One of Austin College’s most honored professors, Edward Hake Phillips, passed away August 15 after complications caused by a recent fall.Dr. Phillips, who earned his Ph.D. at Harvard, taught at Rice University before joining the Austin College history faculty in 1959 after being recruited by Dr. John D. Moseley. Phillips went on to be one of the leaders in creating a new curriculum and a stronger liberal arts program. “I took a cut in pay and an increased teaching load because I shared Dr. Moseley’s vision,” he remembered.
I think this is a fond memory. My best guess is that I was 5 years old. We lived one street over from Ed and he owned the vacant lot behind his home and therefore down the street from us. I still have a visual of him chasing us off that vacant lot with a hoe raised over his head (ok, might have been a rake). I'm not sure why - perhaps someone had messed with his garden? Anyway - I remember being chased and thinking - "This guy works at AC? Wait till my dad hears." As far as I knew my dad practically ran the place. (I had very little understanding of college governance. It is still a weak area.) This Ed Phillips encounter is legendary in my family.
ReplyDeleteI never had a class with Ed, but spent time with him at many AC gatherings. He loved Austin College and loved talking history. My grandfather flew a route to Australia while I was at AC and talked a Quantas rep into giving him a bunch of kangaroo lapel pins the year we were in the chase for the national championship. Ed was first in line for one.
ReplyDeleteI and many of my friends at AC loved Dr Phillips. We still talk about notes he placed on our tests. A great man and a great loss. My condolences to his family.
ReplyDeleteLuis Venitucci
On my shelf of old textbooks is an anthology entitled “The Southern Experience in Short Fiction” that I used for at least a dozen sections of English 15 (Experiences in Literature), an “intro to lit” course taken by many freshmen, sophomores, and even upperclassmen at AC. There is a story in it that I always assigned, and Ed Phillips helped me understand and teach it more effectively.
ReplyDeleteKnowing that Southern history was one of his interests, I asked him to come to my class one day, after he had read the story, and share with us some historical perspectives. He was happy to do so, and what he told us blew me away. The story was loosely based on an event which actually happened in 1913: a reunion of survivors from the Battle of Gettysburg, held at the battle site in Pennsylvania.
Ed had done the research to tell us anecdotes from that event which had been recorded, and they made it clear why author John William Corrington felt that he had an important theme and interesting set of characters to work from. A graduate of Rice University (1960), Corrington might even have known Ed or taken a course from him (he taught at Rice from 1949-59).
As I look through my worn copy of “Southern Experience in Short Fiction,” I see that handwritten notes cover the pages of the story “Reunion,” and I’m sure several of them came from Ed’s commentary in my class. Suffice it to say, I loved to teach this story, and the insights provided by my senior colleague contributed greatly to my teaching of it.
Ed and my dad were both born in 1918. They met after both were retired and they shared a love of baseball and railroads. Despite the fact Ed had a Ph.D. from Harvard and my dad had not graduated from high school, they were good friends who shared memories of growing up listening to baseball games on the radio and going to games. My dad was a “dyed in the wool” Chicago Cubs fan while Ed was a Cincinnati Reds fan and the conversations were fun to listen to. Railroads – engines, whistles, tracks and bridges – all were the topics of long discussions. Just recently I got to show Ed my Dad’s 1925 Tri-state tornado pictures. This tornado was on the ground from eastern Missouri, through all of Illinois, and lifted up in Indiana. This was an unexpected chance for me to share my Dad’s memories with Ed. Ed, I will miss you.
ReplyDeleteProfessor Phillips had that rare gift of bringing the past to life, making it relevant to today, and inspiring a love of all things historic.
ReplyDeleteIt was so obvious when he was honored last year at Homecoming, and each former student approached the venerable teacher to express their appreciation, that he commanded the respect of generations of students.
I was blessed with the benefit of his advice and counsel, even if not fortunate enough to have him as a teacher. He will be missed.
As noted above, Dr. Phillips was honored last year at Homecoming, and a great number of former students, friends and colleagues were invited to share their feelings for him, in notes which we have been permitted to share with you. We will post a few at a time over the next week:
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Dr. Phillips:
This is a real treat to pay tribute to you for the extraordinary contributions you have made over the years to Becky and me and so many others. AC, of course, gave us a pivotal four years in our lives. Much of that grows out of your classroom and your fabulous faculty colleagues.
The base of our work has been the values we learned at the feet of our parents and you and all that Austin College gave us.
Love,
David and Becky Hornbeck
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Dear Dr. Phillips,
I got my love of history from my dad… he often said that if he hadn’t been a doctor, he would have become an archeologist. There were always books about the house of world, US and Texas history. And yes, just as your son spoke about your family visits to battlefields and historical sites, we did the same. Mr. Kelly, my high school history teacher, continued to encourage me.
At Austin College you nurtured my love of history. I remember such courses as Women in American History and Black History. I majored in History and you were my advisor.
I still have that love of all things historical. Thank you for nurturing this lifelong love of history. With deep respect and affection,
Carolyn F. Johnston
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What a wonderful and well deserved honor! When I was getting my M.A. here at AC during the late 60s, I so wanted to take a course from you on the Civil War. Unfortunately, my schedule did not allow this. I have always regretted this. I have enjoyed knowing you and our church relationship all these years.
Jane Bylander
Dr. Phillips was easily my favorite professor at Austin College. The class lectures were good, but the talks we had in his tiny office about sports, the Civil war, and history in general were the best. He had the most unbelievable memory - when we returned to Sherman after two years in Africa (and 15 years after I had graduated) he spotted me walking across campus, called out to me by name, and wanted to know all about our experience in Malawi. As a high school history teacher I always try to bring out the little known, interesting points that allow students to grab hold of a story. Dr. Phillips taught me that.
ReplyDeleteI was fortunate to have Dr. Phillips as a professor and as my counselor at Austin College. I took a couple of his courses, but the one I remembered most was a January term course he taught on the history of the 1920's. I remember him telling us that he loved that period because that was when he was a boy growing up. I was always amazed at Dr. Phillip's remarkable memory. I only saw him every few years, but he always remembered me and details about my time at AC, including the position I played on the football team, which he recalled when he saw me in 2008. I mourn his loss. Austin College benefited greatly from the contributions of Dr. Ed Phillips.
ReplyDeleteKeith Johnston
Among those honoring Ed last October were colleagues and friends, many who had written notes to him on the occasion and allowed us to share them:
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Thank you so much for sharing your time and your repository of information, as I worked on material for my doctorate. I enjoyed the conversation tremendously and appreciated your generosity so much. -- Lander Bethel
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What a wonderful honor and well deserved. You have made a great impact on your students and on the Sam Rayburn Library. I can only hope to follow your example. -- Jackie Moore
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Ed Phillips, already an emeritus professor, was the first member of the Austin College community to welcome me when I joined the faculty in the fall of 1988. Ed and his wife Pat were a great introduction to the Community Series, where I met them, and they invited me to have Thanksgiving dinner with them, that first fall. -- Frank Rohmer
One aspect of my Dad's time in Sherman that was not included in the article was that he served as Scoutmaster for a Boy Scout troop that was based at Grand Avenue Presbyterian Church. I was one of the scouts as was my brother, Pete. I'm pretty certain it was the only racially integrated troop in Sherman at the time, which meant we were on the receiving end of some verbal slings and arrows. It hindsight, it was a valuable lesson to experience. I remember that Dad had at least a couple of Austin College students who helped him as Assistant Scoutmasters, but unfortunately I don't remember their names after all the years.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, one of the neat memories I have from Troop 8 was the time we were in the Downtown Sherman Christmas parade. Dad decided we shouldn't just march behind a banner or ride in the back of a pickup, which was what the other troops did. He or one of the assistants came up with a plan for the scouts to create a giant snowman out of chicken wire and tissue paper. We mounted it on top of two long 2x4s and we scouts carried it through the parade with about 3 scouts on each end of each 2x4. Much to my amazement it actually worked pretty well - the snowman jiggled as the scouts walked , which delighted the crowd and we traded off carrying it so no one got too tired. When it was all over, the parade committee did not give us a monetary prize for having a "float" because our snowman was not pulled by a vehicle. Dad protested that our snowman was at least as impressive as some of the other things that pass for a float in a Sherman parade and eventually the troop did get a check to help cover the cost of the chicken wire, wood and tissue paper.
I think that little story typifies my father: he did not follow the status quo by doing what everyone else did, and he always wanted to see people (and scout troops)treated fairly.
Like so many others, I also count Dr Phillips as my favorite teacher in college. Every time he saw me anywhere in town over the next 45 years, he always greeted me so warmly. My sympathy to his family. Fondly, Frances Cornette Phillips
ReplyDeleteDr. Phillips had a way of making people feel special. His ability to recall facts about people and places including his students was amazing. Each year I looked forward to greeting Dr.and Mrs. Phillips at homecoming. When I was young my Dad Taught at AC and the Phillips' lived close by. They were always so nice to us. Dr. Phillips was indeed one of the people who helped make AC such a unique and wonderful place.
ReplyDeleteI am posting this reminiscence on behalf of Dr. Ty Cashion, Dept. of History, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX.
ReplyDeleteAs a history professor and AC alumnus, it was my privilege to see Dr. Phillips occasionally in professional settings. At one particular conference, a colleague was asking everyone he encountered if they were familiar with the work of Oigan Rosenstock Quacy. This impromptu poll was his way of expressing displeasure over a forthcoming obligation to participate in a panel that included a paper regarding the influence of this all-but-forgotten historian on some equally obscure scholar. Not a single person had even heard the name. Spotting Dr. Phillips across the hotel lobby, I told my colleague: “Bet I know one guy who will know.” So, we walked over, and in a respectful tone, he said: “Excuse me, Dr. Phillips; I was wondering if you’ve ever heard of a historian named Oigan Rosenstock Quacy?” That winsome smile so familiar to all of us suddenly spread across Dr. Phillips’ face, and he replied: “Why, yes! I knew Oigan at Harvard!” He then regaled us with a few stories, which drew a small crowd, making everyone realize that Quacy had indeed contributed significantly to the profession.
I remember looking at choices for an upcoming Jan Term session and seeing a course titled Growing Up in 4 Country ( alocal show out of Dallas at the time)or something like that taught by DR Phillips. At the time I was in the SUB and saw Jeff Phillips and went up and asked him why his dad named the course that way, Jeff said "because he liked the song that intro'd the show"
ReplyDeleteDr. Phillips was the absolute epitome of what a college professor should be in any setting, not just a small private college such as Austin College. His influence will not be lost with his passing as he lives on in the lives of so many students, especially those in teaching who learned much from him about life's lessons as well as history. My husband (a history prof) and I are two who felt privileged to be in his class and enjoyed a continuing friendship after graduation. We will miss him and remember him always.
ReplyDeleteDr. Kenneth Street, Emeritus Professor of Political Science, joined the AC faculty the same year (1959) as Dr. Phillips. The two of them shared an office for a while, and Dr. Street has several fond memories of Ed. Here's one he shared.
ReplyDelete"The college still have chapel services several days a week when we came, and about once a week the faculty were expected to take turns reading an assigned passage from the scriptures as part of a worship service. There was a large Bible on the pulpit, and we were told that it would be open to the appropriate chapter or page where the reading began.
"That was usually the case, but once when Ed Phillips got up there to do his reading, the Bible had not been opened to the proper place. Fortunately, he knew the books of the Bible well enough to be able to find his reading with no difficulty. That would not have been the case for some of us."
"He and I shared an interest in baseball, and we had a lot of good conversations on that subject. He will be missed by many retirees from the faculty who taught with him back in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s."
Please let the Phillips family know that they are in our thoughts and prayers. I will be out of the country on September 12, but will light a candle in some northern France church that day in memory of him.
ReplyDeleteDr. Phillips was a great inspiration for me. Because of him, I fell in love with History. He taught me that you can enjoy it. I know that it was his recommendation coming from a Harvard grad that got me accepted at Harvard graduate school. It was his influence that drove me to go on to get a Masters and Doctoral degree in History at Syracuse University.
I have many fond memories of Dr. Phillips. As I walked into class, he would always ask what my protest button “said” today. Although we were not always in agreement on political issues, he never let that influence how he treated me.
One classic story about Dr. Phillips: In the days before the Austin College buildings were air conditioned and in the late Spring heat, Dr. Phillips had a lecture course that I took. As the clock indicated that the class was almost over, one student took out a cigarette and got ready to light it. Dr. Phillips told him that he could not light it in his classroom. The end of the class came. The student walked out the door, lit the cigarette, and turned to blow smoke into the classroom. I still picture Dr. Phillips chasing that student down the hall.
Dr. Phillips was also one of the most generous persons I have ever known. I remember that the senior history majors took up a collection to buy Dr. Phillips a Harvard gown to wear at college ceremonies. He took those funds and bought books for the Austin College library!
I had not seen him in many years, but he will always be in my thoughts and heart. Thank you, Dr. Phillips, for teaching me, leading me, and supporting me.
No one was a better friend and mentor than Dr. Phillips. This fact came home to me when I was in graduate school where none of my professors could hold a candle to Ed. He trained us well.
ReplyDeleteHowever, my best memory of Ed was the summer I was working as a Seasonal Ranger at Fort Davis National Historic Site and Ed and family came to visit. We spent most of an afternoon hiking the grounds and crawling through every historic structure. Ed was in his element, living history. He was wearing shorts and did not have much of a tan. By the end of the day those spindly legs were well done, but he was happy and I had spent the day with someone I truly enjoyed and respected.
Ed, God's Speed
Larry Francell
Fort Davis, Texas
Dr. Phillips had a brilliant mind -- he seemed to read and be interested in everything. He was one of those delightful faculty members who taught the 30 or so of us in the Basic Integrated Studies program that began in the fall of 1958. By 1959, when he arrived at Austin College, it was time for us to study some American History. He was a fascinating lecturer and so kind to all of us students. My favorite memory -- repeated many times -- is of him coming into the classroom in the Administration Building with an armload of books. In each one were slips of paper marking the passages he wanted to read as part of that day's lesson. He would spend a good part of the lecture turning through the various marked places in the books until he found just the right one.
ReplyDeleteWhen we brought my daughter to look over the Austin College campus in about 1980, he was one of the people we saw. He remembered me immediately and was very attentive to Katie.
There were a few faculty and staff folks, members of Grand Avenue Church, about whom we students would talk about the difference between their "Grand Avenue" personality and their "Austin College" personality. Dr. Phillips was NOT one of them -- he was always gentlemanly, gentle, and interested in students. Those sparkling eyes and the broad smile that would grace his face will always have a place among my happiest memories of Austin College. Rest in Peace, Dr. Phillips -- and may God give comfort, hope, and joyful memories to all of you who survive him.
Mary Catherine (Moses) McSpadden, class of 1962
I called him Fast Eddie Phillips, even though he was not a young man when I left AC in December of 1981. He moved and acted as a man with a purpose. He listened and appreciated views that were not the student status quo, probably a little more conservative and traditional than what was being spouted as the current cause. He liked to hear about the ranch country and provided good commentary. He was my friend and I have always thought of him with a smile. That is a pretty notable contribution as far as I am concerned. My deepest condolences and warmest regards to his family.
ReplyDeleteLauro Guerra
By his words and actions, by his passion and compassion, by his life - he touched a multitude and elevated all of us to a higher place. May we all strive to achieve such a purpose.
ReplyDeleteWhen he ripped me,a reluctant student, a new one in class it hurt but when I earned his praise I felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment. He was not one to just throw compliments around. When I last saw/spoke to him and he remembered me I felt honored that he would.
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed a privilege and an honor to have known the man.He will not be forgotten.
Everytime I encountered him that I can remember he was dignified. There was also a lightness to him and humor about him. I enjoyed and profited by "Speak, Mr. Speaker." The world-- my world-- is poorer for having lost him.
ReplyDeleteDr. Phillips was a great example in and out of class. I respected him always. It was such a blessing to see him the only time I went to Homecoming after 20+ years. He still showed interest in my life! Thanks for sharing your loved one with all of us, Mary Page '72
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