Illinois College Phi Alpha Lecture

November 2006 Illinois College led me astray and other neat places.

IC convo many years ago… What Intros are sometimes worth: Cerro Gordo.. Famous Authors Day…

The most valuable lesson I ever received from a liberal arts Illinois College education: The knowledge that there’s more to life than Illinois College..and Jacksonville…and the United States.

I was met at the door of Barnes House in 1967 by the Dean of students. He called me by name. He’d memorized all of our pictures. Things have changed little. Only details… Beanies, (show.. jock strap) dorm visitations (Still shocks me to see men walk in the front door of Ellis and Pixley.. we had to use the back windows) food is better. ‘60’s… tried to protest but there was little to protest at IC. John Porter… atop chapel… no feet… now a member of Illinois College Board of Trustees.. Bill Beeson… Student Body president. lead protest against compulsory chapel, lived under desk in Crampton for 3 weeks.. Now: Dr. Bill Beeson….Dr.of Theology, I think.. Drama ministry Tried a streak off with MacMurray.. then Channel 20 turned on cameras.

One thing that hasn’t changed.. IC is still a good place to dream.

Even Bill Gates: “Don’t send me any more computer geniuses. The world has enough of them. Send me more dreamers.” Thank God, Illinois College still teaches a young person to dream.

I entered IC, 1967.. Undertaker/moritician.. Then, met a man who changed my mind.. and my life. Charles Frank was perhaps the most popular professor on campus during his many years here. “Chuckling Charlie” He laughed through his lectures. Would interrupt his lectures on Shakespeare and Chaucer at least four times a class period to tell of his travels.

A man who turned me on to the world of words and travel.. Dr. Charles Frank.

1979.. my first tour.. Taking students around the world..

They say before you choose a college roommate or marry someone, you should first travel with them. Mark Twain: I HAVE FOUND THAT THERE AIN’T NO SURER WAY TO FIND Out WHETHER YOU LIKE PEOPLE OR HATE THEM THAN TO TRAVEL WITH THEM

I lived in 211 Gardner.. and made the mistake of not traveling with mine first. He and I lived together our freshman year, pledged Pi Pi Rho together, graduated together and didn’t speak for the next ten years. Good friends now.

A few travel tales..

In the first place, you can’t get away from I.C. Touring Heidelberg Castle in Germany. Strolling through the wine cellar. Dark.. Literally ran into a group from Illinois College. Looking at the Lion Monument in Lucerne, Switzerland. Stepped back to take a picture. Ran into a lady. “Didn’t you go to Illinois College?” Last year, Alaska.. nearly all were Illinois College grads or current students.. met a group from Carbondale.. Priest.. “Hey! I went to Illinois College!”

Robert Benchley: IN AMERICA THERE ARE TWO CLASSES OF TRAVEL: FIRST CLASS AND WITH CHILDREN.

But you don’t have to be a college student to show this attitude toward life. ---Beardstown Ladies...King’s Cross...Sydney Australia In their 70’s and 80’s.. including two I.C. grads.

....Tahiti (Maroa), Jeremy, Paul Gogan Landed in Hawaii: FBI. (“My mom found out about the pictures.”) Jeremy Scott, international terrorist. Jeremy entered his photos in a National Geographic photo contest: won the JR division.

John Stenbeck: A JOURNEY IS LIKE MARRIAGE. THE CERTAIN WAY TO BE WRONG IS TO THINK YOU CONTROL IT.

---Beth K & Eric M...Bullfight (Beth: J’ville’s 1st lady firefighter)

Noel Coward opinion on air travel: “HOW WAS YOUR FLIGHT?” WELL, AERONAUTICALLY IT WAS A GREAT SUCCESS. SOCIALLY, IT LEFT QUITE A BIT TO BE DESIRED.

...Air Italia...cockpit window.

---Worst airline ever: Aeoflat..Aro-flop.. Most takeoffs and landings landed three times each time. (But best security) (no flight attendants.. they got off…. Russians: drunk. Kids took charge) Champaign Dave...getting out of Soviet Union. Continental: My vote for the worst domestic airlines.. Cleveland… van cab ….. propane

MUST HAVE THE 90%-10% ATTITUDE to handle foreign CUSTOMS:

..Unisex Toilets...concentration.. Jodi and Susan...bathtubs. . . Moscow: restoom attendants

Southern Spain…. brushed teeth with Pepsi … rabies epidemic ..French Bidet...Rick: (now a J’ville lawyer) Sock washer...wet pant legs ..Greatest shock: (All-girl group, London) “What time would you like your girls knocked up?”

TRULY UNFORGETABLE MOMENTS: ..Ladies in rags waiting for hours to take communion in Soviet Union. ...Seeing St. Basil’s cathedral in Red Square for the first time. ..Ireland...Preacher Frank from West Virginia clearing out a bar for church ..Assisi... Two olive-skinned ladies on tour

--The Alps.....Thomas Gray in 1739 on viewing the Alps: THERE ARE CERTAIN SCENES THAT WOULD AWE AN ATHEIST INTO BELIEF, WITHOUT THE HELP OF ANY OTHER ARGUMENT> --Craig, Lucerne, Richard, communion

....FINALLY: The story I never tell if any future travelers in the audience. Part of it was printed in USA TODAY last year. (Eric: now one of your J’ville UPS men) .Paris-Madrid train. Bottom line: My Illinois College education has nearly gotten me killed on numerous occasions, but it’s been worth every mile of it.

Freshman friend of mine,. “How’s it going at IC?” “Great?” “Classes?” “Well…okay.” “Football?” “Uh.. let’s change the subject.” “What do you like about it?” (grinned) “I just like bein’ there.”

And by the way… can’t get away from I.C. when traveling. Last year I took a group of folks on an excursion of the Illinois River from Peoria to Starved Rock. When I got on the boat, a gorgeous gal was the first mate..checking us in. Saw my address… said, “Hey! You ever heard of Chi Beta?”… an I.C. grad.

Professor Kevin Klein’s webpage: What befalls the earth befalls all the sons of the earth. This we know: the earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites us all. Man does not weave this web of life. He is merely a strand of it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself." -Chief Seattle (1786-1866)

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