Lawrence University Salutes 152 Years of Teaching Experience at Commencement

APPLETON, WIS. -- Lawrence University professor of education Ken Sager never imagined a stranger's career decision would so impact his own.

In the summer of 1942, Sager, armed with a bachelor's degree from Lawrence and a masters degree from the University of Wisconsin, was finishing his second year as a clerk at the Pettibone-Peabody Company, Appleton's preeminent dry goods store at the time. When a teacher at Appleton High School opted for a career change, Sager's life changed as well.

"He left teaching to go grow Christmas trees. I decided to go grow people," recalled Sager, who was hired as that teacher's replacement.

When Sager began teaching American history at Appleton High School in the fall of 1942, it marked the start of a career in education that would span 59 years -- 21 as a teacher at his high school alma mater and another 38 as a professor in the education department at his college alma mater.

In addition to his own teaching, Sager has impacted the Appleton education landscape as a 37-year member of the Appleton School Board.

On Sunday, June 17, during Lawrence's 152nd commencement, Sager and three colleagues will be honored for their 152 years of combined teaching service with professor emeritus status as retiring members of the Lawrence faculty. Sager, James Dana, J. Michael Hittle and Mari Taniguchi will each be awarded honorary Master of Arts, ad eundem, degrees.

Born and raised in Appleton, Sager spent more than two decades at Appleton High School, teaching philosophy, psychology and speech as well as his history courses. Along the way, he was called "a Communist" by then school district superintendent John Mann for even suggesting the teachers might benefit from having a union.

Sager was lured away from Appleton High School and back to his undergraduate campus by legendary Lawrence education professor George Walter in 1963 as an assistant professor in the education department. His formal interview with then-President Douglas Knight came on the day Knight was leaving Lawrence to assume the presidency of Duke University. The discussion was short and to the point.

"He asked me what my salary was at Appleton West and when I told him, he said he'd match it. End of interview," Sager said.

He was promoted to associate professor the following year and to full professor in 1988. At age 83, Sager is retiring as the oldest full-time faculty member in Lawrence history.

"I'm grateful to Lawrence for letting me stay as long as I have," said Sager, who will continue to teach one speech course in the education department first and third terms next year. "The importance of working with young people, young people who are going to run the universe some day, is really what has kept me going."

In 1992, Sager's long-time contributions to the Fox Valley were recognized by the Appleton Women's Club, which presented him its "Most Wonderful Person" award. Sager is one of only three men in the 81-year history of the organization to receive the award.

Dana joined the Lawrence economics department in 1961 and was appointed the John McNaughton Chair in Economics in 1970 and the John R. Kimberly Distinguished Professor in the American Economic System in 1978. A specialist in microeconomics, he received Lawrence's "Excellence in Teaching Award" in 1978. During his 40-year career, Dana has been heavily involved in a wide range of academic governance issues and administrative projects, culminating with a one-year appointment as Lawrence's Dean of the Faculty in 1991.

Dana's interest and involvement in governance extends beyond the campus borders. He served as chair of the Outagamie Democratic Party in the late 1960s, has been a member of the Appleton Transit Commission since 1985 and is a member of the Board of Directors of the local A Better Chance program. He earned his bacheloršs degree from Yale University and his Ph.D. in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Hittle, the David G. Ormsby Professor of History and Political Economy, joined the Lawrence faculty in 1966 and was promoted to rank of full professor in 1983. Specializing in Russian social history, he wrote the book, "The Service City: State and Townsmen in Russia, 1600-1800," published by Harvard University Press. He was named Lawrence's Dean of the Faculty in 1980, a position he held until 1988, and was the recipient of Lawrence's "Excellence in Teaching Award" in 1993.

He was awarded a National Endowment for the Humanities Young Humanist Grant in 1970, which supported a year of study at Harvard's Russian Research Center. He earned his bachelor's degree summa cum laude from Brown University and his Ph.D. from Harvard University.

Taniguchi, professor of music, retired from active teaching last September, but will be officially honored on Sunday. She joined the Lawrence Conservatory of Music in 1961, teaching voice and vocal literature. She earned her bachelor's degree in voice and piano, a master's degree in music literature as well as an Artist's Diploma at the Eastman School of Music.

She studied at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Milan, Italy as a Fulbright Fellow and made her operatic debut in the title role of "Madame Butterfly" with the Turin Opera Company, performing at leading opera houses throughout Italy and Switzerland. A long-time conductor of the Lawrence concert choir and Downer Women's Chorus, Taniguchi has performed throughout the country as a soloist, including frequent appearances with the Green Bay and Fox Valley symphonies.

Many of her voice students have gone on to successful careers, including baritone Dale Duesing, who performs regularly at the world's leading opera houses and who earned a Grammy Award in 1993, and Mark Uhlemann, winner of the prestigious New York Metropolitan Opera's National Council auditions in 1997.