A professor to remember. Walter Cronkite was journalism major, Daily Texan staffer at the University of Texas before me. We met in his CBS office during his first year of evening newscasts. Before he asked how his newscast was doing at my CBS affiliate, KPAR-TV Abilene & Sweetwater, he asked, “What do you hear from Dr. DeWitt Reddick at Austin?” Professor Reddick was then Dean of Communications. His previous training kept three filing cabinets filled
Category: University of Texas
Hearing Aids
When in 2013 I moved back to Texas from Port Townsend Washington, my four Texas children insisted I buy new hearing aids. Last night when my long arm swept the charging hearing aids under my bed, I went looking. Found them. Now demand hearing by others as good as my own. Want readers to know no self-respecting University of Texas graduate would want anyone not to hear that my Longhorn football team beat #3 Alabama
Side Lines
Been watching a bunch of football on the tube. ‘Tis the season. Started with the spring practice game. And will last through most of January. I’ve made a little money watching from that press box atop the stadium. My resume includes part-time newspaper sports writer and host of a Friday night high school TV scores show. Once ’emceed’ a Monday morning gridiron show. Proud I got this far before writing my first cliche. Got to
Literary Touchstone
First Lady Nancy Reagan’s recent published biography authored by Karen Tumulty, I predict, will become one of those books that provide footnotes for historical writers for several years to come. Maybe sooner comparisons because Tumulty writes about Nancy’s contribution to Ronald when his memory began to fail. Is this old professor’s opinion a bit biased? Maybe. Author Karen Tumulty and I both edited at the Daily Texan, student newspaper at the University of Texas in Austin. My
Brash Band
To: Old Neighbor Cameron, once first-chair trumpet, University of Texas Longhorn Band. From: Returned Neighbor Richard, once third-chair trumpet, grammar school member of Hamlin High School Pied Piper Band. Cam, you are right on. And we were both drinking water when you proposed starting what I will call a ‘Brash Band.’ If the Longhorns have one band that plays the “Eyes of Texas” and another band that won’t, we need a third band of Longhorn
Joan of Arc
Here I am again–01.01.2021–writing on New Year’s Day morning. The other time I still remember was 01, 01, 1947. Recall first hour of that ’47 new year. Car horns were honking all over Abilene, but this university sophomore was pecking away at the typewriter in his bedroom. Due in two days, when I returned to Austin, was my assigned ‘original sources’ term paper for my comparative literature class. Read only the original literature, no outside
Press in Politics
I graduated from college, reported at a newspaper, worked in oilfield supply, and then managed a television station. After working for free in politics, in 1967 I went back to my alma mater to earn a Masters degree. I worked as a teaching assistant. The journalism chairman asked me to ‘assist’ his new course. And when I suggested some classroom projects, Norris Davis decided I should teach the course in Political Campaign Communications. My students designed
My Bevo
Missed a chance to get my picture taken with today’s Bevo, the University of Texas Longhorn mascot. The Silver Spurs, students dressed like cowboys who run Bevo onto the football field, emailed me a charitable chance. But today’s cow with long curved horns just not my Bevo. In 1948, a new Bevo and I were initiated into the Silver Spurs. Back then a running track surrounded the football field and a mere 40,000 fans roared. Bevo snorted