by Frank Lee
operations@thenewsleaders.com
Former U.S. Sen. Dave Durenberger returned to his past to talk to St. John’s Prep School students in Collegeville about their future during the school’s celebration of Legacy Week.
The St. John’s Prep alum discussed the presidential election and shared his views on public service Nov. 11 at Pellegrene Auditorium on the St. John’s University campus.
“I’m writing a book about independent Republicans – 60 years of them – that is, until somebody else hijacked our party, but we can talk about that at another time,” he said to much laughter.
The 82-year-old Durenberger is a St. Cloud native who was a Republican and reportedly endorsed Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for president when she ran against Donald Trump.
Durenberger credits his teachers at the prep school and at SJU in Collegeville for making him believe in something larger than himself, for making him believe in the future.
“They all had a sense they were going to be part of the future,” he said. “And because they were at a Catholic prep school, they believed in service to God . . . and you love your neighbors.”
Durenberger said when he was offered leadership opportunities at the Collegeville campus he accepted them. He served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1956 to 1963 besides graduating from SJU and then from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1959.
“We are not sending to represent us any longer in this country people like us,” Durenberger said of politicians today. “We send people who agree with us, not people who are committed to serving a cause we have all in common.”
Durenberger served three terms in the U.S. Senate before becoming an Independent. He began his political career in 1978 as a Republican when he was elected in a special election to finish the term of Sen. Hubert Humphrey and received 62 percent of the votes in that election.
“We’re not sending people to Washington or even to our State Legislature to learn from other people how to resolve problems . . . and that’s what has happened to both political parties,” he said. “Both are operating from these extremes of easy answers to difficult problems.”
Durenberger served as chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence and chairman of the Health Subcommittee of the Senate Finance Committee and took a leadership role in national health reform.
“Difficult problems can only be solved if you care about the people you disagree with, so you can figure out how can you agree,” Durenberger said.
“That is the biggest challenge right now for people who are voters . . . or people who anticipate playing some role in representative government and there is a whole bunch of us who are no longer represented.”
David Fremo graduated from St. John’s School of Theology and Seminary. The Sartell native directs campus ministry and community formation at St. John’s Prep and was in the auditorium.
“This is our second annual Legacy Week, and one of my roles in the school is to see we have a deeper understanding of the history and legacy of our founding monks and St. John’s gifts and contributions to the community,” Fremo said of Durenberger’s scheduled visit.
“He (Durenberger) cited a number of people who inspired him along the way, and I think today was an opportunity for him to be one of those inspirations for our students.”
Dave Thorman (left), director of major gifts at St. John’s Preparatory in Collegeville, and former U.S. Sen. Dave Durenberger (center), a St. John’s Prep alum, talk to a young woman after Durenberger discussed the recent presidential election and shared his views on public service with students. His Nov. 11 appearance at Pellegrene Auditorium on the campus of St. John’s University for students grades 6-12 was part of the prep school’s celebration of Legacy Week.
Former U.S. Sen. Dave Durenberger, a St. John’s Prep School alum, talks to a group of juniors and seniors in Collegevile Nov. 11 as part of St. John’s Prep School’s celebration of Legacy Week.
Former U.S. Sen. Dave Durenberger, a St. John’s Prep School alum, sits with Student Body President Yichu Chen from Changshu, Jiansu, in China. Chen is a senior at the prep school in Collegeville, which celebrated Legacy Week with a Nov. 11 visit from Durenberger.
Former U.S. Sen. Dave Durenberger (left), a St. John’s Prep School alum, poses Nov. 11 with Dave Thorman, director of major gifts at St. John’s Preparatory in Collegeville and another prep alum, at Pellegrene Auditorium on the campus of St. John’s University as part of the prep school’s celebration of Legacy Week.
David Fremo, a Sartell native, is a St. John’s University alum and graduate of St. John’s School of Theology and Seminary in Collegeville. He directs campus ministry and community formation at St. John’s Prep.
