The past 50 years have made countless changes to Ball State University's campus, faculty and students - and Tom Ray has seen them all.
The professor of continuing education said he has been teaching at Ball State for 50 of his 81 years and has been associated with the university for 63 of its 90-year existence.
Ray said he knew the namesakes of several of Ball State's buildings, including Richard Burkhardt, Robert LaFollette and Mark Studebaker. He has seen the construction of every building on campus north of Riverside Avenue.
Ray said he teaches psychology to prisoners in the extended education program. Psychology fascinates him, he said, because he's interested in human behavior.
He said his department was the arm of the university that attempted to bring education to people who are unable to come to campus. Ray said making a difference in prisoners' lives was his favorite part about teaching.
"My hope is that I make my class so interesting that the students will remember things 10 years after this," Ray said.
Burkhardt said Ray has made countless contributions to the university, and his ability to have an impact on the prisoners he teaches is amazing.
Ray said stability was important to him, so important that he hasn't had the urge to leave the university for 50 years, he said.
"The last 50 years have been wonderful," Ray said.
Diane Watters, director of marketing for extended education, said she's been working with Ray for 23 years and he's been caring and dependable.
Ray graduated from Ball State in 1949 with aspirations of returning to teach, he said. When he was in high school he decided he wanted to teach, he said, despite knowing he would never make a lot of money. He said he knew he'd always have a job.
Ray met his wife while attending Ball State in 1947, he said. They have a daughter, two grandchildren and one great grandson.
He earned $2,400 a year at his first job teaching at a K-12 school. After his second teaching job in South Dakota, he moved back to Indiana and earned a doctorate. Ray returned to Ball State in 1959, he said.
After five years as an adviser, he said he spent six years as an assistant to then-provost Burkhardt. Ray has been with the extended education program ever since.
Burkhardt said Ray was intelligent with a wide array of interests. Ray is a licensed pilot and a member of the Muncie Symphony, he said.
In his tenure at Ball State, Ray said he's seen several societal changes. Advances in technology have been beneficial to society, he said, despite his lack of understanding of it. Ray is one of few in his department who still own a typewriter, he said.
Watters said Ray represents the history of Ball State and extended education because he remembers the past traditions and can speak as to how the university has changed.
The most negative change he has noticed at Ball State is the deterioration of language, he said.
Ray said he was walking behind a group of girls near the Teachers College recently, and the girls' language was so bad it would put a drunken sailor to shame. He said he didn't allow his students to use profanity in his class, which can be tough with a room full of prisoners.
He said the most significant change in five decades to Ball State was its rapid growth. Every building north of Riverside Avenue was built during his lifetime, he said.
Ray said his generation was more committed than this one and the world was more stable when he was college aged. Having four jobs a year isn't uncommon, he said, whereas he has had a total of four jobs his entire life.
Burkhardt said the university has grown so much he isn't sure people know who Ray is. He has never been a person to "make a lot of noise," Burkhardt said, but he has made an immeasurable difference to the university.
Ray said people tell him he's crazy for not retiring. He would rather be teaching at Ball State, he said, because sitting at home wouldn't be much fun.
Watters said Ray's continuing desire to teach is evidence of his belief in the value of education.
"When I get to the point where I can't walk and talk, then I'll quit teaching," Ray said.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
