Paul Davis: 'Honorable' best describes Bailey, Brewer

Dr. Gerald Johnson faced a formidable task. He had to introduce one great man and remember another of the state’s icons. His affection for both was obvious, and obviously equal.

He searched for a word, one appropriate word that could communicate his mental picture of each one. Being a scholar, he did his research meticulously. First, the easy way. He looked up his selected word in Webster’s dictionary. For further assistance, he turned to the individual he described as the world’s most prolific writer, “Anonymous.” Still not completely satisfied, he Googled one of the world’s greatest thinkers, Socrates.

From the Greek philosopher, he found, or confirmed what he already believed. The word to describe the late Dr. Wilford Bailey and the live and well ex-Gov. Albert Brewer is honor.

Socrates said it this way: “The greatest way to live with honor in this world is to be what we pretend to be … Honor isn’t about making the right choices. It’s about dealing with the consequences.”

Gov. Brewer last week was presented the Wilford Bailey Award for his many years of service to the state as a political giant and educator. But equal time was given to extolling the virtues of Dr. Bailey, who spent the bulk of his rich life as a masterful teacher and researcher in the field of veterinary medicine and ended it as president of Auburn and pulling it from the quagmire in which it found itself through the machinations of a mostly unscrupulous board of trustees, most of whom were bereft of the honor that Socrates told us about.

There was a full house at the Auburn University Club for the presentation to honor the two great men. It was the annual meeting of the Auburn University Retiree Association. It had been a long time since I had been around so many old people.

I got to kiss Mrs. Bailey, seated at the front table in her wheelchair, shake hands with her son, Joe, and I even managed to pull the governor into the corner and again gave him the same greeting, “What might have been?” He won every race he ever ran, with the exception of the last one when a bitter, racist Gov. Wallace waged the ugliest political campaign ever seen in the state. Brewer can discuss those days and still manage his warm and friendly smile. “I remember that column you wrote about me, Paul. It was one of the best.” What? When? “You’ll have to help me with that one, governor,” I said. “It was in 1976. A fine column.” Twenty-three years ago? I can’t remember what I wrote last week.

I shared a table with Dr. Johnson and his beautiful bride.

The week had brought them to their 50th anniversary. She still looked like a bride. Certainly it must be said that the years haven’t been as kind to her hubby, also an Auburn retiree and a former instructor in political science.

It was a great time to meet old friends, to tell tales and shake lots of hands and kiss lots of pretty ladies. As I walked away from chatting with Kate Bailey, I thought of another Socrates quote for both Brewer and Bailey, both world-class educators.

“Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.”

And looking again at the assemblage, all in their golden years, there is a still greater quote from the wise old Greek: “The end of life is to be like God, and the soul following God will be like Him.”

Paul Davis writes a Sunday column for the Opelika-Auburn News. You may contact him at Paul_Davis@charter.net