Just like that, August is upon us. Hard to believe, isn’t it? In honor of back-to-school time, I asked the OSD team to share stories about their favorite teachers and lessons from school, along with photos from the era they described. Enjoy!
Dan Linginfelter, Principal
In the mid- to late-1970s, I studied art the old-fashioned way in Cincinnati. I had wonderful instructors and gained tons of artistic knowledge from the professors, as well as my fellow talented contemporaries.
On one occasion, a few of us were working diligently in a nearly empty studio classroom. It may have been a weekend or holiday, if I recall. Suddenly, with no fanfare, the founder of our school slowly came into our studio. We were all surprised to see THE Jackson Grey Storey, cane in hand and up in years, entering the studio space. What an honor it was for him to come and talk with us. He opened my eyes to artistic things in that short time that others had not even thought of teaching a student.
Jackson Grey Storey passed away shortly thereafter. I cherish the few hours that that great man spent with us that day. He was affectionately called “Pop Storey” by faculty and students alike.
Joe Gallagher, Web Development
My fourth grade teacher, Sr. Marie Grace, was teaching us to add and subtract time using the hands on the clock. To illustrate that the correct answer to a problem was 8 hours (or, perhaps, to settle a debate), she started counting on her fingers. When she got to her eighth finger (yes, the middle one), she innocently gave our class the universal gesture for you know what—and we knew it. When she knew that we knew, she quickly put it away as contagious laughter infected everyone including her.
It was a great lesson in humility and embracing humor – both traits of a good teacher and a good leader.
Paige Moore, Content
Several lessons I'll never forget came from Joe Britton, my freshman-year college English teacher at Kentucky Wesleyan College. Joe taught me so many things that I value to this day as a professional writer. He taught me how to get over writer's block. He taught me how to write a good headline. But more than anything, he taught me how to edit myself.
If Joe spotted a complex or wordy sentence, he'd draw a big red fish next to it. Why a fish? In Joe's words: "That's not English. That's EngFish. It stinks!" I can still remember what I did to earn the dreaded EngFish one time: I wrote "proceeded to go" when "went" would work just as well.
To this day, I edit myself as I'm writing, avoiding phrases that would earn an EngFish. Joe Britton is now enjoying the good life of retirement with his wife Margaret (another one of my favorite professors), but I think of him almost every day as I work.
Mike Peck, President
An influential professor taught me that there is more to good copy than meets the eye.
Without question, my favorite professor was a mainstay of the Indiana University School of Journalism, Phil Burton. He was a lanky 6’ 2” with a gravely tone to his voice. His suits went out of style many years prior. His shirt and tie selection would sometimes battle. It would have been very easy to misjudge this book by its cover. Then, he started lecturing.
His words were brimming with national agency wisdom and real world insight. I had never learned so much about why copy has to be relevant, honest, clear and emotional. Phil talked about headlines, the written word and the power of an idea with a passion that I still reflect upon today. He sought the reasons behind why a product was good and resisted the temptation for creative fluff or puffery. He became a mentor and a friend. Although he passed away many years ago, his appreciation of creativity will stay with me always.
