Longest student

I want you to think you from the bottom of my heart for this touching award, “Longest Student.”  I ran into Lisa and Allison late one night about six weeks ago at Kinko’s on Thomasville Road.  They were finalizing plans for our class reunion.  We chatted for a few minutes and then they asked me – Perry – what are you up to?  And I said – Funny you should ask – I’m actually finishing my dissertation tonight here on my laptop.  They figured out that I’ve been a student most of the time since high school, and said they should give me an award at the reunion.  I thought they were kidding, but apparently they weren’t.

Yes – that’s right.  We graduated from Leon in June 1980, at the old Capital Stadium.  And it’s now June 2000.  I was in college for 5 years, and I’ve been in grad school for 13 years.  You don’t have to be a math major to figure out that’s 18 years in college.  Partly as a way to explain about what the heck I’ve been doing all of that time, I’m going to accept this award on behalf of four groups of people who played a role in my success, or lack thereof.

I accept the award, first, on behalf of the people of the great cities of Philadelphia and New York.  I lived in and around these cities for about 12 years, while I was in college and in residence in grad school.  I ran into lots of interesting people in these cities, including some people who I would just as soon have NOT met – like the person who pickpocketed $800 in cash from me as I left a Manhattan bank branch.  And some of the interesting people in town I didn’t actually meet – I tell people I was in New York for the Parcells, Dinkins, Riley years – and you’ll know what I mean if you’re a football fan, political junkie, or a basketball fan (and I’m all of the above).

I accept the award, second, on behalf of the 411 people who allowed me to interview them as part of the research for my dissertation, which compared the development of the conflict over abortion and abortion policy in state capital areas in two different parts of the country:  in the Northeast – in Albany-Troy-Schenectady, in upstate New York; and in the Midwest – in Columbus, in Central Ohio.  These folks invited me into their houses, gave me access to their records, and shared their life-stories with me, and I couldn’t have come close to earning my Ph.D. without their help.

I accept the award, third, on behalf of my classmates at Swarthmore College and the New School for Social Research and my co-workers at the Florida Flambeau, the independent daily newspaper.  These folks were great friends, colleagues, and supporters.  One person who was in class with me BOTH at Swarthmore and the New School was Andrew Morrall.  The most memorable class Andrew and I took together was Critical Modern Social Theory, spring semester of our senior year.  At the start of the class on the first day of class, our professor said:  “I like two things at seminars:  wine and cookies.  And so every Thursday night, from 7 to 10, we argued about critical theory and had a lot of wine and a lot of cookies.

Finally, I accept this award on behalf of my close friends and family members who have really sustained me as a student.  These folks have given me money, offered me places to stay, and provided great moral and spiritual support.  My Mother and grandparents would be at the top of the list.  So would be two people who are actually here tonight.  During what would have been my sophomore year at Swarthmore, I stayed back home here and worked, hunt out, and took a couple of classes at Florida State.  I lived with two friends who were both Leon grads:  Andrew Maurey, from the Class of 1979, and – from our own Class of 1980 – David Proctor, who is here tonight with his wife Helen.  Thanks, David! 

In grad school many of my friends were anthropology grad students.  They would go off to do their anthropology field work for two or three years in Chile, or Haiti, or Egypt.  I would kid a lot of them that they had “gone native,” because they’d come back to the United States with a spouse or partner.  But then I went and did the same thing.  I went to study the wilds of Central Ohio, and I left with a stepson and wife.  They provided love, affection, guidance, and inspiration.  Thanks, Stephanie!

So, again, I am happy to accept this “Longest Student” award on behalf of these four groups of people who helped support and sustain me.  I was talking with a few of you earlier tonight about my studies.  One of you asked me “So, what are you doing next?”  I don’t want to lose this award, and I don’t want to ruin the ambience.  But I have to confess . . .  it looks like I’m going to be getting  . . .   a job.  Sorry – Thanks!

-Perry