From Deseret News archives:
Jones puts passion into politics
He teaches political science and American government at the University of Utah, which is dry stuff until Jones gets a hold of it. This guy is good. He's so good that students, after taking his class, routinely change their majors to political science or go directly from his classroom to the office of the poly sci department to sign up for volunteer political work.
"Happens all the time," says senior Bryson Morgan, a former student aide for Jones who works at the university's Hinckley Institute of Politics.
Just stand back and watch the man work a classroom. He delivers spellbinding lectures. No, that's the wrong word. He struts up and down the aisles of the classroom, delivering orations on the Constitution, the judiciary, the executive branch, the Bill of Rights, current political issues, whatever.
"It's the complete show," says Morgan.
Without looking at a note, he talks for nearly an hour, informing, commentating, questioning, quoting the Founding Fathers, recalling events, dates and statistics from memory.
After teaching for more than 40 years, he could mail it in, but he's still as passionate as a politician on the stump and as current as the day's newspaper. "There isn't one subject that I cover in American government that bores me," he says. "I learn something all the time."
Jones comes off as a little gruff, but don't let him fool you. He's a softy. His class sizes range from 40 to 100, but he doesn't miss much in there. He often calls students if they are absent. And after class he might say something like this to his T.A.: "The young man on the third row, second from the right, was having a bad day. Something's wrong. Get his number so I can call him."
"That was common," says Morgan. "Sometimes he would find out (from the student) that someone was ill, or there was a divorce or there was some personal problems."
The 72-year-old Jones recently became the first person to receive the Civic, Character and Service Learning Award, which is a long way of saying he's a great teacher. He was honored because he has "inspired so many students," said state Sen. Karen Hale, D-Salt Lake.
Comments
- Blind woman follows the Son 10:41 a.m.
- Madoff's yacht on auction block 10:23 a.m.
- Report: OSHA needs to improve 10:21 a.m.
- GM reports $1.2B loss 10:20 a.m.
- Bacall, 2 others receive early Oscars 10:16 a.m.
- '2012' has box-office bang of $225M 10:13 a.m.
- Cox ready to shriek in 'Scream 4' 10:11 a.m.
- 'Hair' opens London with B'way cast 10:10 a.m.
- 'Twilight' part of heartthrob history 10:08 a.m.
- Gershwin award going to McCartney 10:06 a.m.
- Apostle's wife felt comfort in attack
- MWC expand? Get rid of deadweight
- TCU stays 4th in AP; Y. 19th, U. 23rd
- Bennett at center of GOP storm
- Win in New Mexico good for Y?
- BYU happy to escape with victory
- Relieved Cougs prep for Falcons
- TCU creams U.
- Jazz rookies had to grow up quickly
- Wounded Utes limp home
- BYU happy to escape with victory
231 - TCU creams U.
230 - Editorial: Mormons and gay rights
208 - Will state consider gay rights law?
151 - Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
131 - RSL heads to MLS title game
130 - Utes remain silent about BCS
120 - TCU stays 4th in AP; Y. 19th, U. 23rd
105 - Celtics crush Jazz
104 - 5A: Bingham rolls to title game
89
Sears is holding a special VIP night Sunday, Nov. 15, in stores and online.
How do you handle kids and contests? Our oldest daughter, 7, is of the...
Thanks, John, for a courageous and apt column.
You really look throught the glass darkly.
OSHA doesn't need to improve, it needs to go away. One more government...
This may relate to the new ways of accounting. The taxpayers cover the...
To "jackhp | 9:56 a.m." it is an established fact that when the government,...
The decision to play Trinity was the right one. If Bingham's football...
the courts have bigger fish to fry than to worry about a football teams...
To Someone Concerned, According to the testimony of Emma Smith and...
For any BYU fans to be gloating right now is comical at best. I am neither a...
I find it interesting that Mr. Holder, the giver of reprieves to terrorists,...

You can be the first to comment on this story.