Speech calls for action to keep KSU on the rise

Record Courier editor Roger Di Paolo reflected on Kent State’s past and expressed hopes for its future in his speech at yesterday’s semi-annual Bowman Breakfast.

The breakfast began at 7:30 a.m. followed by a program at 8 a.m. where Di Paolo delivered his speech, “A Plea for Audacity: 100 Years.” Both the university and the Kent Area Chamber of Commerce celebrate their centennials this year.

Di Paolo, who has worked on the staff of the Record Courier since 1977, discussed the numerous challenges local leaders had to overcome when founding Kent State.

“I’m sure they were all well aware of what Kent lacked,” Di Paolo said. “More importantly though, they focused their attention and the communities on what Kent had to offer.”

Di Paolo said he thanks the perseverance of Kent State’s founders for its existence today after they fought for one of the two normal schools the state planned to charter.

“There were people in Kent who thought this village with two bickering city governments, a network of muddy roads and no sewage system might be an ideal site for one of those schools,” Di Paolo said.

He said he wants to see people focus less on what they can’t do, but more on how they can make things happen in order to make and keep Kent State a prominent university.

“After years of hearing people ask ‘What happened to Kent?’ isn’t it wonderful to hear them saying ‘What’s happening in Kent?’” Di Paolo said.

President Lester Lefton said Di Paolo is a “forward-looking historian” and praised his speech.

“I thought it was one of the best Bowman Breakfast speeches I’ve heard since I came to Kent,” he said.

Sherriff Dave Doak said he has been attending the Bowman Breakfast since he began his law enforcement career and said the speech was “outstanding.”

“It was interesting that he looked to the future,” Doak said. “It was a step ahead.”

He said he asks the city and university to continue their perseverance and “audacity” in moving forward as a community.

“Kent wouldn’t be Kent without Kent State,” Di Paolo said. “And Kent State wouldn’t be Kent State without Kent.”

Contact news correspondent Lydia Coutré at [email protected].