Kayla Santoro, ‘11 | Campus News Editor

To celebrate the 221st anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution the campus held its annual Constitution Day on Sept. 16.

For the fourth year in a row Dr. J Thomas Hogle, associate professor and social science department chair, gave a Constitution presentation at 6 pm in the STUAC Theater. This year Dr. Hogle spoke about James Madison, the father of the Constitution.

In his speech, Hogle said, celebrating the Constitution is important because it is the "rules of the game for political power and government."

He went on to describe James Madison and his achievements. He was a frail man of 5 feet 6 inches, Hogle said, and he was a hypochondriac who believed he had every disease. He thought he was going to die young but he died at the age of 85.

Hogle told the audience that "Little Jimmy" was an intelligent man who can be, for the most part, held responsible for the creation of the Constitution. "He had a brain much bigger than his size," Hogle said. Madison went to Princeton at the age of 19 and completed a three-year academic program in only two.

Hogle said Madison kept detailed notes of all the conventional meetings that led to the signing of the Constitution. Hogle then showed a 15-minute video.

Hogle concluded his presentation with the following quote by James Madison that he wrote in the Federalist Paper 54. "Justice is the end of government. It is the end of civil society. It ever has been and ever will be pursued until it be obtained, or until liberty be lost in the pursuit." He said he was happy with the presentation's turnout even though there were a few technical difficulties with the computers.

"I heard good things," he said. Among the 138 people in the audience was Hogle's sister, who came to hear him speak.

Ron Alexander, a faculty member of the automotive department and also a student of Hogle’s, said he did not come just for the extra credit Hogle was giving his students. He said Hogle is an excellent speaker in class. Alexander said he was interested in listening to his teacher and colleague speak about something other than what he has learned in class.

Third-year automotive student William Horler said he came to the presentation not only for the extra credit, but because he wanted to learn more about the Constitution and what Hogle had to say about it. Horler is also a student in Hogle's class.

"It takes a lot of research," Hogle said, "at least a week of work to put on the Constitution presentations."

He said he enjoys talking about the Constitution and he has a deep respect for James Madison. Hogle said he believes the Constitution is "as true today as it was then."