Press enter after choosing selection

Glen Freeman - V.I.P. To Dixboro's Young People

Glen Freeman - V.I.P. To Dixboro's Young People image
Parent Issue
Day
25
Month
August
Year
1974
Copyright
Copyright Protected
Rights Held By
Donated by the Ann Arbor News. © The Ann Arbor News.
OCR Text

Glen Freeman - V. I. P. To Dixboro’s Young People

SUNDAY AUG 25 1974 

 

Glen A. Freeman (Right) And Grandchildren, From Left, Mark Freeman, Scott Connell And Alan Freeman In Dixboro School (News Photo By Jack Stubbs)

 

By Mary Jo Frank
(News School Reporter)

What's wrong with the name Dixboro?

That, said Glen A. Freeman, was his first reaction when he learned of a movement in the community to rename Dixboro Elementary School in his honor.
Initially, he told the name selection committee he didn't want the change.

But after committee members explained future residential development in the area probably would require a second school and both couldn’t be called Dixboro, Freeman acquiesced.

The Ann Arbor Board of Education is scheduled to formally approve the renaming of the school at its meeting Wednesday.

Freeman, 72. was born in Augusta Township near Stoney Creek and moved to Frains Lake, a community three miles east of Dixboro, when he was 11 years old.

During the more than 60 years he has lived in Frains Lake and Dixboro. Freeman has earned a reputation for caring about the community and its youngsters through his work with the Boy Scouts, Dixboro United Methodist Church and Dixboro school.

Freeman was president of the Superior Township No. 2 fractional school board in 1953 during the construction of the first two classrooms of what has come to be known as Dixboro Elementary School.

Although quick to point out that the school board of the previous year was responsible for initiating the $43,000 building project, Freeman acknowledged he was on committees involved in site selection and the building project.

The two-room elementary school. 3540 Dixboro Lane, replaced a one-room brick school that had been used since 1888. The old Superior Township No. 2 Fractional school still stands on Dixboro's village square, facing Plymouth Road. It is used by Dixboro United Methodist Church as a youth center.

When the first two classrooms of the new school were complete, Freeman recalled he and the other four school board members contributed their annual wages for serving on the board. $30 a year, to purchase used desks for the school.

When part of the school yard needed sod. Freeman said his mother donated the grass and a sod cutter cut it free for the school. Men in the community helped place it down.

Harvey Sanderson, 132 N. Dixboro Rd., a long time friend of Freeman, said, “Glen has a way of getting people to work for him.”

Freeman's involvement with the local school continued when he was appointed to complete the term of another member of the school board in 1955. It was then called Dixboro School District.

In 1957 he was elected to a three-year term and was a trustee when the school was annexed to Ann Arbor in 1958. When The News first attempted to reach Freeman for his comments regarding the renaming of Dixboro school in his honor, he was unavailable.

Freeman and his wife, Carol, were camping with relatives of Dixboro Boy Scouts on a canoe trip. The Freemans and others maintained a base camp while the boys and their leaders took a six-day canoe trip.

Freeman, who always attends fall, winter, spring and summer camps with the Boy Scouts, helped organize Boy Scout Troop No. 30 in 1925.

“We started the troop so the farm boys could usher at the University of Michigan football games, “Freeman recalled.

Freeman served as scout master from 1929 to 1935 and as a member of the scout committee from 1935 to 1943. The troop disbanded during 1943 and 1944 because of World War D. Freeman served as the cub and scout master in 1945, and from 1946 to 1951 he served as scout master.

From 1951 to 1965 he served as the institutional representative for the church on the scout committee and since 1965 he has been the neighborhood commissioner for the Chippewa District.

For a dozen years Freeman has helped the boys build a skating rink in the back of the youth center.

Freeman has been secretary of the Oakgrove Cemetery Association since 1969. The Boy Scouts, with Freeman as supervisor, maintain the grounds to earn money for camp.

The scout leader received the Silver Beaver Award in 1963 for his services to scouting. It is the highest award one can receive in Boy Scouts of America on the council level.

Freeman retired from Ford Motor Company in 1966. He worked as the coordinator of the experimental truck building at the Research Center in Dearborn.

In 1969 the Freemans were presented a plaque for their service to the youth of the Dixboro community.

As a member of Dixboro United Methodist Church since 1913, Freeman has served in many positions including trustee, treasurer, Sunday School superintendent, steward and usher.

With other men in the community he helped to build the first addition to the church.

Although not assigned the specific tasks, Freeman regularly checks the church to see if the doors are locked, lights are off and heat is on. During the winter, he shovels the church pathways and makes sure the pipes don’t freeze.

When asked how he feels about having a school named after him, Freeman said, “It's a big honor. It’s an obligation.”

Freeman attended Frains Lake School through the eighth grade and graduated from Ypsilanti High School in 1920.

When asked what he thinks schools should teach. Freeman answered. “I think the three R’s — reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic. You get too many kids who can’t read. If they can’t read and don’t get help from home, it can be a real handicap.”

Both Freeman and his wife also think youngsters need to be taught, at home and in school, respect and consideration for others.

Although schools have improved in lots of ways since he went to school because of increases in knowledge. Freeman said, “You need something to get them interested. You need different types of teachers because there are all different kinds of people.”

When Dixboro students return to school in September, they will face several changes.

The school will have a new name, a new principal and a number of new classrooms.

Frank Tarzia, who was principal at Angell and Bader schools last year, has been transferred to Dixboro.

Last May, a new addition was completed at the school. It includes eight new classrooms, a kindergarten room, office space, media center and a gymnasium.

The original two classrooms built when Freeman was president of the school board plus two classrooms built later have been converted to art and music rooms.

The addition will be dedicated at a ceremony at the school from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 6.

Freeman has eight grandchildren. The three who will attend the new Glen A. Freeman School in September are: Alan Freeman, fifth grade; Mark Freeman, second grade; and Scott Connell, first grade.

A letter from Boy Scout Roger Black was one of many submitted to the Ann Arbor school board as documentation for trustees to consider when deciding on the renaming.

Black wrote: “Mr. Glen Freeman is a very important person to us and different from some older people. Some older people do not have much patience but Mr. Freeman to my knowledge has never blown his top at any kid or besides that anybody. I think that Mr. Glen Freeman is the greatest. I think that if you don't know Mr. Freeman you should meet him. I am sure you will enjoy him. . .”