The most recent issue of the Ursinus College alumni magazine announced that former professor F. Donald Zucker had died. Dr. Zucker was my first political science professor during my freshman year. I started out as a history major--I wasn’t even sure what political science was. I signed up for the course because it had the word “political” in the title. By spring I had changed my major.
Dr. Zucker was a true liberal. A member of the American Civil Liberties Union, he organized a play in which the script consisted of portions of hearings from the House UnAmerican Activities Committee. That was my only starring role until the “Tea Party Chickens” video.
Dr. Zucker ran for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives; I learned about walking precincts. Running as a Democrat in Montgomery County in 1960, he didn’t have a chance, but I also learned that politics can be fun.
He chartered a bus for a trip to the high school football stadium in Norristown so students could hear presidential candidate John Kennedy. We stood in the rain for two hours waiting for Kennedy to arrive, and I’m so glad we did.
I took other pol. sci. courses from Dr. Zucker and always benefited. In fact, I was coming out of his political theory course when I learned that Kennedy had been shot. A few years ago I had the satisfaction of writing to him and telling him what a wonderful teacher and influence he had been. Thank you, Dr. Zucker.
No comments:
Post a Comment