“Variations in Black”: Eureka’s Stories – February 29, 2008

For the purposes of an Epilogue, it is probably best to begin with a definition of terms:

vibe: (noun) - a distinctive emotional atmosphere; sensed intuitively; "it gave me a nostalgic vibe"; "that man gives off bad vibes"

leap year: (noun) - A year in the Gregorian calendar having 366 days, with the extra day, February 29, intercalated to compensate for the quarter-day difference between an ordinary year and the astronomical year. [Note to self: Keep this in mind before planning another series.]

In the 153 years since its Founding, Eureka College has not experienced many years that can be considered “ordinary” in the traditional sense of the term. From the moment of its inception as an institution of higher education, the revolutionary innovators who gave life to this community and to this school viewed it as “a place apart” from the norm where the socially marginalized would be accepted and exalted through the transforming power of education. The Founders of Eureka College wanted their daughters to know a better world and so they taught them to be prepared for a society that was yet to be created; they wanted freedom for the enslaved and dignity for the laborer so they supported the (then) notorious cause of abolitionism and argued that freedom for all should be a birthright in this land of hope and promise. In championing these causes – in expending their time, effort, capital, and moral energy to these lofty goals – they inspired a “distinctive emotional atmosphere” that permeates this place “‘neath the elms” and provides a compelling vision for who and what we must strive to be. These are the vibes that make it so easy to love this place; the forces that nudge, challenge, and inspire us to accept nothing better than the best.

It would be false to assume that our moral trajectory has always lifted us onward and upward. The Founders of this community were men and women who set the bar high, and we have not always proven capable or competent to meet the standards that they affirmed through their lives of service and leadership. There have been times in our past when the ease of sacrificing principle seemed to be our chosen path, but history demonstrates that we always came to recognize in time that we were better than that. For an institution that was planted and rooted on the prairie of central Illinois, we have indeed seen the precipice on multiple occasions but have always found the means to right our course. Our values have been the lifeblood of our existence.

This monthly series of historical vignettes has been designed to help us commemorate Black History Month by recognizing those intersections where African American history and Eureka College history have shared common ground. As indicated when the series was first announced, some of the accounts have been celebratory or laudatory, but others have identified failures and shortcomings that occurred during the years of our College’s institutional history. Perhaps the scope and breadth of these accounts has made us realize the impact of Eureka College upon the world as well as the impact of the world upon Eureka College. Such a small place has had profound influence because the moral universe of our Founders’ values has animated and inspired so many who have walked these grounds, studied in these halls, and experienced that “moment of discovery” that gives purpose and meaning to their lives. In our salient moment of stewardship, we cannot settle for anything less.

In announcing the VIBES series on January 29, I mentioned that it would be my final monthly posting series. Over the years I have had the chance to write 365 daily notes for “On This Day in Eureka History,” thirty-one notes on Women’s History for MODELS – “Matrons of Distinction”: Eureka Leadership Series, and now twenty-nine notes on African American History for VIBES – “Variations in Black”: Eureka’s Stories. One of the things that I have found along the way is that so many of the stories and themes are timeless. (In fact, two-thirds of the VIBES notes were originally written eight years ago when I was planning to write a new history of the College for the sesquicentennial in 2005.) But now, having used my best material over these many years, I am spent and have no more to offer.

Thanks for reading the series and for your encouragement along the way. Hopefully you have learned much about Eureka College and its history through this monthly posting series and will share these stories with others. Quite possibly, you may have learned much about the values of this institution and found the means to internalize them and make them your own. In the final analysis, that’s the best that we can all hope to do.

Fin.