The Carl Sandburg Centenary January 6, 1878 -1978

in Galesburg were shared by Knox, Carl Editor's note: Joan Dilts Neumiller was Sandburg Community College, the Sand­ the Carl Sandburg Centenary project co­ burg Birthplace, the Historical Society, the ordinator, a job with so many details to Philatelic Society, and other community keep track of it sometimes must have groups. Opening ceremonies for the Cen­ seemed like herding lemmings away from tenary were scheduled at Knox at 11 in the the sea. It was a large undertaking and she morning. The day was mild, and even the did it very well as the success of the Cen­ bit of fog seemed appropriate, as the long tenary attests. line of notables we were to see during the month began to arrive: scholars, poets, There are a few hundred of the Centen­ journalists, TV personalities, folksingers, ary souvenir programs left. If you would politicians- along with bus loads of school like one, send your name and address to children, the old who once knew him and the Public Information Office at the Col­ the young, ready to become acquainted. lege. The programs were produced by Da­ From the campus, the community, and vid Amor, editor, and Christie Ferguson from across the nation they came, to pay Cirone, '75, designer, and printed by Phil homage to Galesburg's native son. Lass, '38, who has also printed volume 64 CARL SANDBURG Newsman Howard K. Smith, a long-time of this magazine. friend of Carl Sandburg, was keynote CENTENARY speaker at the ceremonies, held before a (Airtrull t ol IJ:I·\\'llllum A. Smith) near-capacity crowd in the Knox Memorial Gymnasium. Sharing the platform was Gwendolyn Brooks who succeeded Carl By Joan Dilts Neumiller what would have been the Pulitzer Prize Sandburg as Illinois poet-laureate and has poet's 100th birthday, January 6. Centen­ also earned a Pulitzer Prize for poetry. The College community kept its mind ary events to follow ranged from scholarly President Fox presided along with Douglas off the cold and snows of January by considerations to light-hearted folk-song. Wilson, director for the Centenary. hosting a month-long Carl Sandburg Cen­ January 6 was proclaimed "Carl Sand­ Howard K. Smith had been on the Knox tenary celebration to honor its long-time burg Day" in the State of Illinois by Gov­ campus with Sandburg in 1961, when they friend· and adopted son (Lombard '04) on ernor James Thompson. Birthday activities worked together on a CBS documentary

Carl Sandburg Howard K. Smith

Knox Now - 11 11Yet this reaching is alive yet/for lights and keepsakes." film, " Lincoln's Prairie Years." His address was warm and personal, full of fond mem­ ... from across the nation they came, to pay homage ... ories and sparkling with anecdotes. Both he and Gwendolyn Brooks set the stage appropriately for the four Saturday sympo­ Following the ceremony, Knox hosted a pie and cinnamon ice cream! sia to come, dealing with various aspects Centenary luncheon in Seymour Union for Three presentations were made at the of Sandburg's life and work. It was to be some 200 friends and dignitaries, including luncheon. On behalf of the Lombard alum­ the purpose of these symposia not only to the platform guests, the three Sandburg ni, Sewell Wright presented President Fox re-evaluate Sandburg and his work, but al­ daughters: Margaret, Janet and Helga; art­ with a plaque to be affixed to the Lombard so to explore the broader subject of the ist William A. Smith, designer of the Sand­ Bell Tower, now on the Knox campus-the contributing role of the artist- poet, biog­ burg commemorative stamp; Sewell Wright, very same tower from which Sandburg rapher, journalist - in a democratic society. son of Philip Green Wright who was Sand­ once rang the bell to summon classes Smith acknowledged the effect Sand­ burg's teacher and mentor at Lombard; Juli­ while working his way through college. burg's massive, 6·volume biography on an P. Muller, representing Sandburg's pub­ Julian Muller presented a warm and per­ Abraham Lincoln had had on him in his lishers, Harcourt-Brace-Jovanovich, Inc., sonal tribute from Sandburg's old friend younger days when he took precious sa­ of which he is a vice president; Burl lves, and publisher, William Jovanovich. And vings to buy the set, then proceeded to on hand to present a concert in tribute William Smith presented to Knox his origi­ "read through it five times." to his old friend later that evening at Carl nal lithograph portrait of Sandburg, the Gwendolyn Brooks noted the social con­ Sandburg Community College; and Lauren one from which he had made the drawing cern of much of his poetry and how it ap­ Goff, retired curator of the Sandburg Birth­ for the stamp. He also brought laughter peared to many in his day as "ear-distract­ place. Also present were representative and tears to the eyes of all when he shared ing yowling, as literary radicalism, as virtual groups of students, faculty, trustees and some precious tape-recordings made of irreverence." Many then were suspicious administrators, visiting college presidents, Sandburg during some of the many visits of the colloquial, the "common." She officials of the city and district, of the State the poet made to his home. chided gently that too few of us today Historical Society, of the Federal Postal The First-day Cover Stamp Ceremony, have the faith, the hope, the courage, to Service, and people from the community presided over by William B. Bolger, (who William Smith presents a lithograph of Sandburg to E. Inman Fox, accepting on behalf of the College. Burl lves speak out as Sandburg did when he wrote who had devoted time and effort to the has since become the new Postmaster in " The People, Yes:" Birthplace Association in the past as well General), was held early in the morning at as those who helped on the Centenary. Carl Sandburg College. But first-day covers The panderers and the liars have The luncheon itself was a faithful duplica­ were cancelled all day at three locations in ery, as having first stimulated his interest ety and economy, with the railroad labor said. Frederick Olson of the University of violated and smutted it. tion of the banquet given Carl Sandburg town, including Old Main's Alumni Room. in Lincoln. strife of the 1880's, and the small liberal Wisconsin, Milwaukee, gave further back­ Yet this reaching is alive yet by Lombard Alumni when the poet partici­ How appropriate, for Sandburg had often In the afternoon, birthday activities shift­ arts colleges (Knox and Lombard) which ground on the Milwaukee Socialists. Many for lights and keepsakes. pated in the Lincoln-Douglas Debate Cen­ credited the plaque on Old Main's north ed back to Carl Sandburg College and to played such an important role in steering attending the sessions revealed that they tennial here in 1958 - down to the apple wall, bearing the Lincoln quote about slav- the Sandburg Birthplace. All in all, it was a Sandburg into an eventual writing career. had not been aware of this early social ac­ grand experience in town-gown cooper­ North Callahan, history professor from tivity on the part of Sandburg. One com­ ation! Sandburg was doing what he liked New York University and author of a Sand­ mented on an evaluation form (used at all best, bringing people from all walks of life burg biography, continued to trace the in­ the symposia) that Sandburg's hard work together in a common purpose. fluences on Sandburg's development after is "an inspiration to others to tackle current The following day began the first of the he left Galesburg to wander about the social needs and issues." four Saturday symposia dealing with 1) country "hobo-style" and eventually take The Sandburg sisters did much to im­ Sandburg's Roots, 2) Sandburg the Poet, part in the Spanish-American War. Mar­ part a personal, closer feeling for the man 3) ... the Lincoln Biographer, 4) ... the Popular garet Sandburg, the poet's eldest daugh­ being honored by their very presence dur­ Spokesman. These were all day affairs, ter, revealed new information on Sand­ ing the opening weekend. This was espe­ held in Harbach Theater, with morning ses­ burg's early years in Milwaukee- through cially true at Helga Sandburg Crile's concert sions devoted to the presentation of pa­ the period of her father's courtship and of "Sweet Music," held Saturday evening pers and afternoon sessions of dialogue marriage to Lilian Steichen and his work in Harbach, when she shared family remini­ and discussion. The participants had been with the Milwaukee socialists of the early scences and songs, using one of her fa­ carefully chosen not only for their scholar­ 1900's. (Carl and Lilian spent part of their ther's guitars. Her own poem, dedicated to ship or acquaintance with Sandburg, but honeymoon organizing for the Social ­ her father and with which she concluded in order to bring varying points of view to Democratic Party). her program, brought a standing ovation. the areas of discussion. The panelists were joined in the after­ The symposium on Sandburg's Roots noon by three discussants who provided The second weekend of January was on January 7, was chaired by Carl Sand­ additional background for the discussions. spent pleasantly delving into Sandburg's burg College President William M. Ander­ Alan Swanson, professor of Scandanavian poetry, with readings and discussion dur­ son. Knox's own Hermann Muelder, pro­ Studies at Augustana College, described ing the Sandburg the Poet symposium and fessor emeritus of history and College his­ the times and places from which Sand­ in the production of Norman Corwin's play, torian, presented a paper on Sandburg's burg's parents emigrated from Sweden. "The World of Carl Sandburg." early days in Galesburg and showed how The Reverend Constant Johnson of Gales­ The play, presented three consecutive this town, mirroring many a U.S. 19th­ burg's Trinity Lutheran Church explored evenings by an all-faculty cast, was well century town and city, influenced Sand­ the religious influences in the poet's life­ staged, in concert-theater style. Ivan Da­ burg's later activities and writing. He dealt the Bible was the first book he had to read vidson, theatre, (who also directed), Rob· Sewell Wright and Gail Youngren, L'27, w ith the Lombard plaque. Gwendolyn Brooks with the immigrant family - its status and at home and "one out of every three of his ert Whitlatch, theatre, with his guitar, struggle for improvement in the town soci- poems deals with Biblical themes," he Donald Torrence, communication, and

12- Knox Now Knox Now - 13 (1921), which encompassed the views of think, all we learned in school was a poem past critics as well as his own. Incidentally, He celebrated ... the wonder of the human species. about fog and a city of big shoulders." much of the "legend" incorporated in the A fitting climax to the whole Centenary original work was corrected, we were told, took place that evening when some 3000 in light of later research on Lincoln, in people of all ages and from all walks of Sandburg's one-volume edition of The life filled the Knox gym to hear Pete See­ Prairie Years and The War Years published ger sing his tribute to Sandburg. America's in 1954). Illinois Congressman Paul Simon current patriarch of folksong held that analyzed what Sandburg included and whole audience in his hand-for almost 3 what he left out in the area of state legis­ hours of humor and song. Accompanying lative history, a field in which Simon has himself on guitar, banjo and recorder, en­ done research. But he was quick to point couraging the audience to join in (and they out that "this was like finding a bit of dust did, a good part of the time), he sang lulla­ in a magnificent mansion." Stephen Oates, bys, protest songs from five decades, University of Massachusetts history pro­ spirituals, an African Zulu song, a Hebrew fessor, concentrated on the subject of chant, old and new folk ballads, and yes, "myth" and its significance for the citizen­ many from Carl Sandburg's "American ry of a democracy - though he stressed Song Bag" collection. He received three the importance of being able to separate standing ovations. His warmth, his gentle­ the fact from the fiction. Biographer Justin ness, his humor, his expertise-all make Kaplan of Cambridge, Mass. drew some him a true balladeer in the Carl Sandburg very interesting parallels between Walt tradition. Whitman (on whom he is currently doing a The Carl Sandburg Centenary was fund­ biography) and Carl Sandburg. Both, he ed in part by a grant from the Illinois Hu­ felt, "delighted in myth," and he extolled manities Council, (the largest they awarded the importance of myths in stirring aspir­ in 19nl and the National Endowment for Sandburg birthplace, Galesburg. ations, reminding us of the old proverb: the Humanities. Exhibits on display through­ "where there is no vision, the people per· out the month in various campus locations ish." Kaplan felt Sandburg was trying to came from the Knox Archives and, on loan, from the Universities of Chicago, Illinois, Margaret Thompson, history, brought to the "rough-hewn poet of the practical, give us "a real man," the Lincoln which he Pete Seeger life the love, hatred, bitterness, imagina­ working world," or was he actually more had come to know and love. and Texas-perhaps the only time so tions, perception, sarcasm and humor "mystical"? There was common agree­ No doubt about it- the stage was set for much Sandburg memorabilia will ever be found in Carl Sandburg. The broad cross­ ment that although he produced both quite a discussion that afternoon when the together in one place. These, and special section of poems and songs selected good and bad poems, there is much more panelists were joined by Roger Bridges Journalists, a labor historian, and a well­ paper was read in his absense, due to the exhibits for each symposia, were arranged ranged from those about children to those to Sandburg's poetry, upon closer exami­ from the State Historical Library, Victor known radio interviewer came to Knox on closure of O'Hare field in another storm, by Knox curator, Jacqueline Haring. about death, and concluded with a very nation, than he perhaps has been given Hicken from Western Illinois University, January 28 to discuss Sandburg the Popu­ but he, too, was able to participate by The Knox Office of Public Information moving passage from the Lincoln biogra­ credit for. Many came away from the ses­ Macomb, and Michael Perman from the lar Spokesman. This symposium was phone in the afternoon discussions). Using has been receiving newsclips on the Sand­ phy, A Hundred Years. sion with the same feeling as that ex­ University of Illinois, Chicago Circle. When chaired by the Centenary project director, Sandburg's poems as a frame-work, Chi­ burg Centenary from all over Illinois, from English professors and poets made up pressed by one V'er(lber of the audience: it was all over, those attending generally Douglas Wilson, director of Seymour Li­ cago writer-interviewer Studs T erkel Milwaukee and St. Louis, from Detroit to the panel for the Saturday symposium, "I saw Sandburg for the first time as a poet agreed that they had gained a better un­ brary. charmed the audience by talking "off-the­ Texas, New York (Times) to Los Angeles, chaired by Howard Wilson of Knox. Louis of complexity and depth. His reput'l!ltion derstanding of "how" and "why" Carl "One of the most important factors that cuff" about Sandburg's concerns for social Boston (Monitor) to Florida, Philadelphia D. Rubin, from the University of North Car­ needs to be remade ..." Sandburg came to write his massive work influenced the writing, poetry, and even justice and just plain folk. "He celebrated to Denver, Canada and Mexico, and even olina, used the poem "Limited," among on Lincoln, and they were left with the the songs that were sung by Carl Sand­ the extraordinary in the so-called ordinary, from Yugoslavia (in an International Tri­ others, to illustrate Sandburg's craftsman­ The third weekend of the month be­ feeling that the "poetry and deep music" burg was his dedication to the labor move­ and collectively in the wonder of the hu­ bune). President Fox and members of the ship as a poet and explain the symbolism longed to the historians as they considered and the inspirational qualities of the biog­ ment and the American Worker." This was man species." Centenary committee were interviewed for of his work. He emphasized the import· Sandburg as a Lincoln Biographer in Sym­ raphy seem to insure it a permanent place the opening statement by William J. Adel· In the afternoon, John Justin Smith of radio and TV broadcasts in Chicago, New ance of sound in Sandburg's poetry and posium Ill, chaired by Rodney Davis of in the annals of American literature. man, a professor of labor and industrial re­ the Chicago Daily News gave a very per­ York, the Quad-Cities and Peoria. the need to read it aloud. Duke Univer­ the Knox history department. The list of On the evening of January 21, a very un­ lations at the University of Illinois, Chicago sonal account of Sandburg's days with But what have we learned from all this? sity's Bernard Duffey tendered a theory on panelists was impressive, though two were usual and deligh1fi!l program of 19th-cen­ Circle. Using slides, he proceeded to trace that newspaper (1917-1934) where "our Can Carl Sandburg still speak to us now? Sandburg's " poetic vision" about the unable to attend in person due to the first tury music: ":J'he Abraham Lincoln Song­ Sandburg's associations with social re­ poet was cherished" and respected for his And if so, will we listen? Will we accept land - nature, landscape, and the people major snow storm "out East." However, book" was staged in the new theatre at formers, labor groups, and the working "long-seeing, fearless vision." Fred Emery this poet's challenge? therein. "America in the raw," he called it. their papers were presented by others and Carl Sandburg College. Hymns, parlor people themselves, chiefly during the per­ of the Galesburg Labor News, the newspa­ Poet John Knoepfle from Sangamon State they were able to participate in the after­ songs, minstrel songs, and war songs Lin­ i iod of his journalistic career in Milwaukee per for which Sandburg once wrote articles "Be ice: be fire. delighted the audience by reading several nooli dialogue quite successfully by means coln knew and loved were presented by and Chicago. He quoted poems to further before he left home, shed more light on Be hard and take the smoothing of Sandburg poems and following with a very of Dr. •Wilbur Pillsbury's miraculous confer­ candlelight, concert-style in the fashion of illustrate his point. "Workers can still find the labor situation in Sandburg's home­ brass for your own. definitive analysis of each. The afternoon ence telephone loud-speaker equipment.* the 1860 s by "The New Hutchinson Fam­ relevance in his words today," he said. town. When he was growing up, his father Be sensitized with winter quicksilver session, when the panelists were joined by The head of the history department at ily Singers," a group of faculty and stu­ Herbert Mitgang of the New York Times, earned $2 a day as a blacksmith for the below zero. professors John E. Hallwas of Western Illi­ the University of Illinois, Urbana-Cham­ dents from the University of Illinois, Ur­ editor of "The Letters of Carl Sandburg," railroad ... worked 10 hours a day, 6 days a Be tongs and handles: find breathing nois University, Macomb, Keneth Kinna­ paign, Robert Johannsen, presented a very bana-Champaign. The group was led by expanded upon Sandburg's newspaper ca­ week, no vacations ... "and dreamed of a tokens. mon from the University of Illinois, Urbana­ extensive critique of The Prairie Years, English professor James Hurt, who inter­ reer. His series of articles on the Chicago better tomorrow." Discussion was lively in See where several good dreams are Champaign, and Samuel Moon of Knox, spersed the music with historical accounts race riots of 1919 would "hold up to this this session too, especially with the audi­ worth dying for. produced some lively discussion. Was contemporary to Lincoln. Jeffrey Sand­ day in analytical understanding of the so­ ence. One member, commenting on Sand­ -Carl Sandburg Sandburg "precise" or "vague" ? Was he *Donated by Don Kuntz, '51. borg, '75, was a member of the cast. cial and political injustices." (Mr. Mitgang's burg's social concerns, remarked " ... and to Breathing Tokens

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