Marcus Bennett:  

I am now retired from teaching Industrial Arts and Technology. I spent 36 years at Lowville Academy and Central School grades 7-12. Every kid who passed through the 7th grade in Lowville Academy since 1967 was in my class. Initially, it was boys only, but for my last 25 years or so, both boys and girls were required to take Technology Education. I live on a small farm in Lowville area (upstate NY) with my wife of 28 years. We have 6 daughters. I wrestled in high school for 3 years and am still interested in wrestling. I coached it for 7 years in the junior high program here. My youngest daughter, Heather, wrestled for Lowville in the AAU program and did better than I did in High School. I always felt appreciated by students and administration at Lowville. Through the many years, students have come up to me and expressed heartfelt appreciation for my service to them and our school. I still occasionally, run into a former student who thanks me for having been their teacher and in some small way or other have impacted their lives. It is the best retirement gift a teacher can get. Growing up, I was always interested in hunting and fishing and continue with these pursuits. I maintain interest in many activities and as a result can claim no expertise in any one. My annual schedule looks something like this: January through March - ice fishing, woodworking, watercolor painting, March and April - tapping maple trees and making pure NY state maple syrup and trout fishing, May - wild turkey hunting, gardening and land prep for planting wildlife food plots, June through August - preparing for a few craft shows with items Linda and I have made throughout the year and cutting 40 cords of firewood for our outdoor furnace heating system (a cord is a pile of wood 4 feet high and 8 feet long at 22 inches in length), September through December - deer hunting beginning with archery, then muzzle loader, then rifle and finally a southern tier hunt, December - making Christmas cards (since 1962) and building wood items for family gifts. I spend down time in my shop making various craft items etc. My Athletic Career as SVHS I can not say that I was an athlete in school. I had trouble with the rules and nuances of the various sports and was even ¿roughed up¿ a bit in junior high after a noontime flag football game. I didn¿t intend to trip the runner, but I just couldn¿t let him get by me. In basketball, I often fouled someone who was about to make a shot because I couldn¿t let him make it. I knew then, as now, that those were inappropriate behaviors but I couldn¿t help it. My plan then was to not participate - it was healthier. I tried track in HS and ran the 440 last except for one time where I came in next to last because I cut in front of another runner causing him to fall. The coach said to try something else. My arm sockets didn¿t like the pole vault and the long jump was pretty short when I did it. I tried soccer in the 9th grade but was not enamored with the running one end of the field, only to then run back to the other end. When dribbling the socc...Expand for more