Former Elkhart teacher recalls decades-long student geology field-trip program

Richard Golden, a former Elkhart Community Schools teacher, told the district during public comment that he started a geology field-trip program to Colorado about 47 years ago that has taken roughly 2,000 students and continues today.

Golden said the program began after he was encouraged to become a teacher by John Duvall and that he later attended Ball State University. “47, I think it's 47 years ago, I started a program, a geology class, taking kids to Colorado,” he said. “I think I took, roughly 2,000 kids to Colorado.”

The trips, Golden said, included backpacking in high mountains and visits to places such as the Animas Forest, which he described as a ghost town. “If you've ever spent a night in a real ghost town in the high mountains with a bunch of 14 year old kids, it's an experience,” he said. Golden added that the program raised the profile of Elkhart and the school system: “Because of this field trip, Elkhart, the city of Elkhart and Elkhart schools, a lot of people know about us and the school system because of this trip.”

Golden also related a career outcome for one participant: “1 of the kids I took out there ended up to being Exxon's major geologist,” he said. He described his teaching career as lasting 34 years and said he graduated from Melkar High School in 1957. He closed his comments with advice for current students: “listen to your teachers, work hard.”

No formal board action or vote was recorded on the comments. The remarks were delivered as part of the meeting’s public comment period and were a personal account and history rather than a district proposal or request for action.