by Marshall Jamison

Editor’s Note: Singing in the Reign was written in honor of Jack G. McBride’s retirement as General Manager of The Nebraska Educational Television Network in 1996.

Nebraska is known for its tall corn and golden wheat
and for a football team that’s extremely hard to beat.
The people in Florida know that’s so, ’cause
their teams were beaten, not once, but twice in a row!
Another fact about Nebraska and its future direction
concerns, not as you’d guess, the coming election
but rather, the choice and careful selection of the man
who will assume the important top position, no,
not of the undecided nation, but rather
the Nebraska Educational Television station
and its fine Network, which is known far and wide
as the pride and joy of Jack G. McBride.

He is often well described as the Keeper of the Flame
which burns in the hearts of those who share and
maintain those standards crafted with care,
of high resolve and deep devotion to the work
already accomplished and future dedication
to goals in art and education.

So now we salute this extraordinary man
who followed his ambitious daring plan
which he held always in his sights
to reach improbable, impossible heights.

When asked how he fashioned this fantastic scene
he replied, with a grin, Just ask my wife, Jean!
She, with an answering smile, replied with this rhyme:
Jack, on his climb, always, always took two stairs
at a time!

So now you may know how to measure his worth
to realize the value of his life here on earth.

Perhaps in the view of history’s eyes, he’ll be judged
by more analytical, Pontifical guys
but they’ll have to admit without equivocation
Jack McBride is a credit to the University,
the State and the Nation!