The Woodward Alumni Hall of Fame Association
Martin J. Bogue Inducted 2005 - Teacher
Walk or drive down Streicher Street today and try to find the house at 619 Streicher. You won't find it. And after searching for a while, you'll realize that 619 Streicher must be part of the Woodward campus. The house that once stood at 619 Streicher now has an Oakland Street address. It was one of the houses that was moved to make way for the "new" Woodward that opened in September 1928. Some people think that growing up in that house across the park from Woodward was Marty's first connection with Woodward. But, the connection began even before that - his parents, Bennie Bugajewski and Ruth Glow Bugajewski, both graduated from Woodward.
Marty was from a family of five - two brothers, John and Robert and two sisters, MaryLynn and Nadine. He attended St. Vincent De Paul grade school and St Francis De Sales High School. He played at Wilson Park. At Wilson Park, he met Ted Szelagowski who ran the pool. Ted, who later became Principal of Woodward, was an early mentor. Ted's son Jerry (who also became a Woodward teacher) became a close friend. Other friends from the neighborhood were Sig
Humanski and Leo Florkowski (two more native north-enders who attended WHS and then came back to teach) Don Cress and Judge Mickey Gorman. Marty earned his Bachelor's of Education at the University of Toledo and his Master's Degree from Eastern Michigan University.
He used his teaching credentials and his love and loyalty for the North Toledo neighborhood he grew up in to give back to the community throughout his thirty year teaching career at Woodward High School. The man with the booming voice became a legend at Woodward. Students often knew of his high classroom standards and his unfailing support of Woodward students and the Woodward neighborhood before they ever entered his classroom. Older brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, cousins and neighbors would tell younger students about Mr. Bogue. And year after year, students lived up to his challenge for them to reach for high standards. Students knew that his highest compliment was to call them an "ugly child" and they worked hard to earn that distinction. He reached that envied status as an institution at Woodward when he taught the children of his former students.
Marty was the only one of the five brothers and sisters to spend his entire life in Toledo. As his parents aged, he took over running their business for them. Bennie and Ruth owned and operated Ben's Nite Club. Marty was teacher by day and businessman by night until Ben's Nite Club was taken over by the Jeep expansion project.
Besides teaching, Marty coached wrestling at Woodward. He was not only a coach to the guys who wrestled, but also to the "Mat Maids" who kept wrestling statistics for him. They adopted the name "Boguettes". Marty kept things hopping for his fellow teachers, too. The second floor lounge was the headquarters for organizing "raids" on classrooms. Students got in on the fun when Marty participated in events such as "Bogue-a-Mania". Bogue-a-Mania featured coloring contests of Marty as a turkey, a baby (complete with beard), dress like a Bogue (plaid shirt a must) and Bogue-a-Snowman - that's right Bogue look-alike snowmen built on the football field by students. Marty liked to say that he had done everything in his years at Woodward - even kissed a pig! And he had. One year, he volunteered to kiss a pig at a pep assembly. Teacher, coach, TFT Building Rep, Acting Dean, Athletic Committee member, Parent Advisory Committee member, mentor, and confidante. He looked out not only for students, he also took colleagues under his wing.
Outside of school, his greatest interest was World War II memorabilia, especially German uniforms and medals. He took great pride in his collection, searching on the Internet and adding new pieces to it. When he died in 2003, Marty was Director of the Great Lakes Military Collectors Association and a member of the Miami Valley Gun Collectors Association. Marty was never far from Woodward and when he didn't show up at school one Monday morning in March 2003, many people feared the worst. And, the worst came true. Mr. Bogue went quietly at his home at too, too young an age with his beloved dog keeping watch nearby. His funeral was a celebration of his dedication to Woodward and its students. Lapel ribbons of Woodward royal blue and "Bogue" plaid were worn on many lapels. Nearly $7,000 in memorial contributions have funded the Martin J. Bogue Memorial Scholarship Fund The scholarship plaque bears a likeness of Marty that was penned by a Woodward art student. And, as one student observed, "Woodward will never sound the same again."