Former student tells about 'a little talk with Mr. Shaw'

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Brian Ast of Nevada, who owns Ast Heating & Air, said Friday that retired vocational education teacher Kennon Shaw had the cooperation of most of the juniors and seniors who studied at the Nevada Regional Technical Center from Sheldon, El Dorado Springs, Northeast Vernon County High School at Walker, Hume, Rich Hill, Butler, Bronaugh and Nevada.

Those who didn't show the requisite regard earned a trip "out back to the fuel tanks to have a little talk with Mr. Shaw," Ast said.

"He never talked down to anyone in class. He treated us with respect and we did the same thing for him. He would get his point across out there where there were no witnesses. It was one of those things where you didn't want to go out back and have a talk with Mr. Shaw, which I never did.

"It was just his overall demeanor, firm but fair. He got to know each kid individually and always asked about what was going on in their lives. I took him three hours a day for two years and had a lot of respect for his wife and kids because he always talked highly of them."

Shaw sometimes hired students to bale hay in the summer and boarded them at his home, Ast recalled.

Just retired as Vernon County southern commissioner after six years in the governmental role he assumed after retiring from teaching, Shaw said R-5 officials "were good to me all the time I taught.

"They cooperated every way they could," he said.

Vernon County Northern Commissioner Neal Gerster said the county's two sides got along better than they do in many parts of the state. "We agreed on most everything," said Gerster.

"There were a few things we didn't and we talked about it and were still friends. Kennon has a good sense of humor. He likes to enjoy life."

Gerster said they "just worked together.

"In some counties, the commissioners do their thing separately and that's how they take care of it," he said. "I took care of the program with all the bridges and was glad to. He picked the ones that he wanted worked on in the south and we are doing a couple down there right now."

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