by Reece Rutland 

BENTON, IL – Part real-world classroom, part morning coffee shop conversation and all full-service barbering, Benton’s Armed Barbers are aiming to serve up more than just a quality shave and a haircut. The dynamic duo of Ray Minor and John D. Sweet are looking to help resurrect an important service industry that once stood as the cornerstone of local communities.

Minor came by the idea honestly. For decades his grandfather served as one of Benton’s barbers. So, when Minor retired from the Illinois State Police as a Master Sergeant, he wasn’t willing to stop serving his community. He set his sights on recreating those experiences of his youth formed by spending time in his grandfather’s shop and the important life lessons he learned there.

“When I was a boy, we used to go to grandfather’s barbershop to get my hair cut. Even if I wasn’t there long, I got to see men interacting with other men in a positive setting. Those experiences are, unfortunately, few and far between today. So, I wanted to recreate that opportunity,” expressed Minor.

To that end, Minor enrolled in the Rend Lake College Barber Program where he met kindred spirit and fellow Benton resident John D. Sweet.

Truth be told, it wasn’t actually the first time the pair met.

Minor actually knew Sweet’s parents, having gone to school together. In fact, Minor and Sweet’s father were good friends growing up.

Sweet joked that when he was younger, he knew Minor as “Officer Minor” around the house.

The conversation to start the barbershop was a product of carpool rides while the pair were still in the RLC barber program.

“Basically, I was in the process of building this building. I knew my shop was going to be here. Sweet and I both live in Benton, so we developed a friendship. Then, we started trading rides, and the more we got to know one another, the more we realized that we meshed on a number of different levels. Our ideology and thoughts were very in line right down to what we thought about barbering and what barbering should be,” explained Minor.

So, what should barbering be?

Both men strongly feel that the shop should be more than a place to just get a haircut.

The Armed Barbers pose in front of their vintage barber chairs. John D. Sweet, left, and Ry Minor, right, sought to create not only a great place to get a haircut and shave, but also an atmosphere reminiscent of all the cultural institution that the local barber shop once represented. Reece Rutland, Rend Lake College Public Information

“We are both focused on doing a great job and growing with the community. Ray and I both believe that this is more than just a shop. This is a place for men to come and be men and communicate with men. We’ve lost that somewhere. You don’t really see that place anymore for a man to go between home and work to interact with his fellow man that isn’t a bar. The local barber shop used to be a place like that, and that’s that atmosphere we are trying to cultivate,” elaborated Sweet.

Minor also lamented the disconnect between father figures and a younger generation, citing electronic communication as hampering a vital skillset needed for face-to-face conversation; skills like eye contact and a firm handshake.

Creating an atmosphere where a father and a son can both get their hair cut, or a younger man can come in to talk to and learn from his elders, was a vital building block of what the Armed Barbers are setting out to accomplish.

More than simply a place to get a haircut or a shave, Minor and Sweet preside over a gathering place full of etiquette, comradery, fellowship and a few tall tales.

To facilitate that atmosphere, Minor and Sweet even installed their two chairs to allow for a father and son to face each other while they get their hair cut together while talking and sharing a moment with each other.

The response has been positive.

Armed Barbers had a soft opening Aug. 8 and the community support for what the pair has accomplished has only been growing.

“So far, it has been amazing how receptive everyone has been. They love it. People have been telling us they haven’t seen something like this in a long time. Or, even our younger customers saying they’ve never had a service like this. I don’t think we are doing anything more than would have been expected 50 years ago, but that personal touch at places is lacking now. So, people really notice when you make it about them and treat them like a customer should be treated,” said Minor.

Change of Pace

Both men come into barbering from different careers.

Like his father before him Sweet was a local coal miner. He worked in the mines for 10 years before returning to school to pursue a new profession.

Minor’s father was also a coal miner, but Minor went into law enforcement and had a career that spanned three decades.

Both men have their father’s hard hats hanging up in the shop, a symbol of where they came from.

Minor also embraces the legacy of his grandfather, having a display of his old straight razors on the wall, a relic of Benton history and an important symbol to Minor.

“Everything we have hanging up in here is important to us. It shows how much we revere those who came before us. It shows how much we respect our history, and our armed forces, law enforcement and other emergency service personnel,” said Minor.

“We see this as a servant’s role. We are both big on serving members of our community that have served us. And, that’s reflected in the shop,” elaborated Sweet.

To that end, the pair provides discounted services to all members of the military, law enforcement and emergency services.

So, what about the hair? Armed Barbers is much more than life lessons and good conversation; the duo make some pretty talented barbers too.

“I wanted to be a part of a place where not only did we capture that feeling of yesteryear, but we could get a good shave, get a nice haircut and get pampered a little bit. Even guys like to get pampered now and then,” chuckled Sweet.

In addition to cleaning their patrons up, Minor and Sweet are happy to provide some grooming tips for their customers to take home to keep local guys looking sharp in-between trips to the barber shop.

“It is still admirable to be a gentleman. That’s a good thing. That’s what we want to teach here, and part of being a gentleman is looking the part,” said Minor.

And these two know their stuff. In addition to completing the RLC program and earning their degrees, they took it upon themselves to do plenty of extra work outside the classroom to ensure that their skills lined up with the exceptional level of service that they wished to provide.

As part of their preparation, both Minor and Sweet spent plenty of time visiting barber shops all around the area, both to learn from others in the field and to take away ideas and impressions for their own business.

The pair now hopes to be a resource to future RLC barber students to help pass on this important tradition.

Those lessons they learned and hope to pass on aren’t limited to the barber chair. Starting a business hasn’t been easy. But, both men have described the journey so far as “rewarding.”

Minor joked that the first day Armed Barbers was open, the pair hoped for a single haircut apiece to walk through the door. They hit their goal those first two days, but that third day, no one showed up.

“Building this has been a lot of footwork. That’s something people need to keep in mind when they are building a business,” explained Sweet. “We know everything we do is a representation of who we are and what this business is. And now, there’s a reason we have so many people come back. They know we are going to treat them right. They know it’s going to be a genuine experience. They know how important they are to us,” said Sweet.

“They know we are going to make them feel special,” added Minor. “They know that for 30 minutes they have our undivided attention. We are putting 100 percent into that service, and people can feel that. From the consultation and conversation at the beginning to the hot towel and hand shake at the end, they know we appreciate them.”

To learn more about the services provided by the Armed Barbers, hours of operation and pricing, visit www.extremeexigency.com, email extreameexigency@gmail.com or call (618) 629-3433. Walk-ins are welcome. Additional information may also be found on the Armed Barbers Facebook page.

Anyone interested in information about the Rend Lake College Barber Program can visit the college’s website at www.rlc.edu/studiorlc or contact Studio RLC at the RLC MarketPlace Campus in Mt. Vernon at (618) 242-8459.

by Kristi Mathis – Southern Illinois University News Service 

CARBONDALE, IL – Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s recently redesigned Superintendent Endorsement Program has recently been evaluated, earning certification and national recognition.

The Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation replaced the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education as the accrediting agency for the superintendent’s program in 2016, setting forth more stringent standards. In addition, Illinois law regarding the program structure changed and SIU’s updated program reflects and implements those modifications. They include higher admission standards and more detailed internship experiences for program participants, according to Saran Donahoo, associate professor and chair of the College Student Personnel Program and doctoral program in the Department of Educational Administration and Higher Education within the College of Education and Human Services.

Donahoo said CAEP emphasizes practical preparation, communicating and assessing clear learning objectives and ensuring that candidates are “job ready” when they complete the superintendent’s program. The evaluation process requires a self-study “that includes information on what we teach, how we teach, who we have taught, how these students performed, how we assessed their performance and how they applied this knowledge in their practical experience,” Donahoo said.

The work of faculty, staff and administrators in redesigning the superintendent program, which prepares participants to be school superintendents and administrators, paid off in multiple ways. The Illinois State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, an Illinois State Board of Education unit, approved the redesigned program this fall. The SEPLB includes teachers, school administrators and higher education faculty and administrators and their review ensures that the program thoroughly addresses both the academic and practical components.

In addition, SIU’s superintendent program earned “National Recognition Status” from CAEP, the first program within the college to do so.

“The fact that the superintendent program has obtained national recognition shows that SIU remains at the forefront of implementing updated national and state standards,” Donahoo said.

SIU’s education program covers the entire gamut for people who want to teach and/or be school administrators. The university offers teaching programs for all age levels as well as a Principal Preparation Program and the Superintendent Endorsement Program

by Reece Rutland – Rend Lake College Public Information

INA, IL  – The impact a single person can have through their positivity and generosity can be tremendous. Throughout this entire series, individuals have been heighted for selflessly giving of themselves to help the students of Rend Lake College and the district at-large. For this particular entry, double that.

Mary M. Roe and Dr. Charles W. “Bill” Roe are a powerful pair. Both together as a couple and individually, they have helped shape the course of RLC and, by doing so, provided countless opportunities to students.

When Mrs. Roe graduated magna cum laude from SIUC in 1965 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mathematics, she was recipient of the Phi Beta Kappa Commencement Prize as the highest ranking senior. She earned her Master’s Degree in Education / Guidance and Counseling a year later, also from SIUC.

Mary retired from Rend Lake College in 2004 after 16 years of service. During her tenure with the college, she was the director of the highly successful Title IV Student Transfer and Retention Support (STARS) project. In 1999, she was named Interim Dean of Student Services, with the “interim” tag falling off a year later.

In that position, she supervised Admissions and Records, Counseling, Financial Aid, STARS, Special Populations, Tutoring, the new “Upward Bound” Grant and student organizations. Additionally, she was responsible for designing and implementing systems for student retention and recruitment activities which emphasized student outreach and student matriculation through academic planning, advising, counseling, orientation and career development.

To say Mary was involved would be an understatement. At one time or another, she has been active with the Rend Lake College Foundation Board, Pinckneyville High School Board of Education, Board of Directors of the Perry County Workshop for the Handicapped, Friends of Morris Library at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, SIU Alumni Association Board of Directors, and the Southern Illinois Workforce Investment Board of Directors Executive Committee.

She was also a member of the Pinckneyville Women’s Club and the American Association of University Women. In 1982, she was a member of the Illinois Study Commission on Public Pension Investment Policies.

Hold on, we aren’t done yet.

Mary also was a Perry County Chair for the Southern Illinois Cleanup Campaign in 2005; Five Star Industries Board member for a decade; Southern Illinois Case Coordinator Services Board member for 10 years; Shagbark Girl Scout Council Board for eight years, a Director on the Pinckneyville Public Library Board, and a member of the RLC Murphy-Wall Campus advisory board.

Her husband, Dr. Roe, also has made a tremendous impact on the college, primarily through the foundation. He’s no slouch with community involvement either.

Born and raised in Pinckneyville, Bill graduated from Pinckneyville Community High School and attended Washington University for three years. He then transferred to Southern Illinois University Carbondale and graduated with a degree in Zoology.

Shortly after he and Mary married in 1966, Bill was drafted in the U.S. Army where he was encouraged to become an officer. Given the survival rate of Second Lieutenants at the time, he tried instead to get a job at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Washington, D.C., and was awarded the position for his two years of service.

Leaving the Army, he returned to education, attending University of Illinois at Chicago for his degree in Dentistry and opened a practice with Dr. H.H. Chapman in Pinckneyville in 1972.

In regards to RLC, Bill has been an active force on the Rend Lake College Foundation Board. In fact, according to a publication at the time, he was “instrumental in acquiring the Rend Lake College Murphy-Wall satellite campus in Pinckneyville.”

For his efforts, he was awarded the 2003 RLCF Presidential Award.

Like his wife, he also is a driving force for good in Southern Illinois.

“I believe you have to have a passion in life, a reason to get up in the morning,” he was once quoted as saying.

Bill played a role in the Optimist Gift Program, a program that gives presents to needy children in the community. Once, a mother presented Roe with a $500 check, thanking him for helping her family when they “had no Christmas.”

He has been an active member of the Chamber of Commerce, Murphy-Wall State Bank Board, Pinckneyville Community Hospital Board, and the advisory board for the RLC Murphy-Wall Campus.

Bill coached baseball and softball for 12 years, served from 1976 to 1989 on the Pinckneyville Grade School Board, from 1988 to 1994 on the Five Star Industries Board of Directors and on the Pinckneyville Cemetery Board since 1998.

So, that’s what they’ve accomplished individually. Together, they are a force to be reckoned with.

Scholarship recipients Taylor Griffin (Pinckneyville), SECOND FROM LEFT; and Jeremiah Ellison (Tamaroa), THIRD FROM LEFT, are pictured with donors Mary Roe, LEFT; and Dr. Bill Roe, RIGHT, at the 27th Annual Rend Lake College Foundation Scholarship Dinner, held Oct. 20, 2016.

“One of the greatest joys of working for the Foundation is the opportunity to work alongside extraordinary people, like Bill and Mary Roe. Because of their incredible generosity, a strong desire to help others, and a passion for education, countless students have had the opportunity to attend Rend Lake College. I am very grateful for their active interest in our students and Dr. Roe’s leadership on the RLC Foundation Board of Directors,” said RLCF CEO Kay Zibby-Damron of the pair.

A donation from the Roes served as the lead gift in establishing a “community endowment” to provide student scholarships for Pinckneyville-area students. Not content to stop there, the Roes are encouraging others to contribute to the cause as well.

Endowed scholarships are perpetual in nature and provide ongoing financial assistance for future students. Only the interest is used annually to cover scholarships awarded.

“We have a group of advocates of Rend Lake College here in Pinckneyville, and we have done a couple other activities in the past for the students, but it was apparent to us that Pinckneyville lacked dedicated scholarships for the students at the high school,” said Dr. Roe

In fact, Mary convinced her father, retired attorney and former State’s Attorney Lloyd Middleton, to make a major gift donation toward the RLC Murphy-Wall Pinckneyville Campus in memory of his wife and her mother, Florence Middleton.

Previously, Bill and Mary Roe were responsible for starting the Jane Waugh Memorial Scholarship and have continued to give to that fund, in recognition of the youngest daughter of longtime Rend Lake College faculty member and coach, Jim Waugh, and his wife, former Developmental Instructor at RLC and Big Muddy River C.C. Lila Waugh. Jane Waugh was killed in an automobile accident in 1995.

Both Roes are listed among Sustaining Charter Members of the Foundation for Pinckneyville, formed in 2008 as a catalyst for implementation of a long-term Vision Statement for the community and surrounding areas of Perry County. According to the Foundation’s Mission: “Our goal is to make Pinckneyville a destination – a community with quality education, state-of-the-art healthcare and economic stability.

For their commitment to their community, the Roes were named Pinckneyville Co-Citizens of the Year in 2005. In the resulting story, The Southern reported, “Chamber officials say the Roes have dedicated their lives to Pinckneyville and the surrounding area and are worthy of the title ‘Persons of the Year’ for many reasons.”

“It’s an honor to be considered and even more to be selected by the chamber for this recognition,” Mary said. “I’ve always thought I’ve gained more from any community involvement than what I was able to contribute.”