Dick Wade ’43, ’45 (Mas) was the reason I decided to major in American history in 1956. His lectures were so chock-full of anecdotes and an irreverent debunking of myths about historical figures that I took notes feverishly and held on to them for over 20 years.
NATIONAL STAGE: A prominent historian, Wade also served as an advisor to Adlai Stevenson, Robert Kennedy, and George McGovern.What was most special about him as a teacher, besides his extraordinary knowledge and insights, was the joy and sense of play that he brought to his lectures. His critiques were never tinged with anger, but rather delivered with a sly smile and a twinkle in his eyes. His classes were thought-provoking and comic theater, and I looked forward to them as much as I did going to a good movie.
I got to know him even better outside of his classes since we sat near each other for each home football game: I as a play-by-play announcer and he as the spotter for the Yellowjackets, utilizing the knowledge and skills he’d developed as an assistant coach under the legendary Elmer Burnham. And when I decided to pursue a graduate degree in history I turned to him for guidance, which led to my attending Columbia University and working closely with colleagues of his at Columbia. His work on the history of urban environments—his books The Urban Frontier and Slavery in the Cities were milestones—influenced a generation of historians, and his work as an advisor to Democratic presidential candidates Adlai Stevenson, Robert F. Kennedy, and George McGovern influenced national politics.
His influence on my career path was deep and pervasive. And it continued for years. My first years teaching American history in a high school were spent as a Dick Wade wannabe, utilizing his anecdotes to delight my students as much as he’d delighted me. Eventually I developed my own style and approach, but always tinged with his influence.
After he taught on the history faculty at Rochester, he moved on to Washington University and then to the University of Chicago and the City University of New York, where he was on the faculty until 1993. He died July 18.
We maintained contact for a number of years while he was at Washington University, sharing a mutual interest in politics. He continued to be a mentor when I wrestled with issues related to urban politics. And his letters to me were characteristically sprinkled with anecdotes about the Kennedys.
He was my primary professional model. His passion for his subject, his great knowledge, especially of urban politics, his sharp insights, his marvelous sense of humor, and his humane integrity have served as guideposts for me throughout my career as an educator.
—Mark Weinstein Phillips ’59
A former sports editor at the Campus Times, Mark Weinstein Phillips ’59 is a professor of secondary education at San Francisco State University and a writer for the Marin (Calif.) Independent Journal.
