John M. Martin, 1918
Ph.B., Denison University
M.A., Wittenberg College
Dayton, Ohio
Citation awarded on Saturday, June 6, 1953
Rising from impoverished beginnings as an English orphan shipped to Canada as a white bondsman, John McCowan Martin survived childhood deprivation to win an education and pursue a career in teaching, lecturing, writing, and radio work.
During his 23-year career as a teacher and director of speech and dramatics at the Oakwood High School of Dayton, Mr. Martin combined his teaching ability with deep personal interest in his students to a rare degree. Under his guidance his students have won acclaim in every field of state and national speech competition and brought to him the title of “Highest-Rating Speech Coach in the National Forensic League.”
