Williamson News & Events: A Letter From Dick Dunlap 6W5

Why I choose to be active in the Alumni Association
by Dick Dunlap 6W5

Forgive me if you’ve heard this story before, but it is what drives my feelings for Williamson. In high school, I was told I wasn’t college material. Having failed algebra twice, I certainly had to agree with the guidance counselor. As a matter of fact, I still don’t think I am college material. I am a tradesman; I work with my hands. If I have any gift or talent, it is with my hands, and for this I thank God.

I am a person who has had the good fortune of being saved twice – once by the Lord Jesus Christ and the second time by Isaiah Williamson – well actually, Williamson Trade School. Maybe I wasn’t college material, but I thank God I was Williamson material!

And that, in a nutshell, is where my love and devotion to Williamson Trade School comes from. Over the last 118 years Williamson Trade School, through the vision of Isaiah Williamson, has helped over 6,000 “guys” like me. Oh yes, in that 6,000 we have our share of millionaires, really wonderful success stories (especially because we know where they started). But on the whole, the real Williamson success story is about a bunch of mostly good boys turned into good men, who with our Williamson training went out into the world, on into life – to serve our country, towns, communities, churches and families. Equipped with the values of Faith, Integrity, Diligence, Excellence and Service, we went on to be contributors to society – to make a difference.

Being involved with the Alumni Association and working with them is the joy we all share of “giving back” that drives every active member. Williamson has 3,000 living graduates and our Alumni Association of a little over 1,000 members. There are about 30 members who regularly gather for the five dinner meetings throughout the school year.

I enjoy the friendship, camaraderie and fellowship as we share the past and talk about the future and ways to help the school. Sharing and reliving our days at school sometimes has us laughing until we have tears in our eyes as we “one-up” each other.

The hard-working people who work at Williamson everyday, the loyal trustees, supporters in industry, the faithful Ladies Auxiliary, family and friends of the school we, the alumni, are honored to work along side these people. We try to do our part and contribute what we can to insure the healthy future of our beloved institution.

For us, as our class celebrated our 40th anniversary a year ago, we are at a point where we are looking back over our lives to see what most influenced us. I think we would all say that, without a doubt, it was Williamson Trade School.