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ARNOLD "ARNE" H. FOCKLER

BS '67

I was the only one in my family to get a college degree. College was not an option for my three older brothers. Times were tough. Dad needed them on the farm. The local banker encouraged me to go to college and loaned me money to do so. I was not prepared. The first semester was all about having fun. I liked being 'on my own.' Dean Hackett was my psychology professor. He was an entertaining teacher as well as a psychology scholar. His class was fascinating. Even so, I skipped his class regularly to enjoy some good times outside of school. I read the psychology text before taking the tests and managed to get B's and C's on the tests. That was good enough for me. Late in the semester, Dean Hackett called me in to talk to me. He told me, 'You can do a lot better than this. You skip class regularly, and I am not going to put up with that. I am going to fail you.' I pleaded with him. I said, 'Come on. I am passing the tests. You can't fail me.' He offered me a deal and said, 'If you do very well on the semester final, I will give you a D.' It was a large class with 80 to 90 people. The class was in the auditorium. I studied hard, and it resulted in a top grade on the final. A few days later, Dean Hackett called me in again. I thought, 'Oh good. He is going to give me a C or a B because I really killed the final!' Wrong! He gave me another lecture. He said, 'I am giving you a D. You show great ability, Mr. Fockler. Don't continue wasting it. Your future can be bright if you apply yourself. Now get out of here.' He was angry, and so was I. I continued to take his psychology classes because I loved his classroom style of teaching. I worked hard. I never skipped his class and killed all of his tests. He would give me accolades in front of the class. I think I was his 'project.' Dean Hackett had an incredible effect on me. I gained a new level of confidence. It changed my life. School became fun. That D in first-year psychology has remained a fond memory of mine.

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`ARNOLD "ARNE" H. FOCKLER`

`BS '67`

I was the only one in my family to get a college degree. College was not an option for my three older brothers. Times were tough. Dad needed them on the farm. The local banker encouraged me to go to college and loaned me money to do so. I was not prepared. The first semester was all about having fun. I liked being 'on my own.' Dean Hackett was my psychology professor. He was an entertaining teacher as well as a psychology scholar. His class was fascinating. Even so, I skipped his class regularly to enjoy some good times outside of school. I read the psychology text before taking the tests and managed to get B's and C's on the tests. That was good enough for me. Late in the semester, Dean Hackett called me in to talk to me. He told me, 'You can do a lot better than this. You skip class regularly, and I am not going to put up with that. I am going to fail you.' I pleaded with him. I said, 'Come on. I am passing the tests. You can't fail me.' He offered me a deal and said, 'If you do very well on the semester final, I will give you a D.' It was a large class with 80 to 90 people. The class was in the auditorium. I studied hard, and it resulted in a top grade on the final. A few days later, Dean Hackett called me in again. I thought, 'Oh good. He is going to give me a C or a B because I really killed the final!' Wrong! He gave me another lecture. He said, 'I am giving you a D. You show great ability, Mr. Fockler. Don't continue wasting it. Your future can be bright if you apply yourself. Now get out of here.' He was angry, and so was I. I continued to take his psychology classes because I loved his classroom style of teaching. I worked hard. I never skipped his class and killed all of his tests. He would give me accolades in front of the class. I think I was his 'project.' Dean Hackett had an incredible effect on me. I gained a new level of confidence. It changed my life. School became fun. That D in first-year psychology has remained a fond memory of mine.