1969

 My American Government teacher at Auburn in the fall of 1969 was a recent Yale Law School graduate who was dodging getting drafted and got the Auburn teaching job thru a connection to the head of the department which he openly admitted. This was my first awareness of the power of having connections. He wanted to be on Wall Street making big bucks; instead, he's in Haley Center lecturing to sniveling undergrads like me who were also afraid of being sent to Viet Nam.

He would veer off into Janis Joplin as often as possible.and we would discuss Janis in class. I expected a Janis Joplin question on the final. Also in the news the University of Kentucky band had decided to stop playing "Dixie" during football games---another timely question in 1969 for class consideration.

The professor said, "In the North we don't play The Battle Hymn of the Republic; why should you guys play Dixie?"

I remember thinking: Professor Campbell, you have a lot to learn about the South.

Later on I had his sociology wife for "Social Problems." She was great because she praised my writing.

Years later I learned from a UAB professor that the Campbells were getting a divorce as they left Auburn and were having a vicious custody batter over their son. Perhaps for Prof. Campbell The Battle Hymn of the Republic might have been appropriate at that point.