I stayed up until 10:00 pm Thursday night, so that I could attend the memorial at the American University in Kyrgyzstgan for Clyde Forsberg. A noon event for them was pretty close to midnight for me. I want to say something before anyone reads the text below. I took notes as people spoke, but they are sporadic and perhaps they will only make sense to Bonnie and Rebecca who were also there. The names on the bottom of the zoom camera were too small for me to see, so there is a certain anonymity to these voices, given that I could only catch a few letters (or none) of their names. I am going to number their gentle stories of love and admiration for their deceased professor. I hope the event gave them some closure.
The memorial was moderated by Andrew Wachtel who is the President of the University. He asked a few people whom he knew wanted to speak for their stories and then he opened the time up for anyone who raised their hand.
One. The first person who spoke said that Clyde never lost his shadow. I've never heard that metaphor before. The speaker went on to say, “We always knew when he was around; he was a towering intellect.”
Two. Duane Lacy, a philosopher from New York who is on staff. Professor Lacy said that his first encounter with Clyde was fractious, and it's took them some time to become friends. Now he feels like he was Clyde's closest friend in Bishkek. Professor Lacy said, “We met in the spirit of anger, pedagogically. Clyde was older than me, but I supervised him. Both of us have the same internal struggles to stop ourselves from speaking and to let the students have the time with their voices. I asked that there should be no PowerPoint, and no electronics in class. Clyde said to me, I will try your formula and prove you wrong. But the students pushed forward without Clyde and in fact Clyde came to me and said this was a better pedagogy. So, in fact, he perfected my pedagogical beliefs. One day Clyde had to go somewhere and needed someone to cover his class. I said I would do it. But then I found I taught at the same time, 3 doors down. So, I set my class up and then told them I just had to go down 3 doors to Professor Forsberg’s class for a minute. When I explained to Professor Forsberg’s class, the situation, they said, no problem and began their discussion. I went back to my class. They were already on their electronic devices, and not engaged as I would have wanted. I got them going again, and went back to check on Clyde’s class. They were in a discussion and looked surprised that I was checking in on them. I also did jazz with Clyde, jazz and poetry performances. I would read the poetry and he would play the jazz.”
Three.The third speaker held up a new book of Clyde's called The Persecution of the Professors in the New Turkey: a Facebook Book. He opened the book to show Clyde's signature as large as life, a gigantic signature.
The head of the University wanted to respond to this saying that when he had come to look at Clyde's CV he had noticed he was born an American but had been raised in Canada. Clyde used to say he was born in the US but bred in Canada. The President noted that Clyde’s credentials came from western Canada and then from central Canada but he wanted to assert that Clyde was as American. “He was American, he was the epitome of what it is to be an American.”
Four. Jayldays Berkbal. The librarian was very sweet. She wanted to add to the collection, books for teens . Clyde had come to her and helped her with a list that she could start with. She said he had chosen Little Women and Alice in Wonderland among other books, and Clyde had told her to buy hardcover books so that children could have the joy of holding the hardcover and turning the pages.
Five. Asel Osmongazi. “In Clyde’s first class was the first time I heard the “S” word. I asked him why he had done that. He told me because he wants to throw out the students who can't handle him in the first class, get them out and then go on teaching the rest. Professor Forsberg introduced me to ideas I had never thought of.”
Six. Emil Nasritovada. “He had my respect. He inspired me. He was not one of the westerners who came to make money. He gave to the community. He was honest, sincere, and a true emissary of America. There was a conference on personal freedom in Kyrgyzstan that Clyde and I had organized. Clyde represented courage and he had a deep love for Kyrgyzstan that was captured in his prolific writing.
Seven. Lev Pootapov. “Professor Forsberg was crazy. He never tried to find a polite way to talk. Clyde told our class once that he was not in class to be the teacher, but to be the smartest student there. If I forget Clyde’s name, I will never be able to look at my face in the mirror again.”
Eight. Elmira Musiralieve. “Clyde opened up new roads of music to me. I had been classically trained and he told me it is okay to have more freedom in music. Then he showed me how to obtain that. He told me it is OK to have more freedom.”
Nine. Valeri Hardin. “Clyde had a vigorous voice, a critical voice and an authentic voice. I have known Clyde for 20 years and Clyde continues to be vigorous. He liked students. Clyde would argue with me about historiography. I thought that historiography had the truth. Clyde told me that he believed the opposite, that there was no truth there. Once when I was preparing for a conference I was using a Robert Frost poem. I had two translated of the poem besides the English original and I asked Clyde which of the translations were best. Clyde told me, all of them. That one remark from Clyde showed me there was beauty in everything and that changed my whole approach scholarship. I also know that Clyde had been writing a book with his daughter and I wanted to mention that.”
Ten. Farukh Farkhator. “In our first class, Professor Forsberg spoke to us in Arabic, English, and Russian. I was so impressed with my new professor. I also liked his deep and pure love toward his family.
Eleven. Kamila Inchina. “I had heard from others that Professor Forsberg was controversial. Some said he was awful and I heard he was the coolest from others. Clyde was never late for a class. He was always there on time. He came in and put his books on his desk and then he went out to buy coffee and we didn't see him for 5 minutes. Clyde is the one from whom I learned that mistakes are fine. Clyde said you are just writing something on a piece of paper. He had us write something the first day. When he came back, he said I've read this and what you were doing is awful, but it is better work than I am getting from you face to face. So, let’s go on with learning.”
Twelve. Nick Walmsley. “Professor Forsberg made us write non-stop. Clyde always recognized us, stopped to talk to us in the halls and he would listen to his students. Clyde was broad-minded, open-minded, and passionate about the art of writing.”
Thirteen. Nick Walmslay. This student was very sweet with a few words but then he went to read what he had written, soon he couldn't read and was wiping away the tears from his eyes with big sweeps of his hand. The moderator, Andrew Wachtel, said he would come back to him later. (Note from Arta: I wish the moderator had just given the student 15 seconds to recover, because I think the words were all there, afterall they had been written down – they just had to be preceded by a flood. Try 15 seconds on Zoom sometime. It seems like a long time, but I think it would have worked.
Fourteen. Lauren McConnell. An academic colleague of Clyde’s. She said that in her class a student has written a radio play and had asked Clyde if he would help perform it. Clyde came in a number of afternoons and did a performance for them so that this radio play could be enacted. What was amazing to her is the Clyde would put all this time into a student project from another class, and that Clyde played the part of the schizophrenic murderer in such a way as to make it seem real. Lauren said she was impressed with what Clyde would give to helping another student that wasn’t his.
Fifteen. Abdul. “I had Clyde for three semesters. He was a great teacher. Clyde appreciated me and he told me I should be prepared to be challenged. Clyde's ideas were eclectic. Even though he had got his PhD over 35 years ago his ideas were fresh. I have come prepared to tell two moments where Clyde interacted with me that made a difference. Clyde asked me to join him at a conference dinner. A famous philosopher had been invited to speak. I asked Clyde if there were any other students there. He said no. The second incident is that Clyde invited me to a class. I asked him what he wanted and he just asked me to be there at 2:30 pm. When I got there, it was a meeting of students and their parents. Clyde introduced me saying this is the most polite person I have ever met. Would you please tell these new students how it is that you are so polite. I said, I don't think of myself as polite and I don't think I can answer that question but I can tell you that Professor Forsberg has a gigantic view of humanity. You will see his faithfulness and his honesty. He will teach you how to respect your own humanity.
Sixteen and Seventeen. 2 students. Haitiye and Esra The first student noted that Clyde have been a carpenter, a musician and intellectual storyteller. He was one of the greatest academic story tellers she knew. The second student told a small fable of Clyde's. “He tried and failed. He tried and failed again. He tried and failed again but this time he failed better.” Clyde pointed out that whether stories pass or fail often depends on the audience. “He failed better. That is what I shall remember. Professor Forsberg was the best, most beautiful failure I have ever known. He also taught me that all scholarship is autobiographical.
Eighteen. Montana Reed. “Professor Forsberg let you know his opinion and he encouraged you to tell him yours. I was not doing well with my writing and he offered me and another student another class once a week. He would meet with us and help us with our writing. Clyde told me it doesn't matter if you are dyslexic, you have something to tell. I wrote 17 papers for him and then he showed me how I could put them into one grand piece. I resent the fact that he is not here.”
Nineteen. Tahlataught . “Professor Forsberg taught me to be confident. He taught me how to share my ideas with everyone.”
Twenty. Friend. “Clyde is my friend. I was not doing well and he told me to come in at lunch time and he would help me. Suela.”
Twenty-one. Megan Johnson. “I am not one to get close to teachers. I try to keep a very large distance between me and them. But Clyde disarmed me with his warmth. He met my eyes. I was taking a number of classes and I could not decide what to do with my life. One day he asked me what I had decided to major in. I told him. He met my eyes and he said that sounds perfect for you. I remember him every time I write.”
Twenty-two. Esenbech. “It is hard to sit and listen to all of these things about Clyde. Clyde said to me, you are very quiet. You will have to buy me a beer so that we can meet. He left a piece of himself in me.”
Twenty-three. Diane. “Thank you.”
Twenty-four. Bashir. “We find hope in something and then it is gone. I am an Iranian. It is common for us to meet somebody one day and to hear they are dead the next day. So, I am not unaccustomed to death. But this death of Clyde's is very hard for me to accept. He taught me to speak and to write. I believe in the soul and that we will meet again someday.”
Twenty-five. John Magnus Forsberg. “Thank you to everyone who spoke today. You have touched the hearts of the Forsbergs. I'm the first fourth oldest boy in the Forsberg family. Clyde was the oldest. We always called him, Clyde, The Golden Boy. There were 13 of us and sometimes when there are that many children you just raise each other. I was a young boy scout, going down a river that was known for its boulders and dangerous rapids. Clyde was older than me and was paddling in the canoe. I was afraid and said to him. I think we should stop; we might die. Clyde turned his head said back to me. Yes, but what if we f*cking live.”
The memorial was moderated by Andrew Wachtel who is the President of the University. He asked a few people whom he knew wanted to speak for their stories and then he opened the time up for anyone who raised their hand.
One. The first person who spoke said that Clyde never lost his shadow. I've never heard that metaphor before. The speaker went on to say, “We always knew when he was around; he was a towering intellect.”
Two. Duane Lacy, a philosopher from New York who is on staff. Professor Lacy said that his first encounter with Clyde was fractious, and it's took them some time to become friends. Now he feels like he was Clyde's closest friend in Bishkek. Professor Lacy said, “We met in the spirit of anger, pedagogically. Clyde was older than me, but I supervised him. Both of us have the same internal struggles to stop ourselves from speaking and to let the students have the time with their voices. I asked that there should be no PowerPoint, and no electronics in class. Clyde said to me, I will try your formula and prove you wrong. But the students pushed forward without Clyde and in fact Clyde came to me and said this was a better pedagogy. So, in fact, he perfected my pedagogical beliefs. One day Clyde had to go somewhere and needed someone to cover his class. I said I would do it. But then I found I taught at the same time, 3 doors down. So, I set my class up and then told them I just had to go down 3 doors to Professor Forsberg’s class for a minute. When I explained to Professor Forsberg’s class, the situation, they said, no problem and began their discussion. I went back to my class. They were already on their electronic devices, and not engaged as I would have wanted. I got them going again, and went back to check on Clyde’s class. They were in a discussion and looked surprised that I was checking in on them. I also did jazz with Clyde, jazz and poetry performances. I would read the poetry and he would play the jazz.”
Three.The third speaker held up a new book of Clyde's called The Persecution of the Professors in the New Turkey: a Facebook Book. He opened the book to show Clyde's signature as large as life, a gigantic signature.
The head of the University wanted to respond to this saying that when he had come to look at Clyde's CV he had noticed he was born an American but had been raised in Canada. Clyde used to say he was born in the US but bred in Canada. The President noted that Clyde’s credentials came from western Canada and then from central Canada but he wanted to assert that Clyde was as American. “He was American, he was the epitome of what it is to be an American.”
Four. Jayldays Berkbal. The librarian was very sweet. She wanted to add to the collection, books for teens . Clyde had come to her and helped her with a list that she could start with. She said he had chosen Little Women and Alice in Wonderland among other books, and Clyde had told her to buy hardcover books so that children could have the joy of holding the hardcover and turning the pages.
Five. Asel Osmongazi. “In Clyde’s first class was the first time I heard the “S” word. I asked him why he had done that. He told me because he wants to throw out the students who can't handle him in the first class, get them out and then go on teaching the rest. Professor Forsberg introduced me to ideas I had never thought of.”
Six. Emil Nasritovada. “He had my respect. He inspired me. He was not one of the westerners who came to make money. He gave to the community. He was honest, sincere, and a true emissary of America. There was a conference on personal freedom in Kyrgyzstan that Clyde and I had organized. Clyde represented courage and he had a deep love for Kyrgyzstan that was captured in his prolific writing.
Seven. Lev Pootapov. “Professor Forsberg was crazy. He never tried to find a polite way to talk. Clyde told our class once that he was not in class to be the teacher, but to be the smartest student there. If I forget Clyde’s name, I will never be able to look at my face in the mirror again.”
Eight. Elmira Musiralieve. “Clyde opened up new roads of music to me. I had been classically trained and he told me it is okay to have more freedom in music. Then he showed me how to obtain that. He told me it is OK to have more freedom.”
Nine. Valeri Hardin. “Clyde had a vigorous voice, a critical voice and an authentic voice. I have known Clyde for 20 years and Clyde continues to be vigorous. He liked students. Clyde would argue with me about historiography. I thought that historiography had the truth. Clyde told me that he believed the opposite, that there was no truth there. Once when I was preparing for a conference I was using a Robert Frost poem. I had two translated of the poem besides the English original and I asked Clyde which of the translations were best. Clyde told me, all of them. That one remark from Clyde showed me there was beauty in everything and that changed my whole approach scholarship. I also know that Clyde had been writing a book with his daughter and I wanted to mention that.”
Ten. Farukh Farkhator. “In our first class, Professor Forsberg spoke to us in Arabic, English, and Russian. I was so impressed with my new professor. I also liked his deep and pure love toward his family.
Eleven. Kamila Inchina. “I had heard from others that Professor Forsberg was controversial. Some said he was awful and I heard he was the coolest from others. Clyde was never late for a class. He was always there on time. He came in and put his books on his desk and then he went out to buy coffee and we didn't see him for 5 minutes. Clyde is the one from whom I learned that mistakes are fine. Clyde said you are just writing something on a piece of paper. He had us write something the first day. When he came back, he said I've read this and what you were doing is awful, but it is better work than I am getting from you face to face. So, let’s go on with learning.”
Twelve. Nick Walmsley. “Professor Forsberg made us write non-stop. Clyde always recognized us, stopped to talk to us in the halls and he would listen to his students. Clyde was broad-minded, open-minded, and passionate about the art of writing.”
Thirteen. Nick Walmslay. This student was very sweet with a few words but then he went to read what he had written, soon he couldn't read and was wiping away the tears from his eyes with big sweeps of his hand. The moderator, Andrew Wachtel, said he would come back to him later. (Note from Arta: I wish the moderator had just given the student 15 seconds to recover, because I think the words were all there, afterall they had been written down – they just had to be preceded by a flood. Try 15 seconds on Zoom sometime. It seems like a long time, but I think it would have worked.
Fourteen. Lauren McConnell. An academic colleague of Clyde’s. She said that in her class a student has written a radio play and had asked Clyde if he would help perform it. Clyde came in a number of afternoons and did a performance for them so that this radio play could be enacted. What was amazing to her is the Clyde would put all this time into a student project from another class, and that Clyde played the part of the schizophrenic murderer in such a way as to make it seem real. Lauren said she was impressed with what Clyde would give to helping another student that wasn’t his.
Fifteen. Abdul. “I had Clyde for three semesters. He was a great teacher. Clyde appreciated me and he told me I should be prepared to be challenged. Clyde's ideas were eclectic. Even though he had got his PhD over 35 years ago his ideas were fresh. I have come prepared to tell two moments where Clyde interacted with me that made a difference. Clyde asked me to join him at a conference dinner. A famous philosopher had been invited to speak. I asked Clyde if there were any other students there. He said no. The second incident is that Clyde invited me to a class. I asked him what he wanted and he just asked me to be there at 2:30 pm. When I got there, it was a meeting of students and their parents. Clyde introduced me saying this is the most polite person I have ever met. Would you please tell these new students how it is that you are so polite. I said, I don't think of myself as polite and I don't think I can answer that question but I can tell you that Professor Forsberg has a gigantic view of humanity. You will see his faithfulness and his honesty. He will teach you how to respect your own humanity.
Sixteen and Seventeen. 2 students. Haitiye and Esra The first student noted that Clyde have been a carpenter, a musician and intellectual storyteller. He was one of the greatest academic story tellers she knew. The second student told a small fable of Clyde's. “He tried and failed. He tried and failed again. He tried and failed again but this time he failed better.” Clyde pointed out that whether stories pass or fail often depends on the audience. “He failed better. That is what I shall remember. Professor Forsberg was the best, most beautiful failure I have ever known. He also taught me that all scholarship is autobiographical.
Eighteen. Montana Reed. “Professor Forsberg let you know his opinion and he encouraged you to tell him yours. I was not doing well with my writing and he offered me and another student another class once a week. He would meet with us and help us with our writing. Clyde told me it doesn't matter if you are dyslexic, you have something to tell. I wrote 17 papers for him and then he showed me how I could put them into one grand piece. I resent the fact that he is not here.”
Nineteen. Tahlataught . “Professor Forsberg taught me to be confident. He taught me how to share my ideas with everyone.”
Twenty. Friend. “Clyde is my friend. I was not doing well and he told me to come in at lunch time and he would help me. Suela.”
Twenty-one. Megan Johnson. “I am not one to get close to teachers. I try to keep a very large distance between me and them. But Clyde disarmed me with his warmth. He met my eyes. I was taking a number of classes and I could not decide what to do with my life. One day he asked me what I had decided to major in. I told him. He met my eyes and he said that sounds perfect for you. I remember him every time I write.”
Twenty-two. Esenbech. “It is hard to sit and listen to all of these things about Clyde. Clyde said to me, you are very quiet. You will have to buy me a beer so that we can meet. He left a piece of himself in me.”
Twenty-three. Diane. “Thank you.”
Twenty-four. Bashir. “We find hope in something and then it is gone. I am an Iranian. It is common for us to meet somebody one day and to hear they are dead the next day. So, I am not unaccustomed to death. But this death of Clyde's is very hard for me to accept. He taught me to speak and to write. I believe in the soul and that we will meet again someday.”
Twenty-five. John Magnus Forsberg. “Thank you to everyone who spoke today. You have touched the hearts of the Forsbergs. I'm the first fourth oldest boy in the Forsberg family. Clyde was the oldest. We always called him, Clyde, The Golden Boy. There were 13 of us and sometimes when there are that many children you just raise each other. I was a young boy scout, going down a river that was known for its boulders and dangerous rapids. Clyde was older than me and was paddling in the canoe. I was afraid and said to him. I think we should stop; we might die. Clyde turned his head said back to me. Yes, but what if we f*cking live.”
Notes taken by Arta. And to borrow Clyde's words from the i Acknowledgements to his work, The Persecution of the Professors in the New Turkey: a Facebook Book, "Of course, any responsibility for errors, omissions, and future regrets
are all my own."
it was very moving, to be there and listen to stories of those who also loved him.
ReplyDeleteSince I was both listening and trying to take notes, I have in my ear the tone, the accents, the pauses, the tears and especially the voice of the student who told Clyde, "I believe in the soul" and he assured Clyde they would meet again. Oh, I hope this is true. And I have done what I would not want to do, and that is single out one comment over another. Who is it to say who was Clyde's best friend, and don't all of us RESENT the fact that he is gone. Thanks for being there and listening, Rebecca. And Bonnie. And all whose names I did not see or catch.
ReplyDeleteYes, I can hear their voices and see their faces too. It appears he managed to single each student out in way way that brought them closer to the collective.
Delete