Name: Forrest Baird
Job title: Professor and Department Chair
Department: Philosophy
How long have you worked at Whitworth? This is my 33rd year.
What do you like best about your job? Everything! Seriously, I sometimes think, “What would I do if I won the lottery?” (Unlikely, since I don’t enter.) Well, I would want to travel and read books and then I would probably want to talk to people about what I saw and read – some who see it on the same level I do and some who probably could use some help in understanding what they saw or read because I enjoy explaining things…Hey wait a minute – that is what I do! (But I would not grade papers!)
In what ways do your gifts and abilities help meet the needs of the campus community you serve? I love to introduce people and I see myself as a sort of intellectual yentl or matchmaker: Meet my friend, Plato – you might really like him…he has some remarkable contemporary things to say; meet my friend, Michelangelo’s David; and, especially, meet my friend and savior, Jesus.
Favorite book: The Brothers Karamazov
Favorite movie: “Strictly Ballroom” (A funny, quirky Australian movie that is actually about ballroom dancing…and a whole lot more!)
Favorite food: Italian gelato (not sure it qualifies as “food” – but did you know that it has no calories?)
Favorite quote: “No good thing will the Lord withhold from them that walk uprightly.” (Ps. 84:11)
Favorite music: James Taylor, hymns (I am old) – but I actually like all kinds of music…even rap
Favorite animal: Not much of an animal person (a failing, I know)
Guilty pleasure: Watching TV – especially sports (If there are two folks playing catch on ESPN, I would probably watch it.)
Best vacation ever: Houseboating on the Thames River in England with my entire extended family (42 of us on six houseboats). I mean, really, this is the best family vacation you could ever, ever have. If you are interested, ask me about it.
Birthplace: Long Beach, Calif. I grew up in inner-city L.A. (I went to L.A. High School).
We’d be surprised to know that…I was in a children’s choir from the age of five and sang opera as a kid – I performed at UCLA in Schoenberg Hall and was even on TV (then when I hit puberty my voice changed and now…well, I guess I can carry a tune, but no one would ever want to listen).
I collect…tacky salt and pepper shakers – the tackier the better (we have shakers to offend anyone).
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? I already have.
If you could try anything and not fail, what dream would you attempt? I would be the oldest NBA all-star of all time!
What is your favorite sound? Our granddaughters’ laugh
What is your life motto? “If a student has not learned, you have not taught.”
If the whole world was listening, what would you say? “God loves you and Jesus proves it.”
Favorite childhood book: A Wrinkle in Time
Favorite childhood TV show: “Engineer Bill” (a local L.A. show with cartoons)
Least favorite word: Phlegm
Best high school class subject: Math
