October 24, 2002
5:28 AM   Subscribe

in nineteen hundred and twenty eight
disturbed by an increase in the property tax rate
andrew kehoe, a deranged man,
blew up the school in bath, michigan

Suprisingly, not many people know about the worst school related attack in US history. Do you?
posted by Degaz (29 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Thank you, Degaz. History shouldn't be forgotten, especially things like this. I had never heard of this before.
posted by Hall at 5:34 AM on October 24, 2002


I blame Marilyn Manson.
posted by rex at 5:47 AM on October 24, 2002


Wow. I had never heard of this before either. And imagine...it had nothing to do with video games, movies or the internet!
posted by JoanArkham at 5:56 AM on October 24, 2002


this has been discussed on MeFi before, though not in a front page post, at least i don't think. This post represents what Mefi is turning into, historical horror 101. no further links, no in depth takes. it is recycled newsfilter.

on topic, yes i did know and had a distant relative killed in that attack.

"I blame Marilyn Manson". this little gem represents the ignorant rants of an uninformed person whom probably did not read the links.
posted by clavdivs at 5:58 AM on October 24, 2002


or it was tongue-in-cheek
posted by tolkhan at 6:06 AM on October 24, 2002


this has been discussed on MeFi before


A true Mefite would have provided a link to the discussion. Unless there was no discussion....
posted by Degaz at 6:10 AM on October 24, 2002


Oddly, I was just thinking of this (partly by driving through Michigan, but I can't remember what the other trigger was, unless it was the sniper case). It's funny-weird that he also blew up his car and house.

And human nature remains constant: telegraphed news prompted gawking crowds to drive from other Michigander cities. In that respect, at least, it's better to have cable tv. (Reminded of a Guindon cartoon -- two guys rubbernecking at a car accident, one says "Let's go home and watch it on TV.")

What's bizarre about Kehoe is the amount of preparation that went into this crime. It wasn't just a guy who cracked one day and ran around killing -- he had worked on it for some time, buying the dynamite, wiring the charges into the school.
posted by dhartung at 6:17 AM on October 24, 2002


nice framing, degaz.
i will reveal my geek
credentials now by
letting on that it
reminds me of the
original intro to logan's
run.
posted by adamgreenfield at 6:38 AM on October 24, 2002


I enjoyed thje post and learned something I had not known. What I had known, though, was to expect (and get) a lot of snottyu remarks from commenters...look at post. Don't like? go to another. Why try to be so clever and/or snotty? no one gains from this.
posted by Postroad at 7:06 AM on October 24, 2002


FPP's are not haikus
why
the unusual
line breaks?
posted by matteo at 7:19 AM on October 24, 2002


This is a good article because it's mostly unknown. It not only provides news links but other links as well, and is interesting for the same reasons why I've spent countless hours just reading the stories at the Crime Library website.

"I blame Marilyn Manson". this little gem represents the ignorant rants of an uninformed person whom probably did not read the links.

Remove head from ass, and chuckle. Thanks.
posted by trioperative at 7:26 AM on October 24, 2002


Also note that I think this may be the first incidence of a truck bomb.
posted by trioperative at 7:28 AM on October 24, 2002


why the unusual line breaks?

Read the post in a sing-song cadence. I assume it's a playground chant of the era.
posted by JoanArkham at 7:30 AM on October 24, 2002


Yes, JoanArkham. It's from the Poems section in the first link (second poem down).
posted by Ufez Jones at 7:36 AM on October 24, 2002


to be fair, this first link, which i have had seen before, is pretty in-depth.

It's funny-weird that he also blew up his car and house.
He also killed his ailing wife.
The whole incident was horrible. But Kehoes' wiring was flawed, thus only a partial collapse of the school. He blew his car up with him in it , killing two men and a child.

the incident happened in 1927, not 28'.

My great- grand father was a friend of Fred Greens, then governor , when this took place. Great-grand father gave donations and made available vehicles if needed. My grand mother, though 97 now, only spoke to me once about this. She was in college at the time it happened. This tragedy led her to become a volunteer for the rest of her life (including to this day) in various childrens programs. (Her first volunteer job was Red Cross, knitting wash clothes and rolling bandages for 'doughboys'.

I was a little harsh with the poster, i apologize.

but it was not just property taxes this man was "disturbed" about. He ran for school board and won. He also held other various political offices, namely, the newly created Farm Bureau. He had a reputation of being mean and incompetent.

I like to see the synthesis of likes tragic events. How people overcome, help change things.

and before some googles up Fred Greens corruption...well enough said there.

I enjoyed thje post is not that rather sick?

Also note that I think this may be the first incidence of a truck bomb
well, you thought wrong, but i will let your keen sense of analysis find an earlier example.

Remove head from ass, and chuckle.
you first.
posted by clavdivs at 7:40 AM on October 24, 2002


"likes"='Life'
posted by clavdivs at 7:42 AM on October 24, 2002


thanks ufez
I enjoyed all the links
Also, we could do some MetaKaraoke on the side:
all together now:

in nineteen hundred and twenty eight...
posted by matteo at 7:54 AM on October 24, 2002


Yeah, I knew about it - my father was from Lansing and it's a matter of local legend there, or was. Bath didn't recover until it became a bedroom community in the '60s and '70s.
posted by pyramid termite at 8:00 AM on October 24, 2002


clavdivs: is not that rather sick?

Come on, you know perfectly well "I enjoyed the post" doesn't mean "Whee, I'm glad people got killed!" Do you only enjoy posts about sweetness and light?

Props to you for apologizing and for providing family details (thus adding to the value of the thread), but you still seem pretty bile-filled ("well, you thought wrong, but i will let your keen sense of analysis find an earlier example"); maybe this topic strikes a nerve with you? At any rate, it's not the poster's fault, nor the fault of those of us who find it an interesting and informative post.
posted by languagehat at 10:05 AM on October 24, 2002


You guys don't get it. I really do blame Marilyn Manson.

No, really.

I'm serious!
posted by rex at 12:39 PM on October 24, 2002


Come on, you know perfectly well "I enjoyed the post" doesn't mean "Whee, I'm glad people got killed!"

what does it mean then?

is not that rather sick?
a question and perhaps rhetorical one at that. It is not saying "posty, your sick"

Do you only enjoy posts about sweetness and light?

theres a sugar thread...somewhere that I posted on today?

("well, you thought wrong, but i will let your keen
sense of analysis find an earlier example");
just a little light snark for someone who only posted the plaque. when a simple google under say: 'Gang violence 1920's Detroit' would have given him his answer. (Hint: Purple Gang)

maybe this topic strikes a nerve with you?
what are you a shrink?

it's not the poster's fault, nor the fault of those of us who find it an interesting and informative post. Fault???

Props to you for apologizing

thanks, but why mention it if I had apologized.

Remove head from ass, and chuckle.

why don't you pick apart this little gem. See, i don't mind when i am called for being wrong, an ass, or incorrect.

and a chuckle to rex for having a sense of humor. my first point is that Mansion was not even born. could have said anything that is not parallel historically. For example"
"I blame...

bobo
a fire marshal from spain
two guys in a fiat
geo. Bush
a beet truck
posted by clavdivs at 1:24 PM on October 24, 2002


The new cycle of terror is the same cycle of old.

Old refreshed memories are New.
posted by thomcatspike at 1:24 PM on October 24, 2002


my first point is that Mansion was not even born. could have said anything that is not parallel historically. For example" "I blame... a fire marshal from spain

I think you're missing rex's point. If such a disaster were to occur today, you would hear people blaming music, movies, and video games for "teaching violence." (I guess it's easier than tackling trickier issues like parenting, gender roles, and acceptable emotional outlets.)
posted by hyperizer at 3:45 PM on October 24, 2002


I think you're missing rex's point -Hyperizer

You guys don't get it. I really do blame Marilyn Manson. - rex

ok hyperizer, what ever you say.
posted by clavdivs at 5:19 PM on October 24, 2002


Just trying to help!
posted by hyperizer at 5:50 PM on October 24, 2002


thanks, heres a quarter.
posted by clavdivs at 6:11 PM on October 24, 2002


From the Crime Library site:

Dazed parents, wracked by grief and shock, were brought in to identify the remains of the children, some of who were horribly mangled. A short distance away, Mrs. Eugene Hart sat in the street, with her two little dead girls, one in each arm and her son, Percy, lying dead in her lap. “There were sights that I hope no one will ever have to look at again,” said M. J. Ellsworth.
posted by spotmeter at 9:17 PM on October 24, 2002


You guys are way funnier than me.
posted by rex at 10:58 PM on October 24, 2002


certainly, one of the most spectacular property tax appeals ever filed...
posted by quonsar at 6:08 AM on October 25, 2002


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