"New" PWK Biography by Belle Klipsch

[dwilawyer 3539]

"He maintains that he graduated 101 in a class of 101 students." Check out the third installment of the recently discovered PWK biography.

 

https://www.klipschmuseum.org/founder-biography

[DizRotus 8393]

Marvelous.  Thanks Travis.

[BigStewMan 18175]

love the letter from that company in Chile.  they had some huge connections with that shipping company. he arrives in Chile two days before he leaves NJ.  i’ve been on some fast boats; but, that is ridiculously fast. 

[Khornukopia 1290]

The entire museum website is interesting.

[kuisis 41]

Wonder how he ended up in Erie PA?

 

[DizRotus 8393]

15 hours ago, kuisis said:

Wonder how he ended up in Erie PA?

 

 

Someone gave them SeaWolves tickets.

[babadono 5770]

 

On 10/6/2019 at 12:48 PM, kuisis said:

Wonder how he ended up in Erie PA?

 

Was transferred there from Schenectady to work on electric locomotives by his employer G.E. Is this a reading comprehension test? It's open book, pretty easy to pass.

[DizRotus 8393]

11 hours ago, babadono said:

 

Was transferred there from Schenectady to work on electric locomotives by his employer G.E. Is this a reading comprehension test? It's open book, pretty easy to pass.

 

Take it easy on my friend Tom.  He probably meant how he got there, whether by car, train, or plane?  😉

[richieb 6670]

12 hours ago, DizRotus said:

 

Take it easy on my friend Tom.  He probably meant how he got there, whether by car, train, or plane?  😉

 

* Planes, trains and automobiles. I can see PWK playing the straight man to Steve Martin and John Candy —

[kuisis 41]

I guess I should have read more closely, my friend grew up two streets over from where he lived.

 

[HDBRbuilder 1549]

I've found myself anxiously anticipating each new addition to the Ms. Belle biography of PWK  thread myself!  I never got to meet her, she passed away not very long  (a year or  so, maybe?) before I got back from Italy and started working at Klipsch in July 1976.  PWK had already re-married to Miss Valerie by that time.  But everybody in the plant who DID know Belle was very glad to have known her!  Some were still a bit wary of Ms. Valerie, though!  The PWK biography that Ms.Valerie commissioned makes it look almost like Belle never even existed...and tends to leave out any impact Belle ever really had upon PWK's life and the success of his company, IMO!  What I gleaned from other employees (some of them working there from almost the very beginning) who had known Belle for a number of years, was a MUCH DIFFERENT story than what the book seemed to tell! 

 

What I tend to see in my mind is a very loyal wife who watched her husband start-up a business based upon a hobby, with only a part-time  Army Reserve salary coming in from his side of the household and very little to nothing coming in from the company itself for many of the early years.  Whereas her entire salary as a school teacher was committed to the support of the household.  A spouse like that is a major important part of a man's life story!  PWK was doing very well financially by the time I started working there.  BUT, it had NOT always been that way for the company!   There were times when the company was not even able to pay the employees...that is a fact...and PWK offered them shares in the company instead!  Most took him up on that offer, too!  They had faith in him and the products he designed and they made!  SO there is VERY MUCH missing in the "OFFICIAL" biography, IMHO!

 

Being a history nut, I desire  to know what is missing!...within reason, that is!  

[DizRotus 8393]

That other biography was very poorly written and edited.  I also agree with Andy @HDBRbuilder about the questionable accuracy, especially as to it’s treatment of Belle.  PWK and Belle deserved better than that other biography.

[billybob 11644]

Maybe the case of.possibly something, another case of riding on the coattails of Klipsch...

[johnduo32 0]

On 8/30/2019 at 9:28 AM, dwilawyer said:

"He maintains that he graduated 101 in a class of 101 students." Check out the third installment of the recently discovered PWK biography.

 

https://www.klipschmuseum.org/founder-biography

I read his biography.

[Gilbert 1030]

On 10/14/2019 at 6:33 PM, HDBRbuilder said:

The PWK biography that Ms.Valerie commissioned makes it look almost like Belle never even existed

 

Imagine that,  the new wife trying to extinguish all memory of the original..... How original. 

[JohnA 1007]

I have 2 copies of the printed biography.  One has a mistake, ... somewhere.  I can't remember Miss Belle being mentioned at all. 

 

I also met Miss Valerie.  She was almost solely responsible for the "Klipsch Fans Tour of Hope" in 2001 happening.  She was fiercely protective of and loyal to Mr. Paul.  While quaint, it wasn't hard to see how that could become strident and aggressive.  I got a clear impression she was jealous of Miss Belle.  Stories indicate she antagonized KGI, needlessly.  Such a shame.  One of my treasures from 2001 is a picture of me sitting with Mr. Paul that Miss Valerie provided.  It hangs on the wall above one of my Heresies. 

[HDBRbuilder 1549]

9 hours ago, JohnA said:

 have 2 copies of the printed biography.  One has a mistake, ... somewhere.  I can't remember Miss Belle being mentioned at all. 

 

I also met Miss Valerie.  She was almost solely responsible for the "Klipsch Fans Tour of Hope" in 2001 happening.  She was fiercely protective of and loyal to Mr. Paul.  While quaint, it wasn't hard to see how that could become strident and aggressive.  I got a clear impression she was jealous of Miss Belle.  Stories indicate she antagonized KGI, needlessly.  Such a shame.  One of my treasures from 2001 is a picture of me sitting with Mr. Paul that Miss Valerie provided.  It hangs on the wall above one of my Heresies. 

Everybody has good points and bad points...I personally "endured" a step-mother who aggressively tried to erase the existence/memories of...of my father's previous wife...my mother and the mother of my other two siblings!  THAT being said:   I can see that when it occurs...or appears to have occurred.

 

I am NOT one to point fingers, though!  And I definitely knew that Ms. Valerie loved and was devoted to PWK, and saw herself as his staunch first line of defense...and over time I got to know her....so....

 

The only point I make about the commissioned biography of PWK is that Belle is pretty much left completely out of it, and it is a shame that she was.  I am happy to finally see at least SOME of what I have wondered about...concerning her.  And it is easiest to see that when one reads by her own hand, her descriptions of PWK in theses segments of the "lost story" which has come to light!  Things like:

 

"During his father’s life he taught Paul to shoot, a sport which Paul has followed and made contributions to the art.  He does not care for hunting but likes target shooting, a highly competitive game."

 

I already knew this, and it is EXACTLY WHY we tended to have a number of personal "in his office after work" one-on-one discussions to begin with!...simply a common-interest we both had which was totally un-related to work!  "Well, Mr. Paul, I finally bought a REAL hunting rifle!"  "What did you buy?...and what is its caliber?  And why did you select that one?"  "Well, Mr. Paul, it is a .300 WinMag….."  "Mr. Barr, I just happen to have a number of .308 diameter match bullets in differing weights and if you can bring to me some of your expended brass, then, I can work-up some hand-loads for that rifle for you to try out!"  Which he did!  We also found other common interests outside of work during our chats...which led us to more discussions together!  Ever since I left Klipsch, I have really missed those chats, too!

 

and....things like:

 

"During the years in Chile, his hobbies included golf, 16 MM Movies, swimming.  NOT gardening – except to measure the growth of the Kentucky Wonder climbing beans up the pole each 24 hours, and eating the garden products."

 

Anecdotes like this are very insightful/and at times inciteful to the "home-place working/living environment", along with PWK's eccentricities, while still showing Belle's sense of humor in the situation as she descriptively remembers it!  I laughed out loud when I read this one!!😂

 

Biographies WITHOUT the anecdotes are slow reading, to me...but now we are finally seeing what SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN HIS!

 

So...I am eagerly awaiting MORE of this, for SURE!😉