CLIFFORD "Cliff" REID

I met Dr. Reid in August 1974 as a freshman at Grinnell College. He was my professor for the mandatory Freshman Tutorial and Intro to Economics courses during that academic year. He recognized that I came to GC poorly prepared, but I was smart and hard-working. With his help, I overcame my initial handicaps and finished my freshman year with 3.9 GPA. He was my adviser during my first 2 years. When I suggested that I pursue further studies in economics, he said "no, you should become a...

I took classes from Mr. Reid at Grinnell in the very late 1970s and early 80s. I remember him as perhaps the best professor I ever had, an academic terror in a wool sweater carrying a piece of chalk. His weapon of destruction? Silence. He asked you - yeah, you - a question. Then he shut up. He tossed the piece of chalk. He twirled a string attached to the blinds. Other students raised their hands. He ignored them. He waited until you answered. While most excruciating when he waited for you,...

I was so sad to just learn this news of Professor Reid´s passing. I was an Econ major at Colby and was fortunate enough to have had him as an Econ professor for several classes. Like the obituary said, he held high standards in high classroom, and made all of his students push themselves to their limit. It was challenging, but I still appreciate all this taught me. In addition to being an amazing professor with such a love of economics, he also had a way of letting his students know that he...