pleased the article in your paper included honoring him and his awards.

I first knew him when, almost 50 years ago, he served as a vocational teacher in the Illmo-Fornfelt school. One of the classes he taught prepared students for mechanical drawing. One lad, Gary Curry, informed me once of his accomplishments at his job in St. Louis, a job he secured right out of high school with the training he got there.

Bob quit our school and went to work at Davis Electric in Cape Girardeau. Several months later I saw Bob and asked him when would he return to teaching. He replied to the extent that it would be when he could get pay enough to support his family.

Several years later Lynn Twitty would head a group of educators and directors from Southeast Missouri on a trip to visit two vocational schools in the St. Louis area. One was in the city. I believe it was Hadley Tech. And one was in St. Louis County, which impressed everyone. Needless to say, Mr. Twitty pioneered the first school in the area at Sikeston. During the trip to St. Louis, I had a conversation with Lynn and told him about Bob and his accomplishments. Bob was hired at Sikeston and spent several years there training many in vocational arts.

Our school used Sikeston during the early years but transferred to Cape Girardeau when its fine programs became available. Gary Gilbert and Harold Tilley have accomplished so much, and the programs will continue to improve with the new school building program. I thank them and Bob for their dedication in this, so important an area of complete education for this are of Missouri.

OLLIE C. AMICK

Scott City