Impact saint patrick high school today and tomorrow
Your charitable gift will provide vital support for our projects, activities and goals
Christian Brother Lights the Way for Alumnus Richard Klimmer
During his sophomore year Richard Klimmer '60 was reading the sports section underneath his desk in his American History class when Brother James of Mary called President Polk a "big land grubber." This surprising statement about the U.S. president grabbed Klimmer's attention. The sports section was suddenly tossed aside, and that moment marked the beginning of Klimmer's life as an historian. "Brother James' presentation and interpretation of American history changed my attitude toward both school and history," says Rich. "He set me on the path to learn the historian's craft."
After graduating from St. Pat's Rich went on to major in history at Marquette University where he also minored in English. He then continued his history education and earned a Ph.D. from Northwestern University. Commendable reviews on a research paper about the American-Mexican War and the Abuse of the President's War Making Powers gave him his greatest confidence as an historian and helped influence his 27-year career as an AFL-CIO organizer.
Klimmer began working at Florida International University where he became very active with the AFL-CIO. He helped form the first faculty union and was on the first contract bargaining team. Rich then went on to work for the National office of the AFL-CIO as a full-time organizer where his work took him all over the country. "What I liked best about my work was showing people what they could do," said Klimmer. "But," he adds, "it was up to them to do it."
This philosophy was very similar to what was instilled in him at St. Pat's. "I was taught to work and learned to use my abilities so that I could do and be whatever I wanted to be." Rich credits the Christian Brothers with their emphasis on the classic arts and sciences, which gave him a solid base on which to build his education.
Fifty years after a Christian Brother "lit the light," Klimmer is still grateful for the education he received. In addition to having Saint Patrick High School as part of his estate, Rich also established the Brother James of Mary Endowment. "Hopefully, this gift will allow other working class boys to have as fine an education as I received at St. Pat's," says Klimmer.
In addition to reviewing books, refereeing articles, and serving as an editor of the Labor Studies Journal, Rich has embarked on a new career as a playwright. He and his good friend, Lonnie Carter, wrote a play, Organizing Abraham Lincoln, about starting a university. The play won the prestigious Guthrie Festival Award. "It's like winning the lottery," Klimmer said. The play now runs at New Playwrights in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia. Klimmer would like to see his play performed at Saint Patrick as part of the 150th anniversary celebration in 2011. "I am excited (for the possibility) about bringing Abraham Lincoln home."
