My Teachers were Heroes Too!

My Teachers were Heroes Too!

The mission at Iowa State Teachers College was to train the best teachers for the children in the state of Iowa, and that mission has been upheld.

To accomplish that mission there had to be a tremendous effort on the part of the instructors and professors who taught their student how to teach. Among those special people there were those who also served gallantly during World War Two:

1: Dr. Howard Vander Beek guided assault landing crafts onto the beaches at Normandy. He taught English at the Price Laboratory School and was a professor at the college.

2: Dr. Randall Bebb, who taught at the Lab School, flew supplies over the "hump" from India into China. He also was a professor at the college.

3: Dr. Ross Nielson served a combat information officer on a Navy destroyer. He, also was teacher at the Lab School and at the college.

4: Dr. William Happ's engine failed on a training flight over Lake Michigan. He dreaded water for nearly two days before he was rescued. As a result he insisted on building a indoor swimming pool at the Lab School. He taught hundreds of children how to swim.