Ron Ballard

Following graduation in '69, I attended two years at KSTC in Emporia (along w/Steve Stone, Al Kerby, Don Stevens...et al), then transferred to Washburn University where I received a B.A. in '73. This was, in no way, influenced by the fact that Linda Mann was attending at Washburn (and I still don't know what an Ichabod is.....).While in school I managed WIBW-FM and did free-lance advertising and communications work.

Linda and I married in June of '73. I moved into teaching high school Compostion, Literature and English while Linda received her B.M.E. in '75. We both taught in the Topeka area for several years. I received my M.S. at Kansas State in '79 and became Asst. Principal at Concordia High.....don't faint. In 1983 I landed my first Superintendent of Schools position.

Meanwhile, Linda and I got bored and suddenly had two kids: Jeremy in '82 and Jennifer in '84...okay, so I didn't study my biology. Since our lavish life was now squandered, I got academic fever and completed a Ph.D. at Kansas State in March, '84. I've been fortunate to hold several superintendencies in Kansas (and one in Arkansas- that's a whole 'nuther story), and teach Graduate School. After a four-year stint out of Kansas, we're now back in Arkansas City (so. of Wichita) and seeing those we've missed for awhile. I'm still doing the school administration thing and Linda teaches elementary music in Wellington. I've had '69 classmates walk up to me at a school open house and let me know who they are AND tell me they've got kids in the school system......talk about feeling old.

Great to see this site...speaks well of our class. Nancy Goreham: I HAVE NOT forgotten you or Lanny Wolf from the Keintz IGA days...let alone your crazy voice on intercom when food was piled everywhere and you had no bagger.