Michael Sokolski facts for kids

Michael Sokolski (born September 25, 1926 – died June 13, 2012) was an American design engineer who was born in Poland. He is famous for inventing the Scantron OMR scanner. This machine is used in schools to quickly scan and grade multiple choice tests where students mark their answers.

Early Life and War Hero

Michael Sokolski was born in Poland in 1926. When he was sixteen, his home was bombed during World War II. He had to leave his hometown because of the war.

He joined the Polish Armed Forces in the West, which was part of the British army. He became a tank driver during the war. Michael fought bravely in a big battle called the Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944. He was even wounded there and received a special award called the Italy Star.

After the war, he joined the Polish Resettlement Corps. He then went to study at a technology institute in Fermo, Italy. Later, he moved to Sweden and then to the United States, settling in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Education and Career Beginnings

In 1952, Michael Sokolski enrolled as a student at Hamline University. He then went on to earn a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Minnesota in 1957.

After graduating, he worked for a short time in Hawaii. He then returned to Minnesota. In 1963, he officially became a citizen of the United States.

For five years, Michael worked for a big company called IBM in Rochester, Minnesota. In 1966, he started his own company called Datronics in Rochester. He was the president of Datronics until 1969. Later, Datronics was sold to another well-known company, 3M.

Inventing the Scantron Machine

In 1972, Michael Sokolski moved to Santa Ana, California. Soon after, he joined a company called Scantron. The company's leader was William E. Sanders. Michael became the Executive Vice President of Engineering at Scantron.

He was the engineer who created the special answer sheets that Scantron uses. These sheets let you mark answers with a number 2 pencil. The Scantron machine can then quickly read and grade the tests. Michael held several patents in the United States for his inventions in optical mark recognition. The Scantron test changed how tests were given in schools and colleges everywhere.

Community Involvement

While working at Scantron, Michael also became very active in his local community in Orange County, California. He served on an advisory board for the Orange County Sheriff's Department for several years. In 1979, he also became a technical adviser for the Santa Ana Police Department.

Hobbies and Interests

Outside of his work, Michael Sokolski loved to go fishing, sailing, and flying planes as an aviator. He went on many fishing trips over 25 years. He often visited Wisconsin, the U.S. West Coast, and the Queen Charlotte Islands. These islands are now known as Haida Gwaii.

Because of his connection to the islands, he was made an honorary chief by the Haida Nation in British Columbia. He received the name Kilssay G uud, which means Chief Eagle.

Later Years

Michael Sokolski passed away on June 13, 2012, at the age of 85. He died from congestive heart failure. He was survived by his wife, Joanne W. Mayo, whom he married in 1972. He also had a sister, two stepchildren, and seven grandchildren.