Knox in the News

From the Daily Herald:

By Chuck Goudie, Daily Herald columnist and ABC 7 News (Chicago) investigative reporter

When you have gone mano-a-mano with the Gambino crime family, slogged through the wreckage of an embassy bombing, pursued Osama bin Laden and Scooter Libby and strung up two Illinois governors, what’s a little precip?

“Timing is everything,” said Patrick Fitzgerald, the seemingly fearless federal prosecutor, as the rain began to fall Saturday on his commencement speech at Knox College in Galesburg, northwest of Peoria.

“I’m truly honored and humbled to be able to speak to you today and to receive a degree I didn’t earn, but I will certainly treasure,” Fitzgerald said, standing in the rain, after the graduates made the first good decision of their post-college lives: To get wet so they could hear what he had to say.

When a United States Attorney comes to speak at a college graduation, there usually aren’t protests as there were a few weeks ago when a United States President showed up at Notre Dame.

Then again, Pat Fitzgerald was just there to talk about public service.

As he spoke under a darkened sky, the lanky lawman noted that another proceeding was underway about 300 miles away in Chicago: The funeral for a fallen Chicago policeman, shot down in the line of duty.

What Fitzgerald then had to say about the role of police and prosecutors in stopping all the shootings and murders, the corruption and organized crime, was surprising.

From The Associated Press. Appears in KWQC TV-6 (Davenport, IA); Chicago Tribune:

This year’s commencement speaker at Knox College was U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald, the top federal prosecutor in Chicago.

Fitzgerald, who has played a role in the downfall of a number of major Illinois political figures, including former governors George Ryan and Rod Blagojevich, encouraged Saturday’s graduates to follow his path by committing themselves to public service, calling it a luxury, rather than a sacrifice.

Fitzgerald was presented with an honorary degree by professor Lane Sunderland, who described him as “Elliot Ness with a Harvard degree and a sense of humor.”

The Galesburg school likes to have newsmakers speak to the graduates.

Previous speakers include former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (2008), former President Bill Clinton (2007), TV funnyman Stephen Colbert (2006) and then U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (2005).

From the Chicago Tribune:

Florida resident David “Jeff” Walton concedes that he doesn’t remember much about his time at Knox College — let alone his graduation.

But that’s not a sign that Walton attended the Galesburg school in the 1960s. He beat that self-indulgent era by a few decades.

Walton is 101 now, and he graduated in 1929. The former United Airlines employee is believed to be the oldest Knox graduate ever to return to the campus for a reunion.

Walton sat in the front row at Saturday’s commencement ceremony, and college president Roger Taylor came down from the podium to shake his hand.

From WIUM - Tri-States Radio: (Macomb, IL)

The oldest living Knox College alumnus returned to Galesburg to attend this year’s graduation ceremony.

David “Jeff” Walton is 101 years old. He was born on January 4, 1908 in Denver, Illinois. He started at Knox College in 1925.

Walton says he originally wanted to attend the University of Illinois to play baseball. But a family member convinced him to go to Knox College instead, and Walton says he “got hooked.”

Walton graduated from Knox College with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1929, at the very beginning of the Great Depression. He says living through that and the many recessions since has been a struggle. Walton says the economic downturns showed him the importance of holding on to a job.

Walton says he had fun at Knox College. He also says his education did not end there.

“Your education just goes right on. It’s different than going and sitting down in a class, but you get educated differently,” says Walton.

Listen to the full interview.

From WGIL radio:

The 172nd class to pass through a local college were welcomed to their new stage of life as Knox College celebrated their graduation day. Family and friends of graduates stood and applauded the seniors as Knox College President Roger Taylor officially welcomed the new alumni to a world full of opportunity.

Knox’s commencement speaker was U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Patrick J. Fitzgerald, most recently known for handing down federal indictment charges against now former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich for allegedly plotting to sell an appointment to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by current President Barack Obama.

Fitzgerald was given an honorary Doctor of Laws degree and told the class of 2009 to go out in the world and work hard at something you enjoy.

From the Register-Mail:

David “Jeff” Walton, at age 101, was not ashamed to admit he can’t remember much from his days at Knox College.

Walton graduated from Knox in 1929, and is believed to be the oldest Knox graduate ever to return to the campus for a reunion. He sat in the front row at Saturday’s commencement ceremony. Knox President Roger Taylor came down from the podium to shake Walton’s hand.

For a brief moment, Walton stood up and basked in the warm applause of the hundreds gathered on the south lawn near Old Main for the ceremony.

From the Register-Mail:

Tracking History —

Knox Manual Labor College was founded in 1837 by George Washington Gale in conjunction with the founding of the city of Galesburg. One of the most noted institutions of higher education in the United States has been known as Knox College since 1857. The reason for choosing of the current college name has become a very curious story to say the least.

To date, there remains a question whether the college was named in honor of General Henry Knox, John Knox or possibly neither. General Henry Knox was a war hero and became the first U.S. Secretary of War in the George Washington administration. John Knox was noted to be one of the founders of the Presbyterian religious movement.

Dr. James McConaughy, president of Knox College from 1918 to 1925, made a serious study on the issue and concluded that the college was named after John Knox. In 1927 college professor Alfred Newcombe, well known at the time for his ability as a historical investigator, examined all available records on the subject.