Walking with giants...an old newspaperman's and prof's honor

"There were giants in the earth in those days..."   --Genesis 6:4

There still are, and I am pleased and honored to be asked to walk with them when I receive the Milt Phillips award a week from today at the annual Oklahoma Press Association convention in OKC.

Not much of a giant here, just an aging former weekly newspaperman and college professor, who has been blessed.  I am proud to be a newspaperman, a journalist, and blessed to know these Oklahoma journalists, and thousands of students  at OSU and UCO in more than 30 years who have inspired me and kept me thinking young.  It's been my pleasure and fortune to combine newspaper work with teaching. The experience is a two-way street that makes me a better teacher, and a better journalist.

Literal translation of "giants" in the King James version is more like "people of renown, of power, of influence." When I got the phone call from friend and OPA president, and UCO alum Robby Trammell earlier this spring, I was dumbfounded. 

The Phillips award is OPA's highest, and in its long history since being founded in 1979, I will be only the second college professor to be so honored. Previously it went to my last mentor and friend Harry Heath at OSU, who forgot more about journalism than I know. I never dreamed I'd walk in that company.

All the other awards have gone to newspaper people, except one--to the late great Ben Blackstock who built OPA into the national model of press associations, and who was responsible for me coming back to Oklahoma years ago.

I've gone through the list of previous honorees, and know or have met about 25 of them. Many are friends. I am humbled and honored...walking with giants. I'm in tall cotton. 

"My people"

I do know, as I tell  my wife, that I'm most at home at OPA conventions, talking with newspaper people. I tell her, they're "My people."

I didn't know Milt, though I was newspapering (that's a Clark verb) here when he was alive, but I know his son Ted and his grandson Stu, who publishes the only all local news daily in the state. 

It's many miles and years from walking the sidelines covering high school football for the Waurika News-Democrat, and there are too many people to thank. I'll mention only my late partner Donald J. Morrison of Waurika. And obviously my families, who are my main strength, and who are most important.

                   Here's the scoop on the Phillips Award, from the OPA website.

Milt Phillips

The H. Milt Phillips Award is the highest honor given by the Oklahoma Press Association. The OPA Board of Directors selects the recipient based on publishing a high-quality newspaper; contribution to the profession and the newspaper industry; years of service to the community, state and nation in a variety of volunteer activities and strong love and dedication to the family.
The award was established in 1978 by the OPA Board of Directors to recognize those they felt gave the same quality of service to family, community, country and newspapers as had H. Milt Phillips.    
"Honored by many, regarded by others, feared and disliked by the crafty and corrupt," is the way ‘Cluttered Corner’ Phillips was described by those who founded the award.   
"Phillips was the kind of editor all editors should be," they wrote. "He was involved. He gave freely of his love and concern..."   
H. Milt Phillips purchased the Seminole Producer in April 1946. Prior to beginning his newspaper career, he served as department adjutant of the Oklahoma American Legion and as editor of the Oklahoma Legionnaire.   
He served for two years in the Navy during World War II and, after returning home, was appointed by Gov. Robert Kerr to reorganize war veteran services in Oklahoma.   
Phillips became general manager of the Seminole Producer in 1946. In 1950, he and his brother Tom purchased the two newspapers in Wewoka and merged them into one publication. When Tom Phillips was diagnosed with cancer in 1955, the brothers sold the Wewoka paper. Milt Phillips and his son, Ted, then consolidated the two Seminole papers to form the Seminole Daily Producer.   
Phillips was active in the Oklahoma Press Association, holding several offices including president in 1954.   
He was widely known as a civic leader and statewide industrial booster. Phillips was a long-time member of the board of directors of the Oklahoma Historical Society and was the moving force in the historical society’s efforts to microfilm all Oklahoma newspapers.

And here's the list of previous honorees.

2014     Joe Worley, Tulsa World


2013     Ray Lokey, Johnston County Capital-Democrat


2012     Willis Choate, Marietta Monitor


2011     Tim Schnoebelen, The Mooreland Leader


2010     Gloria Trotter, The Countywide & Sun


2009     J. Leland Gourley, Oklahoma City Friday


2008     Tom Muchmore, Ponca City News


2007     Wayne Trotter,  Tecumseh Countywide News


2006     Joe Hancock, Hobart Democrat-Chief


2005     John D. Montgomery, Purcell Register


2004     Ken Reid, Weatherford Daily News

2003     Bob Peterson, Durant Daily Democrat     


2002     Robert E. Lorton, Tulsa World     


2001     Don Ferrell, Lincoln County News     


2000     Dave Story, Claremore Daily Progress     


1999     Jim Mayo, Sequoyah County Times     


1998     Ted Phillips, Seminole Producer     


1997     Ed Burchfiel, Cordell Beacon     


1996     Larry Hammer, Cherokee Messenger & Republican     


1995     Larry Wade, Elk City News     


1994     Joe W. McBride, Jr., Anadarko Daily News     


1993     Francis Langdon, Tonkawa News     


1992     D. Jo Ferguson, Pawnee Chief     


1991     J. L. Jennings, Donrey Newspapers     


1990     Jenkin L. Jones, Sr., Tulsa Tribune     


1989     Dr. Harry Heath, Oklahoma State University, Journalism Professor     


1988     Jim Bellatti, Stillwater NewsPress     


1987     Ben Blackstock, OPA Manager     


1986     Jim Pate, Madill Record     


1985     Bill Ansley, Elk City Daily News     


1984     Milo Watson, Perry Journal     


1983     Bob Lee Kidd, Jr., Poteau News & Sun     


1982     Charles Engleman, Clinton News     


1981     Allan W. Muchmore, Ponca City News     


1980     Ed Livermore, Sr., Sapulpa Herald     


1979     James C. Nance, Purcell Register  

"Killed in Action"--Memorial Day amid the Oklahoma graves

Memorial Day, Decoration Day. There will be flags on the graves of veterans all over the U.S. and the world this weekend, trying to remind us that it's not just a three-day weekend.
I am always attracted throughout the year to rural cemeteries, and to National Cemeteries. So many stories, so many lives. 
You don't have to go far, to see graves of men who died for their country, the original reason Memorial Day was established.
In a small cemetery very few miles from our house, the Luther cemetery, just north of US 66, I've wandered many times. This past fall, I discovered two fascinating graves I hadn't seen before. It wasn't a holiday, but there were flags on many veterans graves, and Old Glory flew on a monument overlook others.

The most striking was  that of Ferrell E. Messer, who died  in Vietnam at age 19 in 1969--just five years younger than I--unable to vote, but eligible to die for his country. The grave is topped with half an infantry helmet and a cross  telling freedom's story. I wonder about his heart-broken parents and family, and survivors. 
His grave is not alone in those who died in combat. 
Underneath the cemetery flag is a monument to the servicemen, and one of the sides honors William M. Perkins, 24 years old, of the Rainbow Division, who died 98 years ago in 1918 in France in WWI. (The St. Mihiel battle was in September, two months before the end of the war.)
Do yourself a favor and go walk through a cemetery this weekend. See out the graves with flags on them. It's a Memorial...not a holiday.

When I'm in a concentration camp

Painted two years ago, and owned by step-son-in-law Jake Harms.

You won't be able to visit me, or it will imperil your safety.
You won't be able to say my name, or even mail me.
You will have to disavow you knew me.
You will have to affirm, under oath, that you knew all along, I was a traitor.
You will have to join the majority, goose step and salute with cheers to the dictator. 
You will have to "vote" unanimously to disband schools, to destroy libraries, to repeal the Bill of Rights, to censor all art and music.
It will begin in one of the smallest states, and spread, like cancer, an infection of the mind, of the soul, of humanity, by selfish forces of delusion and division, of intolerance and insecurity, and funded by the hunger for power, not for people.
I will understand, because I will be one of the first to be rounded up and sent behind barbed wire for "national security."
I will admit that I used you, deceived you, led you astray against your wishes.
I will deny that you ever agreed with me, and affirm that you were afraid to disagree with me. 
I will die doing slave labor to build a wall in 100 degree heat in a desert compound where there is a cup of water, and a piece of bread every day.
Or I will be executed for failing to bow down, or salute and repeat the mindless sayings of the "leader," or for trying to escape into the deadly heat of the desert.
I hate pain, and that is my great weakness, but I would rather be shot in the back running away than suffer.
But just know, that my memories of you will sustain me with joy; that I will not judge you for staying away, that I will pray for your survival--knowing that this too shall pass--because souls are eternal--that despots and demagogues are not. 
But I will weep for the loss, for America, and freedoms, and decency, and morality--stolen and fueled  because of a "leader's" manipulation of fear, and hatred, and racism, and violence, and intolerance,  and demagoguery, and ignorance, and extremist religion and politics.
They will come for you next. 

I wish this were a fantasy. 

First ever "vlog" post for #clarkclass!

Students make the difference. I learn from them. One of the most creative and "color-outside-the-lines" students I've had is Jade Braun.

Here's her vlog (video blog) of Rob Crissinger speaking in my Twitter for Media #clarkclass last week.

Cool.

Here also is the link to it  on her blog: https://jadebraun.squarespace.com/

Tradition in nontraditional twitter class

My twitter page with group shot, from January

@Okieprof

My most exciting class at UCO these days is my Twitter for Media class, taught only in intersessions for two cram-packed weeks. 
It's also extremely satisfying to me because this traditional journalistic geezer is learning new tricks, teaching new things and connecting with bunches of terrific students as well as cool and energetic professionals, many of them my former students.
This makes about the fourth year I've taught it in between semesters in winter, and in May, I think, and its strength is the professionals in all areas who I bring in to talk to my students about how this social media tool has transformed communication in many fields.
I hashtagged the course #clarkclass in the early going, and it has become its own brand, with proud "alumni" no less. Students say it's more a class about life than twitter, and mark it as one of the most important they've ever had, in spite of the people who turn their noses up at it, thinking it's a blow off.

It is laid back, but it's intense at the same time.

After each speaker, the class "debriefs. "You can get running summaries of what the speakers say by checking my blog for the class #clarkclassUCO, click here: http://clarkclass.blogspot.uco.
You can also follow the twitter stream on the class, including student comments and assignments by going on twitter and searching #clarkclass. The speakers vary a little from time to time, but all bring insights. Last year at the closing session, one of the speakers Jenny Grigsby @refreshcreate took a group photo of us. It's currently at the top of my twitter home page above.
But this year, our first speaker, Jill Castilla, @JillCastilla, dynamic president and CEO of Citizens Bank in Edmond, suggested a "selfie."
Thus has been born another tradition in a nontraditional class...Group photos. We have seven more speakers coming up this coming week. Stay tuned.
Here are the group shots so far:

@JillCastilla, with @Okieprof in the background

@Dezhill UCO broadcasting professor Desiree Hill

@MikeSherman, UCO alum and sports editor, The Oklahoman

@rcrissinger, Rob Crissinger, UCO alum and vice president of Bumbershoot PR