By Kevin Qualls
In the fall of 1993, I was on the receiving end of a phone call from a very stern Robert “Doc” McGaughey III. I had never met him. But something I had said got back to him, and he had to reply. I had voiced a comparison of the studio facilities of the institution where I was working with those of Murray State. MSU students were using the facilities at my former institution because, at that time, our brand-new studio was the best in the region. I might have said something snarky. Somebody told Doc. And then my phone rang.
In those days I was much younger in both years and wisdom. Although my hyperbolic comment was an opinion based upon some facts, it was unfair. And Doc let me know. But he spoke to me as a teacher would. He appealed to my sense of fair play, spoke about membership in the academic community and offered encouragement rather than admonishment. I listened to what he said, and took it to heart. He told me he was proud of me. By the end of that conversation, I had a new friend. And so did he.
In the following years, I earned 18 post-graduate hours. I took as many as possible from Doc. I was living in Paducah, and Doc visited that city often. Specifically, at the Bluegrass Downs harness race track. That’s where I would often meet Doc. I would turn in assignments and register for future classes. Sometimes other students would come and go, too.
One class, in particular, is memorable. “Philosophical and Ethical Foundations of Media. JMC 670” provided the vehicle for conversations about the ideas of great thinkers: Milton, Mills, Hume, Hobbes, Locke, Voltaire, Rousseau, Paine, Kant, Hegel, Dewey, Lippman and McLuhan. And I would add to that list, Doc McGaughey. We discussed philosophy and ethics of journalism with the occasional and fun interruption of a horse race.
Now, nearly 30 years later, I have the honor of teaching JMC 670. It is very much the same class that Doc developed so many years ago. The technologies that we both used back in 1993 have long been obsolete. But the philosophy and ethics I learned through Doc’s instruction stand the test of time and are increasingly important today.
I am writing this from the office from which Doc probably made that 1993 phone call. On a shelf next to me are his dissertation and his Max Carmen teaching award. And there are many other awards and accomplishments you can read about in this edition of The JMC Journal. Also around me are colleagues who were students of Doc and/or worked with him. His legacy continues. And there are many more Doc Stories to be told. I invite you to submit them for publication in future editions of The JMC Journal. Use the embedded Google Form below. We would love to feature more Doc Stories.
