Harold Myron - Highland Park

Harold George Myron was born in 1907 on a farm near Blaine, Michigan in Huron County and moved with his family to Highland Park when he was nine years old. He was recognized as an athlete in different sports when he attended Parker High School, winning all state honors in basketball and all city honors in baseball. After graduating from high school in 1926 he enrolled at the University of Michigan. While at the university in 1929 the baseball team went on a five month trip playing in various leagues throughout Japan. He graduated from college in 1930.

In 1934 Harold became the Director of the Highland Park Recreation Department, during the Great Depression, controlling a total budget of $20,000 which included his salary. He continued in this administrative position for 36 years. The Recreation Department was jointly sponsored by the Highland public schools and municipal government. His responsibilities included the organizing and developing comprehensive programs utilizing the total resources of the schools and municipality. He was recognized for working "harmoniously" with local civic, social, religious and fraternal organizations in establishing recreation services and programs with and for them. He was recognized for establishing polices and procedures that provided direction for our present professional organizations and his program served as a model for other cities in Michigan.

As a member of MRA, RAM and MRPA for approximately 20 years, Harold served as President, First Vice President (2 years), Second Vice President and on numerous committees as chair including Constitution and Bylaws, College Curriculum, Scholarship, Professional Standards, Legislative, State Plan, State Recreation Policy, Michigan Softball Association. In addition, he was a charter member of MRPA, helped author our Constitution and was recipient of the prestigious Fellow Award; charter member of ARS, member of the Administrative Council; member of NRPA serving on the National Research Committee and National Conference Program Evaluation Committee; and President, Metropolitan Detroit Inter-City Recreation Association.

Harold was a specialist lecturer and instructor for 13 years in the graduate school at Wayne State University teaching six core courses Administration, Supervision, Community Organization Foundations for Recreation and Current Problem. He also served as a committee for several years to cities in and around Detroit especially in personnel selection in cooperation with the Michigan Municipal League.

He was involved in numerous community activities including organizing and past board member of the Boys Club, co-organizer and charter member of Junior Chamber of Congress; member of Mayor's Youth Commission, Past President of Board of Directors and Trustees of Camp Rankin (A private agency specializing in camping integrating handicapped and non-handicapped children) and co-organizer of the Wayne Oakland Macomb Recreation Board Members Workshop.

Harold G. Myron was remembered by the Highland Park recreation commission as "the person who initiated a public recreation program from scratch and built it into a streamlined organization known for its progressiveness."