MATTOON — Glenn Poshard has a long resume in public life, including serving as a congressman, a candidate for Illinois governor, and president of Southern Illinois University.
That public service is chronicled in depth his new book, “Son of Southern Illinois: Glenn Poshard’s Life in Politics and Education,” which he co-authored with journalist Carl Walworth of Mattoon.
However, Poshard said during a book signing on Thursday at the Hilton Garden Inn in Mattoon that he is also thankful to have been able to record important aspects of his personal life, including his love of poetry, with the help of Walworth. The tour also made stops Thursday in Effingham, Sullivan and Decatur.
Former Congressman Glenn Poshard, at left, visits with Charleston businessman Don Yost, new Eastern Illinois University President Jay Gatrell, and Coles County Democratic Party Chairman Mac White during his book signing with co-author Carl Walworth on Thursday at the Hilton Garden Inn in Mattoon.
Poshard said he has written poetry throughout his life to deal with tragedies, such as the loss of a beloved cousin in Vietnam, and to help make career decisions, like running for re-election to Congress in a district with newly redrawn boundaries.
“I hope young people can learn a little bit (through the book) about how poetry can be therapeutic and help with making decisions at important points in our lives,” Poshard said, adding that his teachers helped him develop this love of poetry. He writes in the book about the positive impact that teachers had on his life.
Poshard began his political career serving as a state senator for over four years before serving from 1989-1999 in Congress. Poshard was the Democrat nominee for Illinois governor in the 1998 election.
Co-authors Carl Walworth of Mattoon, at left, and former Congressman Glenn Poshard sign a copy of “Son of Southern Illinois: Glenn Poshard’s Life in Politics and Education” for Gloria and Gary Williamson on Thursday at the Hilton Garden Inn in Mattoon. Gary Williamson is vice chairman of the Coles County Democratic Party Chairman.
Following his political career, Poshard returned to his alma mater as the vice chancellor for administration at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He was then appointed to the SIU Board of Trustees in 2004 and then president of the SIU system in 2005. Poshard remained president until 2014.
The former congressman said the new book also addresses how he has dealt with depression and sought treatment for it over the years and during his career in public service. Poshard said he hopes that sharing his story will help others fighting this battle.
“People can have depression in their lives, overcome this and be OK,” Poshard said.
Walworth, former publisher of the Journal Gazette and Times-Courier, said the partnership behind the writing of “Son of Southern Illinois” begin in the mid-2010s before he took his current post as director of the Mattoon Public Library in 2017.
During a trip to Southern Illinois, Walworth said he got in contact with Poshard about having lunch. He said the former congressman reached out to him months later about writing a book about his life.
Walworth subsequently interviewed Poshard’s colleagues and conducted research in Southern Illinois and beyond over the course of several years in preparation for the book.
“It has been a lot of fun to do this,” Walworth said.
Sgt. Nicholas Clapp of the Coles County Sheriff’s Office and his 3-year-old K-9, Jett, meet children after a demonstration Sunday afternoon at the Coles County Fair. K-9 handlers from CCSO, the Charleston Police Department and the Mattoon Police Department demonstrated the dogs’ ability to search for drugs, weapons and stolen property, as well as their training to apprehend suspects.
Malone’s Taffy employee Chris Griggs dumps a container of freshly made taffy into a container to be sold on Saturday at the Coles County Fair.
Driver Jamaica Patton and horse Judge Me Not compete Thursday afternoon during the harness racing events at the Coles County Fair. Harness racing will continue at 12:30 p.m. Friday. To view a video of Thursday’s harness racing action, go to jg-tc.com.
Kevin Rankin, Lincoln Fire Protection District deputy district chief, has been part of the department for more than 30 years and a regular volunteer helping to monitor things at the Coles County Fair grandstand.
Thomas Vandeventer, 14, of Camargo and the Angus heifer that he borrowed wait to compete in the Coles County 4-H Fair beef show’s senior showmanship competition on Tuesday at the Coles County Fairgrounds in Charleston.
Coles County 4-H Fair beef show judge Lee Rincker, a Shelbyville native, speaks to Reid Kaufman, 9, of Mattoon during the junior showmanship competition while Colby Metzger, 12, of Charleston is next in line on Tuesday at the Coles County Fairgrounds in Charleston.
Kelly Easton of Charleston shelters from the rain with her nephew, 15-year-old Blake Moore, and son, 11-year-old Case Easton, under the awning of Ribeye Shack Concessions at lunchtime Tuesday at the Coles County Fair in Charleston. They purchased ribeye sandwiches and cheese fries from this concession stand, which has been open for lunch and dinner during the fair.
Pictured, from the left, are Cole Lemmon, Kaylin Nolte, Karly McKinney and Brayden Snider competing in the Coles County 4-H Fair swine show Monday morning at the Coles County Fairgrounds in Charleston.
Junior Miss Ayla Traub, Little Miss Finley Stewart and Miss Coles County Fair Queen Selah Brimner prepare to hand out ribbons Monday morning at the Coles County 4-H Fair swine show on their first day on the job after being crowned Sunday night.
The Battle Creek band is shown playing country music at sunset Sunday on the side stage at the Coles County Fair in Charleston. Other free concerts on the side stage will feature the Charleston Community Jazz Band on Tuesday; Black Vinyl, Celestial Apparitions and Invisible Spiders on Wednesday; Tad and Jackie Freezeland on Thursday; and the Frames Band on Friday, all at 8 p.m..
Coles County 4-H families pitched in Tuesday evening to help get the Junior Sheep Barn and other livestock facilities ready for the 4-H Fair activities that will start Sunday at the Coles County Fairgrounds in Charleston. They were taking part in a volunteer work day.
Mattoon High School JROTC cadets work as an assembly line Tuesday night at the Coles County Fairgrounds in Charleston to remove folding chairs from a storage building, wash them and place them on the grandstand in preparation for the 4-H fair, which starts Sunday. They were taking part in a volunteer work day.
Contact Rob Stroud at (217) 238-6861.
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August 3, 2023 at 05:55PM
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