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- Dr. Dick Puglisi
College of Education Faculty Oral Histories
Dr. Dick Puglisi
LB: Now who was the dean then?
DP: Jean Battle was the dean. He was the person I interviewed with and eventually was hired by. Jean Battle was a gracious person. The USF President at the time was John Allen. At the end of my first year, President Allen resigned, and Dr. Cecil Mackey was appointed as USF’s President.
LB: Now, was social science a department at the time?
DP: Yes, it was a department with approximately nine faculty members. We had a very impressive group of faculty members. Most of them were young and had just received their doctorates. They each had their particular agenda. Some were interested in state and local governments as well as research relative to that or teaching relative to subject area. Others were interested in cultural differences and multicultural education. We had a large group. They were all committed to social science education at the elementary and secondary level.
LB: Along the way you obtained your doctorate.
DP: Yes. Again, I was very fortunate. There was a gracious and kind individual at the time in the role as associate dean of the College. His name was Dr. Charles Manker. Dr. Manker was an associate dean along with Dr. Bob Shannon, who also was an associate dean. At the time I started looking around for a doctoral program, I went to see Dr. Manker who at the time, if I’m remembering correctly, was serving as the interim dean after Dean Battle resigned. But in any event, he was the gentleman who was the significant decision-maker in the College. I went to Dr. Manker and told him that I had an opportunity to pursue a doctorate and would there be opportunity once I received that doctorate to come back to the faculty. He was absolutely gracious. He assured me that he appreciated and valued my work and that they would give me a time to pursue and complete my doctorate.
At that time, I had done some of my doctoral work in the previous summer session and believed that if I was disciplined and organized, I could complete my dissertation while I was enrolled in the required course work. Obviously, this approach is very unorthodox and not recommended. I knew I only had a short time to complete the doctorate. I was told that if I completed the doctorate by the end of that year (August 1973), they would hold my position for me, and I could return at the rank of an assistant professor. I owe a great deal to several people who helped me in those early years. Dr. Roger Nichols and Dr. Charles Manker were instrumental in my career at USF. Years later, a retirement luncheon was held to celebrate Dr. Manker’s career, and I had the opportunity to personally thank him for what he did for me. Regrettably, he was battling cancer at the time, and accepted my gratitude with the dignity and graciousness that characterized my relationship with him.