So, who did we miss?
Who’d we miss? Was this project worth the effort?
Hundreds have been missed, some perhaps are significant oversights, but within the prescribed limit of 150 people during 150 years of local history — beginning in 1860 — it is also probable that those chosen are, at least from most viewpoints, an acceptable cross section of local “newsmakers.”
My task was to prepare 100 paragraph-long sketches of 100 newsmakers selected by a committee consisting of Willa Dickens (downtown), Sandy Boyd (university), Rex Brandstatter (Coralville), Leigh Ann Randak (historical society), Bob Elliott (columnist, sports buff) and myself (antique period) from the community, with Jim Lewers (executive editor) and Tricia DeWall (project editor) facilitating the process.
My 100 vignettes appear not in this section, but online at www.press-citizen.com.
While perhaps no committee is perfect, this one came close for its well-rounded view of the entire community, both during more than a half century of personal memory, plus historical perspectives of the more distant past. It was congenial, determined, relatively efficient and often insightful.
Statistically, it chose 27 women (18 percent) and 123 men, which probably isn’t as awful as it might seem, given the 1860-2010 period of consideration, during most of which women were repressed, and the list clearly reflects that repression.
A town verses gown statistic is virtually impossible since many split the divide. University faculty and staff account for 47 (31 percent) among 150, while the business community has 32 representatives (21 percent), community types (schools, police, fire, arts, volunteers) added 37 (25 percent), sports figures 17 (11 percent), with politicians exactly equal to sports. Sports figures and politicians together make up 23 percent.
The committee kept no statistics while it functioned. The foregoing were compiled by me only after the selection process was completed; that is, the stats didn’t function as quotas, but are drawn totally retrospectively. As such, the data appear truly remarkable to me.
So, who’d we miss?
At the moment, my personal list is topped by the late Russell Slade, beloved long-time Coralville fireman and fire chief, widely active in community affairs in whose name awards of dedicated service are given every year.
Another is Lolly Parker Eggers, with several dozen years of community service, including League of Women Voters. She was library director for 20 years, and in retirement contributed two important and astoundingly researched books that reach far beyond their limiting characterizations of Irving Weber biography and public library history. They both truly are treasure houses of local history.
A third is Army Gen. Bob Sentman, whose family stretches back several generations locally and who served 35 years in the military. He’s now is the local area’s “go-to” man for military holidays, honors and history.
Another is university law professor Arthur Bonfield, who contributed mightily at local and state levels to civil rights, fair housing, open records, open meetings and freedom of information, areas important to everyone.
Yet another is Margaret Nowysz, a pioneer of the local historic preservation movement and leader in helping establish the local historic preservation commission, plan and ordinance, which some now fear as a “monster” for its overreaching impacts on those desiring to make minor improvements.
The list could go on and on. Suffice it to say, we missed some significant folks in our determined effort to cut the list to 150 entries. To all slighted, my apologies, which I suspect reflects the view of other committee members.
But, now, as we extinguish the lights on this particular project, I am comfortable with the effort, knowing full well it has taught me a lot about my adopted community that I otherwise would have missed. I shall carry that gain forward forever. I trust you will feel likewise.
As selection committee member Sandy Boyd e-mailed, it now “belongs to the ages (aged).”