The Richard P. Meyer Business Scholarship
In 1923, at four years old, Richard woke early each day to walk more than one mile to the one-
room schoolhouse, he attended to light a fire in the school’s wood stove. The building was warm
and toasty when the teacher and other students arrived! He received 3 cents each day for doing
this. Richard grew up during the Depression, so he learned at a young age how to work hard, be
frugal, and save for a rainy day. After high school, he attended business school. His first job was
at the Hutton Brickyard (on the Hudson River in Kingston, New York), where he worked in the
office filling out work orders, doing payroll, writing business letters, etc… His desk had a Royal
manual typewriter, which he used to do his work.
Then, World War II happened. He enlisted in the Navy and spent several years there. After the
war, wishing to continue his business career, Richard returned to the Hutton Brickyard, where he
worked his way up the ladder, ending up as general manager and running the place.
Over the years (1890-1980), the brickyard innovated with machinery and improved bricks to stay
ahead of competitors. Thousands of bricks on barges were sent down the Hudson River to New
York City to build beautiful buildings there. Hutton brickdust was put around the bases at Yankee
Stadium.
Richard believed in treating the employees fairly and paying them well for their hard work.
Brick-making was not an easy job. His thank you was starting retirement annuity accounts for
the workers before such a thing became common. So, when they retired, the workers had a nest
egg.
That brickyard with those bricks and typewriter made Richard who he was. He learned many life
lessons from working there. Hence, the picture logo for the scholarship is a Hutton Brick and
Royal typewriter. His daughter has a picture of her father sitting at that typewriter in the Hutton
Brickyard office in 1940. Both she and her sister learned how to type on it as well.
Richard learned to live his life by planning ahead, paying it forward, always helping others, and
blessing others as he was blessed. His business career spanned 1938-1978. In 1950, he bought
his first house, a beautiful two-story with a barn and acreage, for $3,000 cash. He practiced what
he preached—don’t go into debt.
In case you were wondering, Richard P. Myer is the father of Debra Lee Myer (teacher’s
scholarship). His living daughter wishes to honor and thank him with a scholarship in his name
to bless and help others. The scripture verse that guides this scholarship is Proverbs 16:9, “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.”