ROSES FOR THE LIVING

 

                                                        John J. Middlesworth

 

     This week our “Roses for the Living” goes to one of our boys who has established him-

self as one of the best High School Athletic Coaches in Michigan, John J. Middlesworth.

     John J. was born in Brinton on January 20, 1896, moving to Weidman that same year

with his parents.

     He attended the Weidman School, completing the course of study of ten grades and then

went on to Mt. Pleasant where he graduated from the High School and later from the Central

State Teachers College as a Degree Teacher.

     His first years of teaching were in the schools at Bangor and Vulcan.  He then taught in

Mainstee School for two years where he had charge of Athletics.  He then came to Weidman

as Superintendent of the School and before the end of the School year he resigned and

accepted a position as Coach of the Ionia High School.

     He remained at Ionia six years, gaining much valuable experience, and fitting himself

for the more responsible position that was offered him as Head Coach of the “Big Reds”

at Lansing Central High School, which position he has held for the past nine years.

     John J.’s ability as a coach is shown by his excellent record.  In his nine years with the

“Big Reds,” they have taken one State Championship in Basketball and have gone into the

finals in three other years.  His football teams have won State Title the last three years and

have been undefeated in the last 26 starts.  This is a record any coach could be proud of.

     Always aggressive and vitally interested in the physical and moral well-being of his boys,

and forgetting self in his desire to be more helpful to them, he has expended his energy

faster than nature could restore it and it has been necessary for him to temporarily retire

from active duty, but with his spirit of determination we know that he will soon be back on

the firing lines passing out the orders to those “Big Reds” who so willingly obey his every

command.

     Keep up the fight, Jack!  We’re rooting for you.