User:H136eV

Who I Was
My name is Don Wilke and I retired from teaching secondary Math and Physics in Central Ohio in June of 2004. I taught almost all levels of High School Mathematics - Algebra I to Pre-Calculus, including Algebra for students who have trouble with Mathematics. I also taught all of the levels of Physics offered at our school - including a Math-Physics combination and Advanced Placement Physics.

After teaching in the same building for 35-years and still enjoying teaching, my children said they might need help with my Grandchildren. Therefore I retired.

Who I am Now
My name is still Don Wilke. My user name comes from my interest in Physics, the ground state for Hydrogen (H) in 13.6 electron Volts (eV) - H 13 6 eV.

I consider myself an "impert." Thomas Edison said an expert is a person who knows a lot about a little and an impert is a person who knows a little about a lot.

My Interests
I have a lot of interests and I do not consider myself an expert in any of them. A list of my interests, in alphabetical order follows:

Computers
An Apple user - all the way back to an Apple II.

Genealogy
I have traced some of my relatives back to north-east Ohio in 1803 - the year of Ohio's Statehood.

Model RailRoading
I'm a Life Member of the National Model Railroading Association. All thought I was an active member of Division 6, Mid-Central Region in the 70's and 80's, my life got busy and - well you guessed it. Since my retirement I have become active again.

Photography
Like most people interested in photography, I have a 35-mm SLR camera and a digital camera. Most of my photographs are of trains, model trains, mushrooms (if you have to ask ...), flowers, and of course family.

Physics
After 35-years teaching Physics I have a few facts, drawing, and diagrams that might be useful for the Wikipedia.

Trains and Railroads
I grew up with the Nickel Plate Railroad in my backyard. I can remember the NKP 700's rolling by with a long train moving at 60 mph.

When my wife and I were looking for a lot to build a house on, the relator lowered the price of one lot because the backyard contained two railroads. One the former Pennsylvania Railroad from Columbus, Ohio to Sandusky, Ohio - now the Norfolk Southern. The other railroad was the former "4C's" line from Columbus to Cleveland, Ohio, it became the New York Central, then the Penn Central Railroad, and now the Chessie System. I was willing to pay more for the lot - but my wife put her hand over my mouth. I now live a few kilometers north and 1 kilometer east of that location.

The railroad pages I've update or created will be listed on User:H136eV/Trains.

GrandChildren
Last and most important - my Children and Grand Children.