The collection consists mostly of materials documenting his work with the Down River Community Resources workshop. Other materials include Biographical Materials, mostly copies of newspaper articles, 1966-1967, and color slides of the 1948 homecoming activities at CMU. The films are stored on metal reels in metal canisters.
Biography:
Hans Lantzsch was born on August 7, 1923 in Krogis, Germany. He emigrated to the U.S. at the age of four with his mother and brother.
During World War II, Lantzsch served as an Army medical corps master sergeant with the Third Army and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service.
He earned a B.A. from Central Michigan University (CMU) in 1948, majoring in Biology and Education. In 1950, Lantzsch earned a M.A. from the University of Michigan. He was a Ph.D. candidate at Wayne State University.
Lantzsch began his career as a chemistry, biology and physics high school teacher in Houghton Lake in 1948. From 1949 to 1958 he taught chemistry at Ecorse High School. In 1958 he was promoted to Assistant Superintendent of Schools for Instruction for one year. In June 1967 he was promoted to Acting Superintendent of Schools in Ecorse for one year. In August 1967 Lantzsch was named as superintendent of Trenton public schools for three years. From 1971 to 1988, he served as Superintendent of Gerrish-Higgins School District (GHSD) in Roscommon, Michigan. While in Roscommon, the new High School, St. Helen Elementary, and a bus garage were built. The High School was named as a National Exemplary High School by the U.S. Department of Education while the Roscommon Middle School was named a Michigan Exemplary School by the Michigan Dept. of Education. The GHSD gained recognition as one of the finest districts in the North. He retired from the GHSD in 1988.
In 1951, Lantzsch worked as the assistant director of the Utilization of Greenfield Village Resources Workshop of Wayne State University in 1951. He was the director of the Down River Community Resources workshop, which was affiliated with Michigan State University from 1955 to at least 1967. In the summer of 1958, Lantzsch served as the assistant director for the Institute for Chemistry Teachers at Montana State College. He also worked as an instructor at the National Science Foundation’s Chemistry Institute in 1958.
His related professional activities included service on the board of directors of the Michigan Council on Economic Education and chair of the school liaison operation committee of the annual Metropolitan Detroit Science Fair. He was a member of Phi Delta Kappa, honorary graduate education fraternity, and a number of professional associations.
Lantzsch authored several journal articles on chemistry, photography and education, and edited the 1955 and 1961 editions of Educational Resources Downriver. (a copy of the 1955 edition is in the Clarke Historical Library.)
On December 11, 2001, Hans died at his winter residence in Jensen Beach, Florida. He was survived by his wife of 53 years, Dora J. Lantzsch, two sons, James (Vickie) and Thomas (Myrna), daughter Susan, three grandchildren, a brother, and sister. (This information is from the collection.)
