Tim Hagerty

Hi, My name is Tim Hagerty. I am a 1968 graduate of the SIU Design Department. I was also a student of Harold and Mary Cohen in 1962 in the Experimental Freshman Year (EFY) program. I was in group 1. I’ve enjoyed revisiting my days at SIU through this website, the “Shared Vision” book, and most recently at Design Days 2017 in Carbondale. I received a copy of Al Gowan’s book “Shared Vision” for my birthday. I found the history, background, and staff history of the Design Department that Al delineated fascinating. I feel extremely fortunate to have been a High School senior when Harold was interviewing for the EFY. I enjoyed my time in the EFY a great deal. It helped me in so many areas. In high school I had excelled in several areas like athletics, art, and architectural drawing. I won several awards in all. But I was not terribly interested in most other academia. Not a slow or stupid person. Just bored and rebellious I guess. Admittedly I came to Southern with pretty poor study habits. Group one's study carrels and that entire holistic approach to study and learning was perfect for me. Not only did I enjoy the analytical approach that was taught in both EFY and the Design department, but they both validated and honed skills that I believed I already possessed. That was a great confidence builder for me. I enjoyed analyzing the microcosm and seeing how it related to the macrocosm. The exercise of problem solving and analyzing problems was second nature to me. And here was a place that taught and encouraged it. We were taught to question everything. Analyze everything. Those lessons have served me well in so many aspects of my life. I went on to get a degree in education and then a Masters. Not bad for a guy graduating in the lower one third of my class. I was the first in my family to graduate college. I taught High School in the NW suburban area of Chicago for 33 years. I taught in the industrial arts area, primarily woodworking for about 16 years. I was designing and building homes during my summers. I was asked to teach a building trades program in the district, which I did for the remaining 17 years. We built several homes with the students in that program. I particularly enjoyed working with the hearing impaired students as well as the many ADHD students that I had. Many of them reminiscent of the EFY students that were very intelligent and talented but had slipped through the cracks. The EFY and the Design Department were both godsends for me. No idea what I would have done with my life if I had not followed that path. I feel very fortunate to have had those experiences. I want to especially thank Al Gowan for “Shared Vision.” Al’s book enlighten me and filled in a lot of blanks regarding the EFY as well as the Design Department and its staff. I am retired 16 years, I raise Arabian horses, I collect and repair old violins, and I took up painting about 8 years ago. My web-site is timhagertyfineart.com should you have time and inclination. I also enjoy silversmithing, leather carving, and photography. I built my own home, barn and outbuildings. Not enough lifetimes to do all I would like to do. Many of us from the EFY have done well, too bad there was no follow up study regarding the EFY. But Bravo to Harold Cohen, Delyte Morris, and the rest of the Design staff, past and present. I have many stories and fond memories of Grant McClaren, Don Glickman, Dave Miles, Howard Cotten, Davis and Elsa, Herb Roan, and Dick Helstern. Thank you all again. Sincerely, Tim Hagerty