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Griffin Speaks
A TRIBUTE TO SENATOR
CLAIBORNE PELL
 In
1976 I left my home in Raleigh, North Carolina and began my matriculation at
Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. To a great degree I have the late
Senator Claiborne Pell the force behind the Basic Educational Opportunity
Grant to thank. Tens of millions of American College students would not have
been able to attain a college education without the assistance of the BEOG.
Senator Pell represented blue collar Rhode Island in the United
States Senate for 36 years before he died Thursday, January 1, 2009 at the
age of 90. He was born in New York on November 22, 1918. He was from a very
wealthy and politically connected family. Senator Pell graduated from
Princeton University and received a master’s degree in history from
Columbia University in 1946. In 1980 the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant
was later renamed in his honor to the “Pell Grant” The Pell Grant is the
largest need-based grants to college students.
Senator
Pell is survived by his wife of 64 years, Nuala O’Donnell Pell, a
descendant of the founders of the A&P supermarket chain, of Newport; and
two children, Christopher T. Pell and Nuala Dallas Yates. On behalf of tens
of millions of American College students who benefited from Senator Pell’s
sponsorship of the legislation creating the BEOG I say THANK YOU! MAY GOD
REST YOUR SOUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In the words of my dad,
“You must honor
the chair whether it is sitting, walking or lying down.”
Greg Griffin is a free
lance writer. You can read his previous articles by visiting his web page at
www.greggriffin.com or write to him at P.O. Box 250194 Montgomery,
Alabama 36125-0194.
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