In memorium...

Softly call the muster...

My favorite thing about being an Aggie is the feeling like you belong to a shared community. Now, many Aggies aren't very accepting of opposing ideas/politics/morals, BUT when it comes to being an Aggie, once an Aggie always and Aggie. I really think that's true. I don't know any other school that has a ceremony like Muster for it's students (not to mention Silver Taps every month as well).

Muster is the epitome of that ideal. It means that when you die you are remembered by thousands, if only for the few seconds it takes for your name to be spoken and for the Aggies gathered in Reed to solemnly listen in respect and reverence. Because what do we want most in our lives, than to know that we mattered in some way? To know that someone will miss us when we leave this earth. I think it's a basic human trait.

After four years at this school, this year's Muster ceremony will be the first time I have actually directly known a person being remembered.


Dr. Brooks was an English professor here for a long time. I was told by a friend last fall that he was sick with cancer, but I just found out he passed away from it in January. My friends Tracey and Jenny and I signed up for his Shakespeare lecture last spring. The guy is, was, the most qualified expert on Shakespearean literature I have ever known or read or heard of. And my conclusion about Brooks is that he was completely crazy. By crazy, I mean, brilliant-eccentric-crazy.

The first thing he told us in class was "Shakespeare = Santa Claus".

Honestly, I'm still not sure about what he meant...something about how well known he was and how widespread...but I will always remember his lectures. He could talk "Shakes" til the sun comes up, plus greek literature, the whole Elizabethean age, Judeo-Christian ideas, western civilization history...the list goes on about how much Brooks knew. And there was also his dog Brisket who was present at every class.

As I'm getting closer to graduation, I've been feeling very reminiscent about my experiences at A&M. There's been two classes in my whole college experience -- one I'm currently in, and Shakes with Dr. Brooks -- both have had a real impact on how I think about the world, how I look at my life and my decisions, what I want to do with my time on this earth.

Teachers should know what kind of impact they have on their students. It's really important to a person's development as a person.

I wish I had my notes so I could put some quotes from Brooks on here - some of the crazy things he said, which he could always manage to somehow make sense of the seemingly most absurd observations...ask me about his ideas about what the pen and paper really stands for, for example...

As I was walking to class today, and I saw all the people around walking around me, I couldn't help thinking to myself, "how many of these people don't know what they missed out on by not taking a Brooks' class?"


I'm glad I did. RIP Brooks...