“The situation was purely one of the economy,” he said. “Heathkit (Educational Systems) was primarily dependent upon federal and state funding for schools. Spending in education continued to drop down, and it was economically unfeasible to continue operating.”

 

Heathkit had left the kit business in 1992. By then its Heathkit Educational Systems division was focusing on selling educational systems, such as hardware and manuals for career and vocational training. In 2008 the company vacated a building at 455 Riverview Drive in Benton Harbor and moved into the 25,000-square-foot section of a 330,000-square foot building in St. Joseph Township owned by Southshore Companies.

While the story is typical where a company could not enhance its niche or identify a new one, the sadness of its demise can not be measured. During my childhood, it was common for boys to build kits of various types not just to learn how they worked, but to understand the basics of electronics and engineering. The best part about the kits of that era was not the performance of the radios, although Heathkit rigs were legendary for their durability and performance in many cases, but how it stimulated the imagination of youngsters to the point where they pursued careers in various engineering fields. Modern conveniences such as personal computers, cellular telephones, and other various items may not have been developed in the United States had it not been for the corporations like Heathkit which fulfilled an educational niche.

Unfortunately the demise of this company is another indicator of how far our nation is falling. If one takes a moment to ask how an iPhone was built some would instantly reply with “at the Apple factory in California” without understanding the inner workings and magnificence of the integrated circuit or LCD technology. The majority of teenagers could care less how to build a computer nor learn how the physics within the technology functions, alas, they are more desirous of information to reach the next level including cheat codes and hacking the games. Unfortunately for the American people, this lack of interest in developing new technologies using the vast array of modern engineering tools will eventually leave us subservient to the Far East as their prowess continues to progress.

Indeed, this is a sad, silent key for a company from my childhood. I wish to thank all of the engineers and employees of this company throughout the 1960′s, 1970′s, and 1980′s which provided me with hours of entertainment and education.