President David Clarke, S.J. "From its inception in 1981, the Regis University accelerated adult education learning program gradually gained national and international recognition among its peer institutions as a model to be emulated. At the time, there were only five other colleges that employed the same model. By 2010, this model had been adopted by … Continue reading Aligning Personal Mission with Institutional Mission = Fulfillment
Author: braidwoodguy
Born and raised in Braidwood, Illinois. Worked in secondary and higher education since 1962. Have 5 kids and 14 grandkids. Avocation is writing and genealogy.
Human Warning Labels: “Best Used By” and “Expiration Dates”
Long live my marbles! “…and Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech 782 years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Methuselah were 969 years, and he died.”Genesis 5, 26-27 “Methuselah lived 900 years, and who calls that livin,’ When no gal will give in, To no man what’s 900 years.”Porgy and Bess, … Continue reading Human Warning Labels: “Best Used By” and “Expiration Dates”
How Much of a Gamble Was It?”
“In 1986, I took a job 983 miles (14 hours) away from my home in Wilmington, Illinois without knowing exactly what the job of assistant to the president entailed. This is not to say that job expectations anywhere precisely represent reality as you later understand. But it is not an understatement to say that the … Continue reading How Much of a Gamble Was It?”
“Braidwood in All Its Grime & Glory”
I have invited a few former Braidwood residents to share a some thoughts about their experiences in growing up in my hometown. It has always been interesting to hear different perspectives from people with similar backgrounds. Dennis Turner is a few years younger than me but our stories have a lot in common. I knew … Continue reading “Braidwood in All Its Grime & Glory”
My Ancestor Immigrants: Günther, Ó Cinnéíde, and Klavër
“We are a nation of immigrants? Not exactly.” To label our country as a “nation of immigrants” is hardly accurate. There already were indigenous people, Native Americans, here. Yes, their ancestors probably migrated across the Bering Strait between 15,000 and 30,000 years ago before any other humans were here. But that hardly classifies them as … Continue reading My Ancestor Immigrants: Günther, Ó Cinnéíde, and Klavër
Guest Post from Former Braidwood Resident: Richard Shaw
Building that housed the 13 Club, the Comet Stop, and Richard Shaw. I have invited a few former Braidwood residents to share a some thoughts about their experiences in growing up in my hometown. It has always been interesting to hear different perspectives from people with similar backgrounds. My acquaintance with Richard (Dickie) Shaw was … Continue reading Guest Post from Former Braidwood Resident: Richard Shaw
The Neanderthal from Braidwood
“Hey Thomas! You have more Neanderthal DNA than 77% of other customers.”23andme.com With this greeting, I opened my 23andme.com portal to see what this means. I knew that the Neanderthals disappeared about 40,000 years ago but not before they made close friends with my modern homo sapiens who had migrated north from Africa. Neanderthal origins started somewhere … Continue reading The Neanderthal from Braidwood
My Right to Smoke in An Airplane
1959 at Midway Airport No, I have never smoked a cigarette. There was a brief time in my early twenties that I tried an occasional cigar or a scholarly pipe, but never a cancer stick. Because my mother asked me not to. My first trip in an airplane was in 1959, a flight that carried the … Continue reading My Right to Smoke in An Airplane
Illusions on Streets of My Hometown
My house on Walker Street. "Towns and neighborhoods have secrets and personal stories of people and places locked inside countless memories. People move from those places, but the places should never move from their memories." Tom Kennedy Twilight Time, to dream a while, In veils of deepening blue, As fantasy strides over colourful skies, Of forms … Continue reading Illusions on Streets of My Hometown
“How many children did you and grandma want?”
Grandson asks a question that would have been irrelevant before our marriage. Of course, marriage meant having children. How many? Never really thought about it in 1962. We never debated whether or not we wanted children. We knew that our future family would never be complete without children. As far as a number, I cannot … Continue reading “How many children did you and grandma want?”
Braidwood Beginnings 