Scott Street, professor of education at Eastern Michigan
University from 1961-1983, died Sept. 25 of cancer. He
was 89.
An activist for Ypsilanti, the environment and progressive
education, Street's students once presented him with a
plaque proclaiming him "The World's Greatest Boat-Rocker."
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Street |
Street was raised in Columbus, Ohio, where he worked at
Columbus Coated Fabrics and played minor league baseball.
He turned down an offer to be a pitcher for the Baltimore
Orioles, so that he could attend college. Street received
his bachelor's degree in physical education and history
from Bowling Green State University, and his master's degree
and doctorate in education from Wayne State University.
Prior to coming to EMU, Street worked for Ferndale Public
Schools. He was a social studies and physical education
teacher, as well as a coach at Ferndale High School. He
served as principal of Andrew Jackson School and, later,
the Paul L. Best School, both in Oak Park. In 1959, Street
and his family moved to Tripoli, Libya, where he served
as superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Schools.
Street returned to this country in 1961 to become the
director of the Roosevelt Laboratory School and a professor
of curriculum and instruction at EMU.
One of Street's accomplishments at EMU was the creation
of a course entitled "Integrating a Curriculum Via School
Camping," which taught future teachers how to educate their
students through a camping trip.
"I am a strong advocate of outdoor education," Street
said in a 1977 article. "I feel that those things that
can be best taught outdoors should be taught outdoors.
By school camping, we can integrate a variety of subjects
such as biology, math, science, conservation and others."
He also served as co-director of the first teacher's college
in Somalia for two years.
Street was an active member of the Ypsilanti community.
In 2002, Street and his wife passed out information door-to-door
about possible health risks associated with sludge burning
in Ypsilanti Township. In addition, he served as co-chair
of the League of Women Voters' education committee, evaluated
charter schools and worked on several campaigns for the
Democratic Party.
But Street's service to the community is not over. Street
was a member of the University of Michigan's Gift of Knowledge
Program and donated his body to the university for Alzheimer's
research, although he did not have the disease, said Mary
Street Alinder, Street's daughter.
Survivors include his wife, McDonna (Mickey); his sister,
Bonnie; three children, Alinder Street, Patricia Street
and Scott Street; eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
A memorial celebration of his life is scheduled Nov. 25
at 2 p.m. at the First Unitarian Universalist Congregation
of Ann Arbor. Contributions may be made to the Scott W.
and McDonna S. Street Endowed Scholarship for Progressive
Education through the EMU Foundation or the family suggests
completing 10 hours of community service in his honor.
