Sunday, December 22, 2019
It was in the late 1980’s when I came to Dal Library School, as the program was casually referred to by classmates then. We considered ourselves a hip bunch, most of us already with some years of work experience behind us, when we found ourselves in “Systems” class, drawn to the lectern, and man behind it, John Howard Oxley. For all our so-called “awareness”, John Howard’s persona, with its bristle of military swagger, triggered a reaction from some that showed just how limited our mind-sets really were. But John rose above our snobbery of style, with an Zen-like observation that has stayed with me ever since those classroom days: “The world is greater than we are.” It has been a life lesson, liberating and yet humbling, giving direction while encouraging us to act with respect toward all.
To the family and friends of John Howard, my sympathies flow. With respect, Peter D. Lambly
