Editorial from the April 1, 1971, issue of The Northern Star:

Mr. C

By those who knew him

The Northern Star lost its father Wednesday.

Roy G. Campbell had been adviser to The Star since 1961.

During those ten years Mr. C was an adviser, he provided his students with high journalistic goals and support in those tear-stained moments when life seemed to be falling apart.

Only those who didn’t know him could get away with calling him Mr. Campbell. To us he was Chief, Dad, Pop, Roy.

He found ministers to marry us; he laughed with us; he swore at us. Most of all he directed us.

In 1961, the Chief laid the foundations of professionalism at the feet of The Star editor. That professionalism won The Star seven All-American awards.

Mr. C had been a reporter for the Lincoln Star in Nebraska. When he became an instructor in journalism at Northern, he never accepted the idea that he was just an instructor.

Time and time again, Mr. C fed student editors ideas and news tips from high university sources.

And he always managed to laugh when we would put his back against the wall.

Mr. C’s office in the Journalism Department was constantly crowded with students and always crowded with laughter. He served as academic adviser to most NIU journalism students.

The Chief was in charge of the Journalism Department’s news editorial sequence. Last year that sequence was awarded accreditation by the American Council on Education for Journalism.

A three-member panel of educators who said student enthusiasm had been generated by congenial faculty members. It was Mr. C who established that enthusiasm in the students.

In 1966, Mr. C was named outstanding college newspaper adviser by the National Council of College Publication Advisers. He was chosen from more than 1,100 of his peers.

At The Star we learned to judge our performance by the infrequency of his visits to the office. When things were going well, Mr. C let the editors run the newspaper.

But when things were going badly he was in the office talking, straightening out, settling problems.

He thrived on late-night distress calls, especially when they concerned a Star reporter’s arrest.

When special editions came out at 4 in the morning, he was there.

Mr. C founded a unique spirit in the minds and hearts of The Northern Star staff and hundreds of the other members of the Campbell “family.”

Hopefully, the spirit that Roy G. Campbell implanted in the consciences of the students who came in contact with him will continue to live after him.