150th Anniversary: Lincoln College celebrates Charter Day Convocation
Part two: Comments from Robert Neal and a presentation by State Representative Richard Brauer

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[February 10, 2015]  LINCOLN - The second speaker of the day was Lincoln College Board of Trustees Chairman, Robert Neal. He expressed his appreciation for those in attendance and said that the board of trustees is very proud of Lincoln College and the beautiful Lincoln Campus.

He acknowledged the LC Normal Campus as another source of great pride along with the ABE program there.

As he concluded his acknowledgments he also recognized the Lincoln Heritage Museum.

He then said, “There is going to be a year-long celebration of the 150th Anniversary, so we’ve got a lot more partying to do.”

He talked about the first trustees and the challenges they faced, needing $25,000 to build structures. and worrying over how to raise money and gather students for enrollment. He shared that the current board of trustees has similar worries but on a bigger scale. He said the first graduating class was only three students. By the second or third graduating class, there was University Hall, a place to teach those students. He said, “The board now that are my colleagues worry every year, just like they did back then. But we worry about trying to find 700 students to fill the campuses. We worry about money, just like they did back then. The engineers tell us that it may be close to $1 million to keep University Hall open and useful. So just imagine the $25,000 becoming a million just to keep the building in good shape."

 

He noted the constitution of the board of trustees includes members from a distance, “The 28 trustees come from places all the way from California to Connecticut. Nine trustees come from the Chicago, as it should be as we have a lot of students from Chicago. We have 11 trustees from the Logan County area, and I think if I’m right, two of them live in houses that Robert B. Latham used to own, so we are still tied together.”

He spoke about the evolution of the Lincoln Campus since that first building, University Hall. He named off the many buildings that have been built and named.

The university has built lots of buildings. Jack Nutt was a prolific builder, and Ron Schilling his successor was a good finisher. We have buildings named after President Dooley, President Harts 'Harts Science,' the Meyer-Evans Building 'Student Union,' and the two Carroll dormitories. We have a special building for admissions, one of the more important buildings from a trustee’s viewpoint, Anna and Bernie Behrends name is on that building. We have a building named after a trustee who served on the board for 54 years, John R. Gehlbach. Jack Nutt got his name on the new arena, which certainly seems fitting."

Neal went on to thank the faculty whom he referred to as the heart and soul of the institution.

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He noted that for the board of trustees, the “pay-off” for their work comes every year when the college graduates a new class. This year there is anticipation of approximately 240 students with two or four-year degrees. Recalling comments made by Mayor Keith Snyder at the Friday ribbon cut, whose mother was a graduate and went into teaching, Lincoln College has had an effect on many lives.

Finally, Neal offered gratitude and praise for the current, though soon departing college president John Blackburn. Neal said, “He and Barb were ready to retire four or five years ago, when he retired from Country Companies. He felt the calling to come out of retirement after about five days to run this place for a few more years. He has done a great job, and I know folks on the board have sought his guidance and council. I think we will in the future expect we’ll have to go to little league ball games and sit by him in the stadium and listen to him saying "that little guy is mine, and he’s doing great."

Next up to the podium was Illinois Representative from the 87th District, Rich Brauer. Blackburn said that Brauer was a great personal friend and a terrific friend of Lincoln College.

Brauer took the podium and offered a few opening comments before reading a proclamation from the Illinois State Legislature aloud.

He joked, “I’m here today, and tomorrow I have shoulder surgery at Memorial Hospital, and he (Blackburn) is president of that board too. So, I’m just hoping that you’re not involved with any funeral homes.”

More seriously, Brauer commented that the college, faculty, and students should be very proud of those who attend the college and come out as productive citizens.

He then read aloud from the proclamation signed by the House of Representatives, 199th General Assembly. After the reading, Brauer presented a copy of the resolution to Blackburn.

[Nila Smith]

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