I got an email from a parent of current Wayne students, who asked about James A. Beneway. Since he has been gone prior to the creation of the internet, it is probably not surprising not much is online.

I know some of the history of why his name is attached to the high school, but maybe others are better qualified to tell that story. I did have a personal recollection of when I met him. In 1971, I was 15 and studying to be able to pass the FCC Amateur Radio Novice exam. In those days, the test for the beginners license was administered by current FCC license holders of a higher grade license. My friend Ed Fisher, advised me to contact Mr. Beneway, as he gave Ed the test years earlier. A bit intimidating, calling the guy up whose name is on the high school you are attending. So I gave him a call, and we set up an evening to take the morse code test. If I passed that, the FCC would send the written test and we would schedule another evening.

My Dad took me over. I think they knew each other slightly. I don’t really recall the two separate visits, but I passed both sections. I remember thinking he had a cool house. His parents lived in an old farm house in front, and he had built a new house behind theirs. It was a modern looking design, not what you would expect of a farmers house. His ham station was in the back of the house on the ground floor. I was enthralled by his station. At the time, I probably had two small receivers, he had two walls full.

That was the only time I recall meeting him. He was helpful, but I seem to get the feeling he was a busy man. I was saddened to hear that he was ill, and then passing shortly after. I have this photo that another ham from Rochester sent me. This was probably taken around 1971 +/-, as it looks exactly how I remember it.

So who else remembers

?