Charles Jarvis Speel
joined the MC faculty in 1951 and taught through his retirement in 1986, but his career at
Monmouth included much more than simply teaching classes. He was a member of many professional
organizations and also took on such tasks as serving as faculty advisor to Sigma Phi Epsilon
or teaching overseas (India and Italy). Speel’s legacy at Monmouth
College encompasses several areas, but professor of history William Urban captured the essence
of Charles Speel in the following story:
"A couple of years
after I came to Monmouth in 1966, I was at a national conference, when someone saw my name tag
and commented, ‘The most brilliant talk I ever heard on church history was given by a
professor from Monmouth.’ I responded, ‘That was probably Charles Speel.’ His reply was, ‘Yes!
That’s the man!’ "That pretty much
summed up Charles’ academic credentials," said Urban. "He was a scholar’s scholar." What Speel knew, he
knew completely. Said Urban: "As one very close friend put it, ‘Charles knows everything, and
he won’t shut up until you know it, too.’ More than a few times I’ve seen (his wife) Emma
Janis put an elbow into Charles to slow down the flow of words. Everyone put up with this
gladly, because he was never dull or pedantic. He just had to share his enthusiasm for life
and learning." His longtime associate,
professor of religious studies emeritus Stafford Weeks, was one of many who saw Speel’s keen
memory at work. "I have one anecdote I
remember about Charles that’s really a testament to the intensity he brought to his teaching,
and also to his memory," said Weeks. "He was lecturing in a class, and he went to a map to
illustrate the meanderings of the Hebrew people. His pointer didn’t reach what he wanted to
show, so Charles got up on a chair, and proceeded with the lecture the whole time. He didn’t
have access to his notes, but who needs notes if you have a memory like Charles Speel. He
didn’t get down from the chair until the lecture was finished." Speel’s intensity to
teach came from an intensity to learn. Weeks recalls, "I remember a student came up to him and
asked about the possibility of a course in hieroglyphics. Charles just learned it, and then he
taught it. He even wound up with his name on his office door both in English and in
hieroglyphics. "He did it all simply
because a student had asked for it," Weeks continued. "It was very characteristic of him to go
out of his way to help a student who was genuinely interested." Another student Speel
helped, Gary Willhardt, eventually joined him on the faculty. "I had Charles as a
professor and most importantly as a friend and colleague," he said. "Exactly 45 years ago, I
was taking my first course with Charles–Bible, which was then required. There I first learned
of his thorough scholarship and of his dedication to the scholarly life. I also soon learned
of his gentle goodness as a mentor and friend to a wandering freshman." Being a religious
figure can sometimes have an adverse effect on those with dissimilar beliefs, but Weeks said
that Speel didn’t suffer from that problem. "Charles was just perfect for
this college. He wasn’t too ‘anything.’ He was just excellent."
Speel’s longtime
secretary, Nancy St. Ledger, agreed. "He said, ‘Well, I may
be an ordained Presbyterian minister, but I’m just as much a Buddhist and a Catholic.’ He felt
he was a part of the world’s religions. I know he came to a lot of events at the Catholic
church. I had to admire how much he didn’t have limits in his religious beliefs. "Working for him was
probably one of the most broadening experiences I’ve ever had, and I’ve worked for a lot of
professors," St. Ledger said. "He enriched my life and broadened it with his knowledge and his
care. He was a remarkable man, and he and Emma Janis were a unique, very special couple." One of the Speels’
neighbors, Bob Matson ’50, said the classroom wasn’t the only place to learn from Charles
Speel. "We’d go over and sit
on their lawn and listen to the finest teachings available from the Speels about their world
travels. He was a Christian to the core and was one of the finest people we’ve ever met, or
ever could meet. He was one of God’s true noblemen." Urban neatly summarized
what Speel represented to Monmouth College: "When Charles Speel, Stafford Weeks and Paul McClanahan comprised the religious studies department, Monmouth College had probably the strongest and best-balanced department in the country–three very different men who liked one another, who complimented one another’s strengths, and who were immensely popular among the students. There was no need for a requirement to fill their classes. They had a magnetic, almost gravitational pull–they knew their subject, they had traveled widely, they read everything, they loved to teach, they were skilled lecturers and counselors, and they loved their students. That is a hard combination to beat."
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