The landscape along U.S. 41 is typical in the U.P. It is rugged, hilly, and with lots of trees. Traffic is generally light, which is a good thing because in the U.P. deer herds freely wander across the roads. Eventually I reached the towns of Ishpeming, Ojibwe (above-in the air-on high) and Negaunee (Anishinaabemowin) word for (foremost-leading-in advance-pioneer); both were turn of the century mining towns.

From there I went south on Michigan Highway 35 to Gwinn, my final destination.  

Suddenly, as I neared the town, almost at treetop level, there was this huge plane! It was either preparing to land or ready to crash. I fortunately remembered that Gwinn was the home of K.I. Sawyer, Strategic Air Command. B 52’s, Nuclear Bombers base. I had lived through one major bombing when my hometown of Rotterdam was bombed the beginning of the Second World War and over 2,500 people died.

I was relieved, realizing that I was safely in the U.P., but it also made me somewhat uncomfortable. Did I really want to be teaching and living that close to a stockpile of nuclear armaments? I decided that (1) I had driven two hours to get there, and (2) I needed a job! The needs to pay bills and to eat are strong motivators.

I drove around the small town of about 2,000 residents. It didn’t take very long! It looked pretty much like any other U.P. town. The school looked very nice, and a friendly school secretary welcomed me. She rang the principal’s office and told him that I had arrived. A moment later he stepped into the office and introduced himself.

“Henri Sherry, a retired navy officer, and now the high school principal.”

There was something about him I instantly liked. He invited me into his office and we sat down and talked about the job. 

I learned that the job consisted of Gwinn High School and Junior High School (Middle School) choir, as well as some elementary music classes on the K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base. 

I would be issued a special pass (after I had been “checked out” by security). It would allow me to enter and exit the base at any time. He explained that the only time that entering or exiting would be totally restricted would be when the base was on “full alert”. Sirens would sound, and red lights would flash until the “full alert” was over. “Alert” was a time when planes came in to be re-armed with nuclear warheads. He also expected me to develop a hand- picked High School “Travel” Choir. In addition, I would have some Elementary School general music classes. He had already checked my references and seemingly knew a lot about me. He was very encouraging about the choirs doing extra concert appearances around the area. He said, “Like you did at Creston and Suomi.” (He evidently had checked my references.) He also assured me that the school district had funds to purchase whatever I would need to equip the choirs for touring. That sounded very encouraging. 

We talked about the logistics. I told him that, if hired, I would definitely remain residing in Houghton so I would be a “commuter.” I had an organist/choir director job with Wednesday evening rehearsals at Trinity Episcopal Church in Houghton, and needed that job to help pay my bills. He understood, and told me that he had a couple of teachers who also commuted, “but not from as far away as Houghton.”

He also assured me that his office staff would assist me in finding local rental housing with cooking privileges.

We discussed my staying in Gwinn on Monday and Tuesday evenings, and driving back to Houghton on Wednesday after school. Early Thursday morning I would drive back to Gwinn and on Friday after school I would drive back to Houghton. My classes would be arranged primarily in the morning and early afternoon to accommodate my travels. His willingness to make my work schedule as accommodating as possible impressed me a lot.

He told me that he was not just interested in finding “a Music Man”, but when he found “the right one” he, Henri, would do everything possible to make the program and the new director a success. It was nice to hear.

He then, out of the blue, asked me if I liked to fly. I didn’t quite know what to think of the question, but I told him that I liked it a lot and that I had taken some flying lessons in gliders at the Boulder City, Colorado airport.

He explained that he was part owner of a two-seater Piper Cub airplane, housed at the Marquette County Airport. He also told me that most of the teachers in the past had an interest in going with him for an occasional spin, had lost interest over time, and he would be delighted if I would occasionally accompany him.. What else could I say, but “of course, I’d be happy to join you”. This man was pushing all the right buttons and I sensed that slowly he was making and getting “the sale.”

By now it was almost noon and he said, “How about lunch? We’ll go on the base and I can show you what that part of your job would be like”.  Anxious to gain new experiences, I agreed, of course. I had never been on a “Strategic Bomber Base” before! We visited the school where I would be teaching some elementary music classes and then we went to the base cafeteria.

We were seated in the “officers” section. Looking over the menu I was amazed at the low, low prices. Henri informed me that as a teacher on the base I would have the privilege of eating in the officer’s mess at any time, and shop in the B.X, the Base Exchange (military designation for “store”). He also told me that the B.X. prices were way below standard wholesale. For a frugal Dutchman that was very persuasive! You might say it was “music to my ears”. He then offered to take me to the B.X. after lunch.

During lunch, Henri explained that after undergoing and passing a security clearance check, I would be given a special pass that would give me access to the base at any time. One of the downsides of the Gwinn job would be learning to adjust to the ever changing enrollment of the Air Force families. At the end of each month, a “TDY” (Temporary Duty Assignment) list was posted. It listed the names of families that were scheduled for deployment to other posts. Some deployments were in the U.S., others to other countries. It, of course, made planning for concerts or musical productions quite complicated. It also made me realize that my previous jobs had been much simpler. This would be a whole new challenging adjustment.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Gerrit Lamain is a former Copper Country resident who served as a music professor at Suomi College. He was also the organist for the Michigan Tech hockey team before moving on to the Minnesota North Stars.