Don Newbury
Dr. Newbury spent more than 40 years in higher education, including presidencies at Western Texas College in Snyder and Howard Payne University, and was named HPU Chancellor in 1995. He and his wife, Brenda, live in Burleson, TX, where they have lived since semi-retirement began in 2000. He has been a public speaker for more than 60 years and continues to fill engagements throughout the state. His column, begun in 2003, runs in about 200 print and online newspapers, mostly in Texas. During his HPU presidency, enrollment reached an all-time high of some 1,400, and several major buildings were constructed. Their daughters, Jana Penney and Jeanie McDaniel, are HPU alums, as was their oldest daughter, the late Julie Choate. Dr. Newbury, a 1956 graduate of Early High School, holds B.A., M.J. and Ph.D. degrees from HPU, The University of Texas at Austin and University of North Texas, respectively. He also is the recipient of an HPU honorary doctorate. Dr. Newbury has authored several books.
The Idle American
THE IDLE AMERICAN: Life’s foul balls
Foul balls aren’t really the worst things in the world. Generally, unless they’re caught, at least one more swing is assured. Missing the ball by even one-millionth of an inch on the third strike results in
THE IDLE AMERICAN: Making do at London school
The event is “brain-etched,” deeply embedded and validated by the calendar. It was May of 1962, all “heady stuff” for a one-year-out-of-college guy invited to make a commencement address. The distance was 87 miles from Brownwood
THE IDLE AMERICAN: Castro patriarch at 100
For the next three weeks, there’ll be too much about me, even if I apologize in advance for citing personal experiences, but they’re the only kinds I’ve had. At their core will be remembrances of commencement
THE IDLE AMERICAN: Graduation goofs
It is that time again when hundreds of thousands of us can’t get the sounds of “Pomp and Circumstance” out of our heads, often whistling or humming the melody, not even wondering why. For the curious–and
THE IDLE AMERICAN: A day gone wrong
When I introduced this weekly column more than 22 years ago, my stated goal was to provide amusement–even if corny and outdated–largely for readers dealing with bodily wrinkles, waistlines, aches, breaks, bends and assorted other groans
THE IDLE AMERICAN: A pullman pushed and pulled
It’s got to be a borderline miracle when Eastland–a town with fewer than 5,000 people–can lay claim to not one, but TWO “facts” worthy of the Guinness Book of Records recognition. “Facts” has quotation marks for
THE IDLE AMERICAN: Looking back at Easter
Easter, 2025, was a time like none other! Before choirs proclaimed that He is risen, before church bells sounded around the world celebrating Jesus’ resurrection and before children skittered across lawns for multicolored eggs, I
THE IDLE AMERICAN: Uppers with downers
Don’t ever mention falling through cracks in the presence of Rev. Jared Greer–unless you delight in seeing eyes roll, hair stand on end and bodily contortions with “rigors” followed shortly by “mortis.” With
THE IDLE AMERICAN: Roofers at the ready
They’re as predictable as frantic taxpayers working until the hours are few on April 14 to meet income tax filing deadlines the following midnight. A nomadic bunch, they show up following hailstorms, cell phones in hand
THE IDLE AMERICAN: Days of nickel drinks
I might never have resented my brother if he’d have been born other than in 1944, when Grapette was getting a foothold in our town. I had enjoyed “only child” perks for seven years, and in
THE IDLE AMERICAN: Only constant is change
The ballyhoo about “no free lunches” was first bandied about in the 1880s and today, Southwest Airlines’ “bags fly free” death bell is on the verge of gonging. Long known for allowing passengers to check
THE IDLE AMERICAN: Aggie leader no joke
Had a Texas Aggie been a Rip Van Winkle wannabe in 2011, he (she) might hardly recognize the university upon awakening from slumber in 2025. There might be understandable confusion. Is real time clearly in