The Southwestern Company Alumni Blog
Dick & Becky at SW 150th Reunion
Working in the Southwestern alumni department I thoroughly enjoy amassing stories from alumni, whether the stories are from the bookfield or what alumni have been up to since. I believe this is because I consider Southwestern alumni as my family. That indescribable bond of a summer on the bookfield ties us together. That connection was clearly evident at the Southwestern 150th Reunion. A gathering of 700 bookpeople created an electricity and a bridge between generations that I’m not sure can be duplicated. One of the members of our SW family that I had the opportunity to get to know through that reunion was Dick Henderson.
Earlier this month, at the age of 91, Dick Henderson passed away. Dick came from an incredible tradition of outstanding bookmen. Dick’s father, JB Henderson, was with Southwestern for 55 years, 40 of which he was the sole owner. Sixteen members of the Henderson family carried a SW samplecase, including Dick’s cousin, Martha Henderson, who was the first woman to sell. As Dick once told me, “in my family you weren’t a man unless you sold books.”
Glenn "Dick" Henderson
Dick sold for five summers, from 1935-1939. I enjoyed his stories of hitchhiking to his turf and Sunday meetings, canvassing the country on foot, and how on occasion he would have to ask his last call for a place to sleep for the night. Despite the differences in some of the processes we currently follow, the principles of character, integrity and trust that Dick attributed to his father and his Southwestern experience remain a common thread.
After his five summers on the bookfield Dick began a successful 40 year career with Bell Telephone. Several years ago Dick spoke to the Southwestern sales managers, sharing a bit of Southwestern history with them. He described watching his father go from being a millionaire in the roaring 1920’s, to being buried in debt a mere ten years later during the Great Depression. However, with the right principles and lots of hard work, Southwestern found a way to survive, rebuild and prosper. As Dick closed his speech, he had these profound words to say about his father, JB Henderson:
“As a child I looked up to my father and wanted to be just like him. I’m 86 years old, and I have yet to change my mind.”
I have a feeling that those that had the privilege of knowing Dick might say the same thing about him.
Click here to view Dick Henderson’s obituary.
