I was from the class of 67. Mr"S" got all the 10th graders for their first year and he gave us the same comment that Vince Johnson recalls in 1964. If something falls, Don't try to catch it, let it drop. What I most remember of Mr. "S" from the first day we as 10th graders came into his shop. was his emphasis on "Safety", hence the Don't try to catch something rule. He welcomed us to Mastbaum and his shop (Rm. 202). Then he stated "As I call your name, I would like you to come over here and "Pick up this anvil" In front of him, was an anvil on a concrete base. As we were called and each tried to lift the anvil, Most of us could barely get one edge off the floor. A couple of the Bigger boys actually got it up off the floor. After the roll call was completed. Mr. "Soko" said that he wanted to give us a demonstartion. He pushed up the sleeves of his shopcoat, revealing the hairiest set of arms I'd ever seen. He bent his knees and hooked both arms under the ends of the anvil & base at his elbows. He stood UP with the anvil and WALKED ALL THE WAY AROUND THE SHOP smiling at us as he passed each one. When he got back to the starting point, he opened his arms allowing the anvil to drop to the floor with a resounding THUD! He then looked around the shop, SMILING!, and asked, "Gentlmen, are there any questions as to Who is in Charge"
He was the first shop teacher I had when entering Mastbaum. He was a friend to all students that respected him and did not take anything from those that didn't. I remember visiting the school about 7 years after graduation with a problem and he let me use the shop and welding equipment to fabricate a part for a hotrod project. I will allways have fond memories of Mr Sokolowski.
After spending a few weeks in Machine Design(MD), it was discovered that someone changed my file from MC to MD, so I finally was reassigned to Mr Sokolowski's 10th grade Machine Shop(Machine Construction=MC). When I handed a card with my name on it, Mr Sokolowski looked at my name, then looked up at me, and shouted, "Take those sunglasses off! We don't wear sunglasses in a machine shop! Go stand in that corner!
A few years prior, my brother ,John, was in Mr Sokolowski's Machine Shop. My brother was a problem for Mr Sokolowski. So here I enter, long hair similar to my brother, and wearing prescription sunglasses, with the last name of Gasiorowski. To this day, I believe Mr Sokolowski crossed out MC on my file, and changed it to MD.
Anyway, although Mr Sokolowski and I got off to a bad start, Mr Sokolowski took me under his wings. He truly cared about me, and was looking out for me, as he truly cared about all of his students. There were many times that he would shout at us, but then 5 minutes later, he was back to his caring self.
I can also remember a time when he disciplined me from some infraction. He told me to write a 5 page report on the history of the lathe, and then when I came back on Monday, to stand in the corner. I spent the entire weekend looking through every encyclopedia I could get my hands on. When I came back on Monday, went straight to the corner. Mr Sokolowski came over and asked, "What are you doing over here?" I handed him my 5 page report on the lathe. He took it. Never looked at it. Ripped it up and said, "Get to work."
The biggest lesson I learned fro. Mr Sokolowski is "When everything else fails, try reading the directions!" This is something he would shout when ever you asked him a question about something he already taught you.
Without Soko i would not have graduated he kept me 3 yrs let me build dump truck for 12th yr project he taugh me so much gave him hard time took me to fire escape said ok give me your best shot or get back in room and shut up i did as he said from that day on yes he did pick up anvil let me hack saw 1 1/2 cold roll steel to race elce saw i won first piece after that i got the idea i wrote him letter before he past to say how sorry and grateful i was to him i hope to meet him on other side he was a number man n teacher sam birth class of 74 God bless you soko...
Vincent Johnson (1968)
MR. SOKOLOWSKI. taught me in school year '65-'66, said if something falls get out of the way don't try to catch it. machine constuction
Thomas Callen (1967)
I was from the class of 67. Mr"S" got all the 10th graders for their first year and he gave us the same comment that Vince Johnson recalls in 1964. If something falls, Don't try to catch it, let it drop. What I most remember of Mr. "S" from the first day we as 10th graders came into his shop. was his emphasis on "Safety", hence the Don't try to catch something rule. He welcomed us to Mastbaum and his shop (Rm. 202). Then he stated "As I call your name, I would like you to come over here and "Pick up this anvil" In front of him, was an anvil on a concrete base. As we were called and each tried to lift the anvil, Most of us could barely get one edge off the floor. A couple of the Bigger boys actually got it up off the floor. After the roll call was completed. Mr. "Soko" said that he wanted to give us a demonstartion. He pushed up the sleeves of his shopcoat, revealing the hairiest set of arms I'd ever seen. He bent his knees and hooked both arms under the ends of the anvil & base at his elbows. He stood UP with the anvil and WALKED ALL THE WAY AROUND THE SHOP smiling at us as he passed each one. When he got back to the starting point, he opened his arms allowing the anvil to drop to the floor with a resounding THUD! He then looked around the shop, SMILING!, and asked, "Gentlmen, are there any questions as to Who is in Charge"
Andrew Zajackowski (1966)
He was the first shop teacher I had when entering Mastbaum. He was a friend to all students that respected him and did not take anything from those that didn't. I remember visiting the school about 7 years after graduation with a problem and he let me use the shop and welding equipment to fabricate a part for a hotrod project. I will allways have fond memories of Mr Sokolowski.
William Emilius, Jr. (1966)
Soko was indeed a Great Guy. You Always Knew Where You Stood With Him. NO Nonsense, but Fair, again, A Great Guy, Great Teacher.
Joseph Shookla (1970)
Mr. Sokolowski was my machine shop teacher great manBernard Gasiorowski (Gasiorowski) (1972)
After spending a few weeks in Machine Design(MD), it was discovered that someone changed my file from MC to MD, so I finally was reassigned to Mr Sokolowski's 10th grade Machine Shop(Machine Construction=MC). When I handed a card with my name on it, Mr Sokolowski looked at my name, then looked up at me, and shouted, "Take those sunglasses off! We don't wear sunglasses in a machine shop! Go stand in that corner!
A few years prior, my brother ,John, was in Mr Sokolowski's Machine Shop. My brother was a problem for Mr Sokolowski. So here I enter, long hair similar to my brother, and wearing prescription sunglasses, with the last name of Gasiorowski. To this day, I believe Mr Sokolowski crossed out MC on my file, and changed it to MD.
Anyway, although Mr Sokolowski and I got off to a bad start, Mr Sokolowski took me under his wings. He truly cared about me, and was looking out for me, as he truly cared about all of his students. There were many times that he would shout at us, but then 5 minutes later, he was back to his caring self.
I can also remember a time when he disciplined me from some infraction. He told me to write a 5 page report on the history of the lathe, and then when I came back on Monday, to stand in the corner. I spent the entire weekend looking through every encyclopedia I could get my hands on. When I came back on Monday, went straight to the corner. Mr Sokolowski came over and asked, "What are you doing over here?" I handed him my 5 page report on the lathe. He took it. Never looked at it. Ripped it up and said, "Get to work."
The biggest lesson I learned fro. Mr Sokolowski is "When everything else fails, try reading the directions!" This is something he would shout when ever you asked him a question about something he already taught you.
Rest in peace Mr Sokolowski.
Samuel Birth (Birth) (1974)
Without Soko i would not have graduated he kept me 3 yrs let me build dump truck for 12th yr project he taugh me so much gave him hard time took me to fire escape said ok give me your best shot or get back in room and shut up i did as he said from that day on yes he did pick up anvil let me hack saw 1 1/2 cold roll steel to race elce saw i won first piece after that i got the idea i wrote him letter before he past to say how sorry and grateful i was to him i hope to meet him on other side he was a number man n teacher sam birth class of 74 God bless you soko...