Michele Meyers
In Motion Staff Writer
Introducing the master gunner, History Professor Michael McKeown.
For the past two years, McKeown has been volunteering as a historical interpreter at the National Park Services Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine. Since then, he’s been shooting off cannons and expanding his Spanish and ancient artillery vocabulary. For example:
“Botafuego al cannon. Alto” is a Spanish phrase meaning, “Botafuego to the cannon. Halt!”
The master gunner is in charge and responsible.
“Y soplen la mecha,” “Blow on the matchcord.” Nothing happens without the master gunner’s command.
Then, Fuego,” “Fire!”
McKeowen credits Dr. Nancy Duke, a fellow history professor at Daytona State College, for her motivational talk about volunteerism, specifically the cannon firings at the St. Augustine monument. As a former Army artillery sergeant, McKeown went back to his roots for the opportunity. He’s so immersed in the role, he’s even been called the “angry” soldado, Spanish for soldier, after summoning his booming military voice for the fort’s cannon siege drill.
“I love it. I love being here. I call it therapy because I can have a bad week at work, fire the cannon and the bad week goes away,” says McKeown with a laugh.
Major Allen Arnold, one of the rangers at San Marcos, trained McKeown.
“It definitely takes a certain type of person to volunteer. My family owned the Mill Top Tavern when I was growing up. I saw the fort every day. It’s funny but I left, went to college and ended up right back here as a ranger. Full circle. I have always loved history,” Arnold says.
The love of history was instilled in McKeown at an early age by his father. While stationed in the Washington,
D.C. area, he went to many Civil War battlefields with his family. It is in his family’s DNA to love history.
“I never thought I would be a history teacher, though. I wanted to be an architect but Sir Isaac Newton invented this thing called calculus and said I was not going to be an architect,” said McKeown, known for his wry sense of humor.
He currently teaches a variety of history classes at Daytona State College, ranging from Western Civilization to American History. He began his career at an inner city school in Jacksonville. Through a series of jobs beginning with Father Lopez Catholic High School and an adjunct position at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, he wound up at Daytona Beach Community College or DBCC now known as Daytona State College.
“I like all kinds of students. I really get a kick out of giving presentations to fourth graders here at San Marcos. They ask a lot of questions. College students usually don’t ask a lot of questions. They pretty much just say give me what I need to know so I can move on with life,” McKeown says matter-of-factly.
Amy Vela, a park ranger and the Coordinator of Education and Youth Opportunities at Castillo de San Marcos, explained that their volunteers excel in three main areas.
“Our volunteers come to us valuing education, in particular, knowing the importance of our American heritage and wanting to share that with others. They have a dedication to serving their community and usually are involved in many different activities, not just that of the Spanish soldado. They also inspire others to engage with our national parks.”
She says master gunner McKeown exemplifies a truly passionate history professor. “Fuego!”