The Austin College community lost a legendary professor December 6, 2017, with the death of Dr. Kenneth Street, professor emeritus of political science. He was 90 years old.
A service will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, December 18, in Wynne Chapel at Austin College. A memorial service also is scheduled during the 2018 Kenneth Street Law Symposium at Austin College on Monday, February 12, with details to be announced.
Share your memories and condolences.
Oh my!
ReplyDeleteMy world will never be the same without Ken Street in it. Dr Street changed the direction of my life and gave me the inspiration to pursue the law as an agent for positive social change.
I got to know and love this giant of a man as a warm and caring teacher and mentor who stayed in touch with me for 39 years following my graduation. His quiet greatness is a template for all of us to strive to achieve. He lead the way and set the standard for academic achievement and personal integrity.
I was lucky to be one of the many many souls Dr Ken Street left his personal touch of inspiration in.
May we all take a moment to thank God for the loving man we knew as Dr Ken Street.
Respectfully
Tom Hall '78 AC , Texas Tech Law '81
Dr. Street was THE finest Mentor and Gentleman Scholar any one could have ever hoped for. . .he changed my life -- and SO many others -- in the most profound ways. He will forever be the most influential person in my personal and professional life. Heaven has gained a classy teacher, easily capable to sitting next to history's best teachers. More importantly, Louise has her man back at her side. All of us blessed by him feel the loss as we treasure the memory -- and the memories of moments with him. . .and lessons that never leave. Dennis Gonier '83
ReplyDeleteSuperb prof and person. Sad loss. He guided me from the Goldwater GOP I inherited from my parents to the liberal wing of the Democratic Party. - Ned H. Benson '65
ReplyDeleteBoth as a man and as a professor, Dr. Street fell into that rarest of categories: the best that ever was. Tom Sehon '67.
ReplyDeleteDr. Street was a man whose gentle logic and calm demeanor ushered me into a new and much enlightened world. He was the best teacher I ever had, before or since, and the most influential person in my life. Mike Brown '66
ReplyDeleteDr. Street was a moral example to all of us who had the privilege of studying with him. His life was a demonstration of all those personal qualities essential to the teaching profession. After graduation he became a lifelong friend and colleague. I will miss him so much. Robert H. Bullock, Jr. '67
ReplyDeleteDr. Street was a kind and gentle soul. He was an Old School Democrat that deeply loved his country and cherished its history. He was a gifted educator and loved teaching. It showed in everything he did. He constantly reminded me that common ground could be found on every issue if only we make the effort to find it. I will miss him greatly. James W. Walker '82
ReplyDeleteDr. Street is the single greatest influence on my political thought and social awareness. I understand my country and good governance because of him. I credit him with my sense of social duty having palpable direction and a Table of Contents. He helped me form my yardstick of historical context for measuring the executive office (remember the full courses on the Presidency...?). Though his retirement from the classroom the year I graduated was the first of our losses, he is certainly not forgotten. His legacy breathes every time I take my daughter to vote. Johanna Schroeder '98
ReplyDeleteAs a pre-law student, I took every class I could that was taught by Dr. Street and even though I may have disagreed with him politically, I always respected his thriving intellect and his philosophical honesty. I still feel that he was somewhat responsible for my being appointed Law Clerk to Associate Justice Tom C. Clark of the United States Supreme Court and I will always be grateful to him for preparing me for law school, my Clerkship and now my 50+ year career as a Texas lawyer. His passing is quite a loss to the College. Marshall Groce '62.
ReplyDeleteAs others have said, Dr. Street (along with Dr. Phillips in History) was a wonderful teacher and role model for me. I had the good fortune to be on campus and visit with him at his home 18 months go. His body was failing a bit, but his mind and positive outlook were in good form. I certainly will never forget being in Dallas with Dr, Street to see JFK on the day he was killed. Early that day, in Fort Worth, we had chatted with LBJ who was leaning up a against a hotel wall with no one paying him any attention. I can only hope that those at AC now, and in the future, will find their own counterparts to Ken Street.
ReplyDeleteDavid Easterly '65
Dr. Street was one of the classiest people I've ever met. I only took one class from him, so I felt very privileged to have him seek me out to join me for lunch when I was a graduate student at Stanford, and he visited there. He was one of AC's crown jewels and deserves to be remembered for the ages for being such a gifted professor.
ReplyDeleteJeff Phillips '81
Legendary is putting it mildly. Dr. Street was an Austin College icon. Even though I chose to go a different path outside of law when I attended AC, Dr. Street would always express interest in how I was doing. A true class act, gentleman, scholar and human being. Giving thanks for the life of this wonderful man!
ReplyDeleteOther than my own parents, Dr. Street has influenced me more than any other person in my life. That is a huge statement given the awesome and great people--including educators, ministers, coaches, political leaders--I have known. His gentle patience and never failing encouragement in and out of the classroom and through the years allowed me to grow as a thinking person and as a concerned and active citizen. He sparked my intellectual curiosity and intense desire to be a positive contributor to the world I live in and the humanity I am a part of. Tears are flowing out of my eyes now but my heart is full of gratitude that I had the opportunity to really know Dr. Street and be one of his students. Before I die, there will be a building on the Austin College campus with Dr. Street's name on it. But more than that that, I will do my best to honor his gifts to my life by being a better me!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a second year student in the 80's Dr Street always said hello, and would stop if you had a question. I remember him walking across the campus, always smiling as he walked by someone. He was quiet, stately, but after you started talking to him, he always listened and truly valued the topic at hand. I once thought he was distant, but he proved ne wrong. I had interactions with him on behalf of other students, always friendly. RIP Sir. A true great teacher and moral compass.
ReplyDeleteEdward Samaniego 87'
That harleyj in a comment above is Harley James Spoon, Class of '64.
ReplyDelete