In early 1967, as a sophomore at Ball State, I finally decided that my original choice of major (Spanish) was not my cup of tea. I'd dabbled in art but could not afford the needed supplies. I'd always loved writing but was not sure about journalism. So I somehow arranged a meeting with Louie himself - why not go directly to the top, right? Here I was, a 19-year-old kid with a wandering mind, talking with Dr. Louis E. Ingelhart as if I had some valid reason for doing so. He was cordial and casual - this surprised me. No stodginess. I said I thought I wanted to be a writer - but a journalist? Louie calmly mentioned the likes of John Steinbeck, who got his start as a newspaper reporter. Louie said that journalism - even if I did not stay with it forever - would be great training for me and would instill discipline in my writing.
There have been times when I wondered whether maybe BSU's journalism enrollment at that time was down, and Louie was just being a good salesman in recruiting me. But he seemed to like me right from the start, though for the life of me I can't imagine what kind of confidence or ability I could have exuded in that setting. In any case, I immediately became a J-major. During my junior and senior years, I had to make up for lost time by taking more courses in my new major than most of my classmates did. I had Louie for a class or two - and, wow, he was so exciting in the classroom.
I became a low-rung reporter for the Daily News. During my senior year Louie was helpful in getting me a paying job as a production intern - enlarging headlines in the darkroom and pasting up copy (yes, these were the Middle Ages of Ball State journalism). I received graduate course credit for this work. I ended up having to take undergraduate classes in the summer after my senior year to get enough J-credits to graduate; during that time I was also managing editor of the Daily News.
Louie knew that as a poor married student I needed money. He wondered if perhaps I had any house-painting experience. I had. So he put me to work painting the interiors of those small off-campus dwellings that were home to the Department of Journalism. We joked about this for years afterward - that while I was not the greatest journalism student of all time, I was probably the department's best painter ever!
After I graduated, I taught high school journalism for three years and did not work much toward getting my master's degree. Four years after earning my bachelor's, I took time off my job and came back to Muncie in the summer of 1973 to finish my remaining classes and write two graduate course papers (Louie's suggestion vs. a thesis). That's how I got my M.A. in journalism - without Louie's guidance it likely would not have happened.
Years would pass without my seeing Louie. But I don't think we ever missed sending each other a Christmas card. He would always write me a short note as to what was going on in his life - in that impossibly cryptic script of his. I went to his retirement dinner where he gave a talk that was his career-best "lecture."
I've yet to really make my mark as a writer. - Ball State has certainly produced far greater J-people than Bob Friend. But Louie never forgot me. Sometimes, in addition to sending him a card, I would call him. He was always happy to chat.
I can't recall the very last time I saw Louie in person. Probably a good five years ago. He looked the same as I remembered him back in my days on campus. And he talked the same.
This unassuming fellow was a giant in freedom of the press issues and journalism education. But he was always just Louie to so many of us who grew to love him. Some hailed him as "Doc," some "Lou" - and a few even called him "Dr. Ingelhart!" But to me he was simply Louie - good ol' Louie.
May Louie rest in peace.
Robert E. Friend is a alumnus and wrote this 'Your Turn' for the Daily News. His views do not necessarily agree with those of the newspaper.
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