12 Comments

Offenburger at his best as storyteller, reporter, historian and Iowan. No one does this better than Chuck in Iowa.

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This comprehensive, sensitive column should be archived at IW. What a sad turn of events. The disdain Iowa’s Republican leaders have for education shows itself again. I feel for Mt. Pleasant.

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I had the same reaction as Barry - a wonderful tribute!

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Terrific column, and a wonderful tribute! Thanks for writing this.

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I was the timpanist for this concert and have been working with the Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra for the past two seasons, with this most recent one granting me the inaugural SEISO Conducting Fellowship. Working so closely with IW as a collaborator on (what we didn't know would be the final) Lessons and Carols in December of 2022 — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ-zyLhdahU — as well as numerous choral-orchestral sets on pops and masterworks concerts has been a treasured experience of mine as an emerging conductor.

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Clearly a political decision by a highly partisan Iowa Gov, to deny IWC the additional funding. I say this as a former Mt. Pleasant HS history & government teacher from the 60’s & 70’s.

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Thank you for the tribute, was home to me for four years, still miss the simplicity, and charm, of where I grew up , and met some of my closest friends , class of 1977

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It’s part of a plan to regionalize practically everything. It will kill rural Iowa even quicker of course but it will happen eventually. Good thing we have Offenburger to remind us of the humble, decent even noble people who built our state. Those kind people will be forever in my heart.

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A eulogy for a place that evinces the regard it deserves. Iowa Wesleyan was a grand lady who fell on hard times. But she never bowed her head. I feel for those who gave their hearts and best efforts to the place and never thought they would outlive her.

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James Harlan was not the first President of Iowa Wesleyan; Reverend Artistides J. Heustis was.

Wish you had mention Mildred Bensmiller and Dr. Haslemeyer who both contributed much to the running and development of the school and who were devoted to it.

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Chuck, for the history lesson; for giving the school the adoration and honor it deserves; for your gift as a storyteller, wow and thank you. One more item of shame for Iowans to carry thanks to the Governor.

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Very well done and brings back a lot of memories from my childhood! I didn’t attend IWC but grew up in Mt. Pleasant and spent a lot of time around the campus. I remember several students including Davey Lopes, the baseball great who played baseball and basketball for the Tigers. I am sorry to see the place go away!

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