GOODBYE MR. BOW TIE

It’s true. Paul Simon never graduated from Dana College — or any other college. But to call him a “college dropout” borders on the offensive. Simon was a man who was passionate about the truth, the United States and his alma mater, Dana College. His death, following complications from cardiac surgery Dec. 9, was a great loss to the Dana community.

“No alumnus was more loyal than Paul Simon,” said Dana College President Myrvin Christopherson. “Paul left Dana in 1948 without a degree to become the youngest newspaper publisher in the United States. He returned almost every year at Homecoming to sing in the reunion choir and attend the Dana football game.”

Simon served on the guiding body of the college, the Dana College Board of Regents, from 1978-81 and 1985-96. He was to rejoin the board on January 1. He was named Distinguished Alumnus in 1979. He also gave generously to the college. After his run for the U.S. presidency in 1988, Simon donated funds left over from his campaign to establish a fund to allow Dana students to travel overseas. Students pay back money from the fund at no interest, allowing the fund to continue indefinitely. He was also the primary planner and fund raiser for an international conference held at Dana on the World War II rescue of Danish Jews.

“Paul believed in America, but he also believed in world peace and strived for harmony among all people,” Christopherson said. “He challenged his alma mater to be a leader in diversity and encouraged world travel by college students.”

In his time as Illinois’ senior senator, Simon was a leading voice for supporting educational systems, fiscal responsibility and limiting violence on television. Enacted legislation that he wrote includes the National Literacy Act, the School-to-Work Opportunities Act, the Job Training Partnership Act amendments and the 1994 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. He was the leading Senate champion of the direct college loan program and chief Democratic sponsor of the balanced budget amendment.

Before his national career began, Simon attended Dana College and then became the nation’s youngest editor-publisher when he joined the Troy Tribune in Troy, Ill. He used his forum to expose syndicate gambling connections and at age 22 was called as a key witness to testify before the U.S. Senate’s Crime Investigating Committee. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1974 and served until he upset three-term incumbent Charles Percy to win election to the U.S. Senate. Simon served in the Senate until his retirement in 1997, even while seeking the Democratic nomination for president in 1988.

Simon was most recently a professor at Southern Illinois University, where he taught classes in political science, history and journalism. He was founder and director of the Public Policy Institute at SIU’s Carbondale, Ill., campus. Simon held more than 55 honorary degrees, including one from Dana, and had written 21 books. He was last at Dana for the college’s Homecoming celebration in October, where he did a free book signing of his recent works, “Our Culture of Pandering” and “Healing American Values and Vision.”

Simon was more than a famous alumnus who brought prestige to Dana. He was a lifelong friend to many who attended classes at the same time as him and a mentor and inspiration to those who attended after.

When retired Dana professor Dr. Verlan Hanson ’51 first met Simon, Hanson was a new freshman tagging along with his older brother.

“I came to know him by chance, because I was going to have my brother as a roommate, and he and Paul were also going to be roommates,” Hanson said. “At that time, he was active in student government and I was just a freshman, so I didn’t do many things with him. But I really enjoyed living with him and getting to know him. He was just a great guy all around.”

Many remember Simon as an active leader in campus organizations, singing with a deep bass voice in the choir, writing for the Hermes and Danian, and serving as student body president.

Eunice (Petersen ’49) Neve arrived at Dana the same year Simon transferred from Eugene, Ore. She said Simon seemed to get to know everyone quickly and always found a way to visit with everyone in a room.

“On one of our choir trips, the men were supposed to all wear their maroon ties,” she said. “As a joke, Paul came out in a bright green bow tie, and he even had a solo to sing that night. (Choir Director) Paul Neve ’41 told him that if he was going on the stage, he would be wearing the same ties as everyone else did. (Simon) did change back to that maroon tie, but we got to see one of his bow ties early.”

Simon also showed his potential as a leader early. Hanson said Simon was always trying to get people to do the right things, and failing that, get the right things done anyway.

“He spent some of his time working to get a black student on campus,” Hanson said. “It didn’t happen while he was here, but his efforts along with the work of others eventually made it happen.” (See Hudson Day.)

As Simon advanced in his political career, he never forgot his friends from Dana. Dody (Jensen ’48) Johnson was in Simon’s class and followed his political career for decades.

“I’ve been impressed through the years with his integrity and his unswerving and vocal loyalty to Dana,” she said. “He always recognized Dana friends in whatever audience they were in when he was speaking. My biggest regret is that he never got to be president of our country — our loss.”

Simon’s commitment to Dana touched the lives of students far beyond the 1940s and ’50s. Allison Ruhde ’00 never personally knew Simon, but said he was an inspiration.

“In my years at Dana, I can’t remember a Homecoming where he didn’t attend,” Ruhde said. “He was a great example for current Dana students — that alumni, even someone in his position, care about Dana and give back to the school in any way they can.”

His spirit will be missed by all.

“His death truly leaves a big hole in the country, for his old Dana friends and for Dana in its mission,” Johnson said. “It was a privilege to know him and to call him friend.”