He’s been a Wildcat, and he’ll soon be a Golden Grizzly, but Jim McGraw will always be a Dragon at heart.
After 32 years of teaching American Government and U.S. History at Lake Orion High School; and announcing for basketball, volleyball and, at times, football; McGraw will say goodbye to LOHS at the end of this school year.
“I’ll be working for Oakland University,” said the 1967 Oxford High School graduate. “I’ll travel to schools, observe history classes and write reports.
“I’ve always had as a goal that I would stay (at LOHS) as long as I was enjoying it…I still am,” he said.
McGraw said the school district’s buy out of some teachers came at the same time as the prospect of the job at OU.
“It gives me time to look around and do new things, and work on the ‘Honey do’ list on the fridge,” he said.
McGraw said he became inspired to become a teacher because of his high school sponsor at Oxford. However, when he attended Oakland University he majored in political science.
“I was going to be a politician I guess,” he said.
But after graduation, McGraw applied for a teaching position in Oxford, and was told about one in Lake Orion by a friend who was a counselor at the high school.
McGraw started at LOHS in the fall of 1971, and went on to serve as the announcer for the basketball games for 24 years.
“I also did volleyball, and football in the past,” he said. “But my son started playing football in Oxford in 1992, and with Friday night games being on top of each other, I had to go with the son.”
Donn Hoganson took over the announcer’s mike at the football games, but he and McGraw have been working games in the LOHS Fieldhouse together for years.
“He’s in charge of the music, and the gym…we’ve had refs and other team’s fans come up and thank us after the game,” said McGraw. “I’m basically there to recognize the kids. When parents applaud their kids, I get a kick out of that.”
LOHS isn’t the only venue that’s had the pleasure of McGraw’s announcing skills.
“For a while, we did the Big Michigan Shoot Out, which was a state basketball tournament…we used to do it at Joe Louis, then The Palace. We did five games a day,” he said. “That was when Chris Webber and all those guys were playing. I did a pitch for it that played on the Red Wings game.”
McGraw said he often thought about doing professional announcing.
“I still wouldn’t mind looking into that in retirement,” he said.
McGraw, who still lives in Oxford, said his family has always been supportive of his announcing at LOHS, despite the sometimes late hours. Wife Marion is a first-grade teacher at Pine Tree Elementary School, and daughter Courtney, 16, is a junior at Oxford High School.
McGraw and his wife also have a son, Zack, 23; and their oldest son Justin, 26, who is somewhat following in his parent’s footsteps, seeking a degree in science teaching while working as a high school athletic trainer.
“It’s tough with a daughter in high school playing sports,” said McGraw. “I’m looking forward to having time to go to all her games… My wife was supportive, especially with basketball. There were a lot of Friday night late dinners.”
McGraw got his start in announcing back at OHS, when he would do the morning announcements and served as a DJ.
“My first job (in announcing) was with the Lake Orion High School Marching Band,” he said. “I started in the late 70s and stayed with them into the late 80s. I then gradually let it be known that I would be open to anything.”
McGraw said announcing at the games has allowed him to compliment his teaching outside of the classroom.
“You get to see kids outside the classroom, and it’s good to get into something extracurricular as a teacher,” said McGraw. “Sometimes it gives you an opening with a kid that you wouldn’t otherwise get. It really helps you round out as a teacher.”
McGraw said he’ll miss the contact with students and faculty he had as a teacher.
“I’ll definitely miss the announcing,” he said. “Basketball was my favorite. I hope to keep my ears open and get announcing involved in other areas.”
McGraw said he has talked with LOHS varsity baseball coach Andy Schramek about possible announcing at baseball games, to begin in another year.
“I told him to keep me in mind,” McGraw said.