MHS to award former student’s diploma 74 years later

John Schook as a Merchant Marine in 1945.

James W. Schook in 1985

John W. Schook, the eldest of nine children, was born November 12, 1927.

When he was 17 and in the 10th grade at Manchester High School, he decided to join the Merchant Marines to help support his now-single mother and eight siblings. He served aboard the cargo ship Hinton R. Helper until December 1945, when he was honorably discharged. He returned to his family in Manchester and tried to go back to school to obtain his high school diploma, but was told he was “too old.”

The Army, learning he was no longer in school, drafted him to continue serving his country during and after WWII; he continued to serve during the Korean War, where he was wounded and received a Purple Heart medal.

John served as a police officer for the city of Battle Creek for 10 years, and then went on to become an over-the-road semi truck driver to better support his family. He was a lifetime member of the Manchester Masonic Lodge, and belonged to Bedford Masonic Lodge in Battle Creek, the Shrine Club, the Battle Creek Commandery 33, York Rite College, and was a lifetime member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) serving in several positions within the group including as the Michigan Department Commander from May 1998 to May 1999. John Schook passed away on April 9, 2011.

Even despite his many successes in life, it always rankled knowing that he had never received his high school diploma. His daughter, Dawn Schook-Kuder, discovered just last summer that it was possible to obtain a veteran’s high school diploma if a service member met four points of criteria. Delighted to learn that her father’s service qualified, she set to work to obtain his military discharge paperwork and his high school information, proving he did leave school to join the military. Although the Merchant Marines is not always considered “military” service, according to Dawn, during the particular period when John served, it was included as one of the branches that qualified veterans to receive their high school diploma.

Dawn worked closely with MHS counselor Hollie Kolcz, who helped her process the paperwork and obtain a diploma that will be awarded to the Schook family posthumously at the Manchester Community Schools’ Board of Education meeting to be held April 15. The diploma will be presented by Ron Gainer, the current Department Commander for the Michigan MOPH.

“My dad always had ties to Manchester, right up until the time he died,” Dawn explains. In fact, two of his brothers, Jim and Ron Schook, still live in Manchester to this day. “This means a lot to our family; we are excited to finally have his diploma–even if it took nearly 74 years to get it.”

The Schook family is grateful to Kolcz, the MCS school board, and the MOPH for all of their assistance. If you have a family member who joined the service before graduating high school, and wonder if that person might also qualify for a diploma, the requirements are listed on this website: https://www.michiganveterans.com/a/High-School-Diploma-Applications

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.