David Butler

David Nelson was a remarkable and unique member of our class. I think he was our one true genius. For example, I remember that Barney Myers administered a national mathematics test every spring. It consisted of three or four incredibly difficult questions, which we had two hours to solve. I usually took third place at Senior High with about 28 points (out of 100). Barry Bull usually took second with about 32 points. And David Nelson always took first with something like 90 points(!) Thanks to David, we were state champs.

Another example: I remember one time when David asked me in math class whether I had ever tried to imagine what a four dimensional sphere looked like!  

I allowed as how I had not. (Actually, I spent a lot more time imagining what a few of our female classmates looked like without any clothes on - but that's another story.)

Anyway, that was how David's mind worked. He thought and dreamed on a totally different plane . . .

Like Einstein and many other great mathematicians, David was also a wonderful musician. He had a fine tenor voice, and a keen musical sense. I remember him leaning over to me one time in chorus just before the start of a song and humming a low note (I was a baritone) and saying, "Start there!" He realized I had picked out the wrong note in the opening chord . . .

In retrospect, I now realize that when David asked me if I had ever tried to imagine a four dimensional sphere, he probably was  not just asking a question about mathematics, he was making an overture to friendship. David was socially awkward; I'm not sure if he had close friends. And I wish now that I had realized that perhaps he wanted one, and that I had had the wisdom to see that here was a person from whom I could learn much . . . and who could be a good friend.

David Butler

Doug Jenkins just e-mailed me with some more information about David Nelson. In his research, Doug actually called Dave's widow in Ohio. Here's what he said he discovered: 

David was a musical force in Toledo. [David's wife] told me he played the lute, so I searched that under his name, and found a listing under his name that I am almost positive is him.  He was a member of the Jubilatores, a medieval musical group in Toledo.  David was central to that group, and could play the lute, fiddle, harp, hammered dulcimer, and other instruments.  He was a member of the Musical Antigua de Toledo, and translated medieval songs.  He also held a masters in theology, which fits, as his father was a pastor in Billings.  I remember that my goal in talking with his wife was to tell her that although David was a bit awkward in high school, there was a group of us who recognized his genius, and who held him in high scholastic regard.  I told her that several of us had long wondered what had become of David, and I was not surprised at his artistic achievements.  

Thank you, Doug. Without your diligent research, we never would have known what happened to this remarkable person.

David McMurchie

Thanks Doug for the research.  My memories are much as David Butler's from the choir.  It's great to hear he found his way to a full and successfull life.  It's a shame we don't have a chance to know him now.  

David's comments about Barney Myer's, reminded me of news this Summer from MSU.  Barney was celebrated as the first MSU graduate to celebrate the 80th anniversary of his graduation.  Google "Barney Myers" and it will be the first item with a long interesting article about him.  I'm having trouble pasting links.

David

George Ryan

Dave McMurchie,  thanks for the info about Barney Myers.  He was (still is!) a great teacher.

And thanks to those contributing info about David Nelson.  I'm sad to say he lived a few doors from me on North 32nd St., but I got to know him only superficially in classes.  I think I went to his house once or twice.  Why?....maybe the fear of being seen as more wierd than I already judged myself to be.

Darolyn White (Spannuth)

I, too, often wondered what David went on to do with his extraordinary abilities.  I always imagined him doing some obscure genius thing, as, apparently, he did.  I cannot think of one unpleasant moment with David; he was a gentle soul. At a stage in our lives when most of us felt marginalized at times, he was truly on the fringes.  I first remember David at Lincoln, where I watched him with a mixture of admiration and apprehension as he carried his Roy Rogers (or was it the Lone Ranger?) lunchbox into the cafeteria, holding it with both hands at chest level  To our credit, I never saw anyone make fun of him.  I think even the dimmest among us recognized that he was remarkable.

My high school memories are a series of vignettes of ordinary moments in ordinary days that, for some reason, I recall in vivid detail.  One of those moments was in Barney Myers's math class during our junior year.  David sat  at the first desk in the row nearest the window, and I sat in the second row from the door.  Often David seemed almost to be sleeping.  On that day, we were doing identities, and Mr. Myers was at the board demonstrating.  David seemed to check in on our maddeningly slow progress, and he pointed out to Mr. Myers that there was a much shorter way to do the problem.  Barney Myers, the most excellent of teachers and finest of men, paused and gazed out the window as a little smile played at the corners of his mouth.  I could see he was delighted. David then withdrew to whatever was going on in his head.

I don't recall David in any of my other classes.  Is it possible he somehow avoided English and civics?

Janet Niemi (Chubb)

I grew up with David at St. Luke's Episcopal Church where his dad was one of our Priests. David was always very kind, very introverted, but had a quick smile. We sang in the choir, well he sang and I always lip synched at the request of the choir director, Mrs. Hickerson! I will always regret that I didn't get to know him better and I too remember he was very smart as was his whole family.