What a treat to be introduced by Mary Vernon as the speaker at an SMU Town and Gown Meeting. Mary Vernon is a legend at SMU as a professor and as a splendid artist collected by sophisticated patrons and museums. She is the past President of the SMU Faculty Senate, Chair of the SMU Art Department, and past President of SMU Town and Gown. Most importantly, she is a friend I greatly admire and who can pack much information and insight into a few humorous paragraphs.

Thank you, Mary!

Introduction of Douglas Newby

Introducing Doug Newby to Town and Gown is like going into Sherwood Forest in the old days and introducing Robin Hood to his own merry band. We all know Doug Newby so well as leader and prankster, as the serious questioner and the defender of neighborhoods, as a figure of fashion, and as a friend.

His company, Doug Newby and Associates: Architecturally Significant Homes has as its mission helping clients passionate about design and their environment buy or build a home that contributes to the community, is an aesthetic example for future architectural projects, and reflects the personalities and purposes of the clients.

While Doug Newby, who is, by the way, a Knight of Cycen Fjoder, a secret society founded at SMU even before Town and Town, but which went silent and vanished from SMU long ago in order to stay, persistently still, all men. As I was saying, while Doug Newby has reached the apogee of many an enterprise or organization, each enterprise subsequently disappears, as he has told me himself:

Doug Newby earned a bachelor of science degree in Social Science, after which SMU discontinued the major.

He earned a Masters degree in Public Administration, after which SMU discontinued the Masters in Public Administration.

Cheerleaders used to be elected at SMU. After Doug was elected Head Cheerleader as a first year student, cheerleaders were no longer elected but chosen by the athletic department and the band.

Doug Newby chaired the student-funded Gentle Fridays of musical entertainment in the quadrangle. Discontinued.

Founded the SMU Frisbee Foundation. Frisbee playground eliminated.

Ever the Aquaman, Doug Newby swam in the Red Barr outdoor pool at SMU on the first day it opened. He swam in it on the last day – before it was torn out.

Forever boldly leaping to cross bridges as they collapse behind him: Doug Newby.