Rose Poly and Me

A few takeaways from the book:
Carl brings to life his Rose Poly days in the late 1950s as an engineering student and as a college football player whose feats on the field became legendary.
His book relays the rigors of a tough academic institution, where a dean tries to terrify an assembly of Carl and his fellow incoming freshmen class, warning that only one of three of them will make it through all four-years at the school. To arm himself for the challenge, Carl wears a slide-rule on his belt, like a gunslinger in the old West with a six-shooter in a holster around his waist for protection.
In his book, he relates the pressures and anxieties, joys and poignant moments with fraternity brothers and professors and coaches as well as with a freshman coed from Indiana State University who would become his wife. The uncustomary way he initially catches sight of her is a charming part of his memoirs.
Post-Rose Poly, Carl goes on to have an esteemed career as a professor of engineering back East. Still his relationship with his alma mater has remained strong to this day, though at times its lack of attention to matters must haver left him bewildered. For years, he encourages the school to become coed, a goal finally accomplished in the 1990s. Ever devoted, Carl lays out a vision for the future of the college.
Football commands the central focus of the book, his incredible performance on the field as deserving of any portrayal in “Hoosiers." In one epic season the Rose Poly football team goes undefeated and Carl leads the nation in total points scored, an individual NCAA record that reigned for 30 years.
It is an inspirational story about a champion in college football, in academia and in life. Carl takes you there.
For me a connection: he is my first-cousin.
Barry B. Burr,
Chicago.

I found Carl’s memoir has on his days at Rose Polytechnic Inst. (now Rose-Hulman Inst. of Technology) to be a very good read.

Rose fans may well recognize that Carl Herakovich played several sports while at Rose. He led coach Phil Brown’s undefeated 1958 football team to the #1 small college team ranking in the nation. Carl scored 168 points in 8 games. The football team had a 15 game winning streak that started in the 1957 season. Carl was the nation’s leading scorer in the 1958 season. (Coach Brown had another nation’s leading scorer - Eddie McGovern - in the early 1940’s).

Carl talks about his school days at Rose, how he met his wife, his post graduate education, his teaching days at Rose and his tenure as Rose’s head football coach. Carl also held influential academic positions at VPI (Virginia Tech) and the University of Virginia.

Carl was driven to succeed in all of his endeavors - in schools, sports, his marriage and his work. He genuinely gives credit to those who helped him do his best and accepts responsibility for shortcomings.

Carl also discusses the position of Rose in academia and, based upon his academic experiences, offers suggestions that, if implemented, may well be beneficial to Rose.

It was my pleasure to serve as an equipment manager on Carl’s football and track team during the 1963/1964 school year. So, if you think I may be a bit biased towards Carl; you are right.

J W Katzbeck
Class of 1967