Terry Hoy, [the small elderly man] that sits in the back of Dunn Library everyday, hunched over a stack of books, his fingers working furiously on a stack of scribbled papers is a man of mystery to many, but a man of wonder to the few who know him.

“He’s very interesting and fun to have around,” said Interlibrary Loan Manager Kristi Ellingson. “It wouldn’t be the library without Terry Hoy. We worry about him if he’s not here.”

He’s a scholar, war protestor, published writer and stranger to most young members of the Simpson community.

Hoy grew up in South Dakota. He obtained his bachelor’s degree at the University of South Dakota, his master’s degree at the University of Washington, and his Ph.D. at the University of California at Berkeley.

Hoy participated in World War II as a radio operator. He said he very much supported the cause and was willing to help.

However while at Berkeley, Hoy participated in many demonstrations protesting the Vietnam War. Hoy said he isn’t in favor of going to war with Iraq either.

“I believe in a just war,” said Hoy. “In World War II, there was the Holocaust and Pearl Harbor, so we had to fight against evil. I think now President Bush is just showing an arrogance of power, and that’s not a reason to go to war.”

After Hoy was through with his time in the service, he came to work at Simpson as a professor of political science in 1960. He continued to teach at Simpson for 26 years until he retired in 1986.

Hoy now focuses his time on writing. Every day he walks around Indianola, stopping at McDonald’s and Dunn Library. He blames his apartment for these daily excursions.

“I am single, and I live alone,” said Hoy. “I can’t stand my apartment. I just don’t like to be in one place for very long. This is just a nice place to go to get out of there.”

Hoy has published three books and is now working on another political theory book, “Pathways to Aristotelian Renewal.” His works are critical commentaries of other writers.

Political science isn’t a very well read subject, but that doesn’t keep Hoy from writing about what he loves.

“Sometimes it takes a long time to get any positive feedback from publishers. It can get pretty frustrating, but when you do get accepted, it’s a great psychological boost, even if nobody reads it,” he said.

As Hoy approaches his 79th birthday, he has much life experience and offers students a bit of advice.

“I hope students will want to get a good liberal arts background. Most students now want to get a practical education to get a job, but students need liberal arts to contribute to society,” he said. “I think students should have a good time too though I know I did,” Hoy said.

Hoy hopes to continue writing and publishing books as long as he is able to do so.