The oldest presidential candidate
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Perennial candidate our Harold was.
We have another one now that uses his nickname, "Again", between his first and last name in his campaign materials.
When I was in high school, our social studies teacher had our class attend a mayoral candidate event at the school cafeteria. This class was right before lunch break on a lovely fall day, and my locker was in another hall just off the one leading to the cafeteria. I lagged to the back of the group, got my motorcycle helmet from my locker, and had a long lunch period.
The next day, the class had to write a short essay about any of the candidates. I chose Willard Knapp. He ran for every open seat in the city, from mayor to dog catcher. My essay was centered on his public service to the community by always running for office, especially when he was sometimes the only candidate. His perennial candidacy was the catalyst for many a political career. If he was the first and only person to file for an office, there was a mad scramble to quickly recruit someone else, anyone else, to run against him.
My closing statement was that no one else had done so much for the city government by sparking new civic commitments from others. We all owed Willard Knapp our gratitude, if not our vote.
The following day, the teacher read one paper to the class, my ode to Willard. I got an A+, and Willard got some respect.
Every community should be so fortunate to have a Willard Knapp.
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@Mik said in The oldest presidential candidate:
Brenda...lol...
small town politics.
I live in a small town now, but this was not a small town. It's now the third largest city in the state. Perhaps Willard helped that happen, too, by forcing new blood into public service.
His obit gives a sense of his personality. He was quite a character.
Civic activist Willard Knapp dies at 73
Willard Knapp, 73, of 102 Second St. S.E., who was known for his intense involvement in civic affairs for more than 30 years, died of cancer Thursday (June 17, 1993) at Rochester Methodist Hospital after a lengthy illness.
Born Feb. 9, 1920, in Rochester, he graduated from Rochester High School in 1939 and attended Rochester State Junior College and Minnesota Bible College. In 1956 he graduated from Mankato Teachers College with a bachelor's degree in education. A Rochester resident most of his life, he had been a salesman, theater worker, teacher, youth director, social worker and supply preacher. For many years he was night clerk at Center Towne Motel.
During World War II, he served for two years as a hospital corpsman and pharmacist's mate in the Navy Reserve attached to the Marine Corps. He served overseas in Samoa. He returned to Rochester after his discharge.
A 50-year member of American Legion Wm. T. McCoy Post No. 92 in Rochester, he was a past commander and chaplain. Also, he was past commander and district chaplain of VFW Post 1215, past state commander and department chaplain of the Amvets, and past chaplain of Disabled American Veterans. He was past president of the Olmsted County Memorial Association and a member Christ United Methodist Church.
Mr. Knapp, who ran for elected office many times, called himself an independent who represented the ``farmer, the hod-carrier.'' His many tries for office included running for mayor, school board, county board, county treasurer, county recorder and state representative. By his own estimate in 1987, he had lost 38 of the 39 elections, but he still continued running -- signing up, at various times, as a Democrat, Republican and Independent. The only race he won was for justice of the peace in 1987. At his urging, the office was abolished a year later.
He was so well-known for running for office that a 1976 story on another of his candidacies began: ``A local election would hardly seem complete without the candidacy of Willard Knapp.'' He lost that election.
In 1979, he was appointed city historian, an unpaid position, and worked hard organizing the city's archives and historic materials.
When running for office, he often took the side of the workers. In the late 1970s, he was on the side of striking school secretaries. At the time, he said his mother was a clerical worker who was mistreated and paid low wages. When he saw striking secretaries, ``I said to myself that every face looks just like my mother's, and I wouldn't run away from this for anything.''
His last run for public office was his quest to win a Rochester School Board seat a year ago. He was defeated, though he received 879 votes, compared with the winner's 2,432.
He said he continued running, despite so many defeats, because he loved politics. "At 12 years of age, most kids are thinking about sports,'' he said in 1987 after another defeat. "At 12, I was thinking about politics. And I've never stopped being interested.''
RIP Willard
