Great UT professor passes away

[accuratehorn]

The Link

William Goetzmann, one of my favorite professors ever, passed away recently, here is the link to the AAS obituary.
His popular class, The West of the Imagination, taught over two semesters, was based on his book and PBS TV series on the subject. This class taught the history of the West through photography, paintings, and books.
If the series is rebroadcast on PBS, I recommend it, as well as his book on the subject.
I always recommended his class to anyone at UT. The guy was a giant of education, this is a real loss. He leaves big shoes to fill. I hope some of you were able to take his classes.

 

[general35]

i took one of his classes.

 

[Dogbert]

Loved his classes. So sorry to hear of his death. Took two semesters from him and loved every minute of it.

 

[Sangre Naranjada]

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[lostman]

Always amazing to read about the impact that some teachers/professors have years after you leave their class. The world is a far better place because of them. U of Ill had Professor Scanlan - taught Classical Civilizations. A man ahead of his time. I imagine those two could have some pretty interesting conversations now!

 

[l00p]

I got numerous chances to chat and work with him when I worked at the Texas State Historical Association when it was still in SRH. He was a very nice man outside of the classroom and had great stories. I audited a class one semester but never got to take one. I think he would have given me grief if I did. Rest in peace, good doc.

 

[accuratehorn]

The obit mentions his Pulitzer Prize for the book Exploration and Empire, and that he was an early champion of African-American and women faculty members. He taught 83 different class titles, not just his well known West of the Imagination.
You could take that entertaining class under three different designations, American History, American Studies, and one other, I think it was Art History. In his class he talked about what he considered the three best collections of art of the American west, the Kimball in Fort Worth, the Stark Museum in Orange, and a small museum in Denver, Colorado which I can't think of this moment-will look it up. I went to all three as a result, and they are great.
It's the appropriately named Museum of Western Art, in Denver.

 

[Sangre Naranjada]

That class is the reason I have two Albert Bierstadt reproductions hanging in my living room.

 

[accuratehorn]

Prof. Goetzmann would ask students to check their parents and grandparents attics for some of the paintings of Bierstadt and others, some of them are missing, and one would occasionally turn up that way. Are you sure yours are reproductions?

 

[huisache]

Never took his classes but have read his major books and a few of the minor ones.

He and Alfred Crosby were two superb history profs who made names for themselves in the profession worldwide.

Less well known but the best prof I ever had in any subject was Oliver Radkey, who taught Russian and Central European history classes for thirty years or so.

 

[Sangre Naranjada]

Yep. I'm sure.

 

[Bevo Incognito]

Huisache,

I had Radke, too. Great man.

Did you ever read the memoriam he wrote for himself? Great stuff:

The Link


I love how he ends it:

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