The Carl Sandburg Centenary January 6, 1878 -1978

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.

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