Obviously, I learned many lessons in college, and wanted to share those that have greatly helped shape my career as a university professor.
I attended my local college after graduating from high school. I was the first person in my family to attend college and I had no particular goal in mind when I enrolled.
I remember signing up for 15 hours of credit courses, even though I was working 30 hours each week in a textile plant. I also remember well my first class in world history when Professor Brown came to class and immediately introduced each member of the class (about 25 persons as I recall). He had no notes or photos from which to make the introductions. He simply began with students on the first row and introduced everyone in the room. You can imagine the response from all of us. We had never witnessed anything like that in our public school experiences.
The Browns invited our history class to a hamburger cookout at their home several weeks later. I asked Mrs. Brown if I might help Professor Brown with the hamburger grilling, but my real objective was to find out how he knew all of our names. He responded by saying that most students coming to college did not want to take another history course and that the dean had repeatedly told him of the myriad excuses that students would share in their effort to avoid another history class.
Prof. Brown decided he would let students know immediately that he was there to teach by showing his genuine interest in them. His classes were filled with photos and movies from historical settings including the westward movement, the immigration of millions into the “open door” American republic, etc. He kept students involved by continuing to bring them into the class conversation. He was a master at getting students actively involved in their own learning.
Several weeks later, the textile plant where I was working closed given the large inventory that had developed in the midst of declining orders. That news placed into jeopardy every thought or goal I had of going to college. There were no federal financial aid programs for students, no Pell grants, and jobs were very hard to find.
I went home that evening very discouraged about the prospects of my staying enrolled after the fall semester. When I reached home, my mother told me that a professor had called earlier in the evening and asked that I return the call when I returned home. Over my hesitations, my mom insisted that I return the call from Prof. Brown. He let me know that he had learned of the plant’s closing that afternoon and remembered that I was working there. He also knew that I was a working student and paying my own way through college.
