Tuesday, July 17, 2012

My Favorite Professor

My Favorite Professor

From my favorite professor these words of wisdom given annually on the first day, first class to young wide eyed students acting as sponges though wondering, "how's this old guy going to mark us ?"

"Ladies and gentleman, your attention, please ! "

"In this class of English Composition we will wrestle with the understanding of the following statement :"

"I don't know what I mean until I can see what I think."

Andrew Downie, my older brother by more than four years, was this professor of English. Andy urged everyone not just to read but, also, and maybe even more importantly - to write - so you can literally see what you were thinking about. 

Writing, in my mind, is so important because it forces one to pick a theme which is then introduced, expanded, then summarized so a reader has a chance to be exposed to the writer's thought process. The exchange of ideas is a dominant desire born of every generation. Through expository writing humans have handed down the accumulated knowledge of the modern world allowing nuggets of wisdom to be passed on for the betterment of all mankind.

It's Wisdom stupid !  Don't forget it !

Ronald C. Downie

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