Positioned between Old Main and Slagle Hall stands a life-sized bronzed statue of a man carrying a book, his glasses framing his kind, crinkled eyes and his lips revealing a slight smile that hints at benevolence.
That giving spirit remains a continuous force at USD, but professor emeritus William O. "Doc" Farber, who inspired generations of students and played a behind-the-scenes role in South Dakota politics, died early Saturday morning in Vermillion. He was 96.
Born July 4, 1910, in Geneseo, Ill., Farber received both his B.A. and M.A. degrees at Northwestern University, graduating with honors and membership in the Phi Beta Kappa honors society and the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. After obtaining his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, Farber came to Vermillion in 1935, beginning what would become his 71-year reign at USD.
In 1937, Farber left USD to teach at North Dakota State University, but returned to USD the following year to serve as chairman of the Department of Government. Farber's career at USD was broken only by his war service and his three leaves of absence to teach at Northwestern, Wisconsin and Seoul National University in Korea.
Despite being a man of short stature, Farber was a giant in terms of influence and dedication. Farber made up for whatever he lacked in height with his passion for politics, South Dakota and most importantly, his students.
Don Dahlin, a political science professor for more than 40 years, said Farber's first priority in life was his students.
"The principal obligation was to work with students, and he did that himself and he made it clear to everybody that was hired that that was their first responsibility," he said.
Farber's influence didn't end in the classroom. His guidance extended far beyond textbooks, and under Farber's caring hand, students excelled. Farber most notably fostered a group of students including Tom Brokaw, Al Neuharth and Pat O'Brien, known as "The Farber Boys."
Sioux Falls businessman Dick Brown, Farber's personal representative, said living with Farber as one of "The Farber Boys" helped shape him into a focused student. Brown, an honors student and president of the Political Science League, found himself struggling academically his first semester, and Farber stepped in to 'shape him up.'
"He said, 'Brown, you better get over here and stay with me, and we'll work on you,'" Brown said.
Brown said Farber ensured he went to class by blasting music at 6:30 a.m. to wake him up for his 8 a.m. German class.
"The sound system would shake the entire house, and boom, you'd get out of bed, and it was another exciting day with Doc Farber," he said.
President Jim Abbott said Farber had the unique intuition that allowed him to distinguish which of his students had the most potential and to encourage them not just during school, but also throughout life.
"He had a real knack for identifying people who he could bring out the best in," he said. "That's a wonderful thing - sort of the definition of a mentor, isn't it?"
Neuharth said Farber's influence was at its peak in the late 1940s, after World War II.
"He was most effective with those of us (in) the post-World War II crowd," he said. "(That's) when we really, really needed guidance - fatherly, friendly but tough advice."
Farber's advice, despite his unusual gift of foresight, was often unconventional.
For example, Brokaw said Farber gave him invaluable advice that led to his long career as the voice of "NBC Nightly News." After a brief stint at the University of Iowa where Brokaw said he majored in "coeds and beer," Brokaw retreated to USD but still couldn't shake the party scene. Farber gave him the unconventional advice to drop out of school.
"Bill grabbed me at the end of my sophomore year and said, 'Look, you're not doing yourself any good, you're not doing your parents any good, you should just drop out of here and get it out of your system. Come back when you're ready to become a serious student," Brokaw said.
After taking Farber's advice, Brokaw found himself returning right back to school.
"I dropped out for a semester, and it was a very painful time. I found out what it was like to be in the old cruel world if you didn't have a college degree," he said. "So I came back to him and said, 'Okay, I'm ready to come back.'"
Neuharth said Farber's input was always available to students, even when it might not have been asked for or wanted.
"He was outspoken. I think he moved in and gave advice whenever he thought it was needed by whoever it was needed by and it wasn't always welcome," Neuharth said. "He had a thick skin and a nice smile, and he didn't want to necessarily be popular with the students. It was more important for him to be helpful with them."
Though Farber stopped working at 65, he never stopped teaching. His influence at USD did not fade. Abbott said up until the last months of his life, Farber continued to counsel the administration in a way that was present but not overbearing.
"He's been retired from the faculty since 1976, but his influence will be felt by hundreds of people who learned from hundreds of people who learned from professors who learned from Dr. Farber," Abbott said.
Farber's retirement was spent promoting the political science department and advocating for USD students. Farber's achievements include helping start the W.O. Farber Center of Civic Leadership and the Farber Fund for political science, criminal justice and international studies students.
One of Farber's most ambitious goals, creating a doctorial program for the political science department, finally has the possibility of becoming a reality after years of persuasion. Next month, the Board of Regents will be voting on a resolution to start a political science Ph.D. program at USD. Abbott said he expects the resolution to pass.
"He had been talking about this for at least 40 years," Abbott said. "I remember within the last year asking me if that it really was going to come to fruition, become a reality, and I said yes, it would. Who else at 95 was thinking about whether we're going to have a political science doctorate at USD?"
Farber continued to counsel students until his last dying days, even for students who had left South Dakota and went on to bigger and better things.
"I got a message from him last fall on the answering machine," Brokaw said. "I had done something on the air and he said, 'Tom, that was just great, you've got to get more of that going on.'"
Through his life, Farber also helped found USD's Government Research Bureau, chaired the South Dakota Constitutional Revision Commission and Local Government Study Commission and directed the Legislative Research Council for 10 years.
Though hundreds of people are expected to attend Farber's funeral Saturday, Abbott said Farber wouldn't want to be mourned.
"It's hard to be incredibly sad when somebody is 96 years old," he said. "I think we are all probably grateful that he died peacefully and that he was, from all reports, ready. It would be a mistake if we did not celebrate in a proportion much higher than that of mourning."
Brokaw said Farber passed with the utmost grace.
"It was important for him to get up in the morning and take on life every day. I didn't want that to end in an uncomfortable way," he said. "He was 96 years old. He had a great life."
Brown, who was in the hospital room when Farber passed, said students and friends surrounded him at his death. Those who were there were just a small representative group of the hundreds of other students and friends who would have been there if they could at 2:10 Saturday morning, Brown said.
"I kissed him on the head, stroked him and told him the boys have everything under control," he said. "He took one last short breath and passed on. That's the last time I saw him."
Brown, who organized the funeral and reception, said Farber would have liked his send-off. After a service, there will be a daiquiri party with a slide show with pictures chronicling Farber's life. The next morning, Farber will visit USD one last time before his funeral in Geneseo.
"We're going to do a symbolic Farber last farewell," Brown said. "We'll drive by 413 (Clark street), do a campus tour with Doc in the hearse and go to Spirit Mound and the river. It will all be done in the finest Farber fashion."
Reach reporter Michelle Rydell at Michelle.Rydell@usd.edu.
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