By Micah Friez
Published 4:36 pm on October 25, 2024
Bemidji State College’s psychology faculty gained a four-legged friend in 1966: Suzie, a seeing-eye dog.
And more importantly, Suzie guided Dr. Eugene Bradfield – a new instructor in the department that year – to a successful and inspiring 13-year tenure at BSC.
Despite being born with 20-20 vision and then losing his sight in his teens, Bradfield was determined to lead a normal life. A 1962 BSC alumnus, Bradfield continued that mission when he returned to his alma mater to teach.
According to the 1967 Ah-Mic yearbook, he and Suzie quickly became familiar figures on campus, and “it is often claimed that Suzie has better manners in class than many of the students.”
Originally, Bradfield fancied a life as a musician and thought of starting his own band. But after a few years, he was ready to try for a college education.
Admission boards in the 1950s were skeptical of a blind prospective student. But thanks to the intercession of a far-sighted dean of students, Dr. Ray Carlson, Bradfield was admitted to BSC. Bemidji State was the only school that accepted him.
Bradfield went on to graduate with honors in four years and soon earned his doctorate at the University of North Dakota. He then returned to BSC to teach – and was impressive in doing so.
“He relies primarily on his memory while giving lectures, having developed an amazing power of thought organization and recall,” the Ah-Mic said. “His ability at voice recognition has, necessarily, also become highly refined.”
Bradfield left campus in 1979 and died in 2016 at the age of 81. He and his wife, Kathryn, still have an endowed fund at Bemidji State to support students using the accessibility students office. The fund allows the Accessibility Services office to help students with tuition, equipment and other needs to support their academic work.
The 1967 Ah-Mic story: Giving light from darkness
1967 Ah-Mic
Dr. Eugene Bradfield, the newest member of the psychology faculty at Bemidji State College, has a constant companion on campus: Suzie, his seeing-eye dog.
Gene received his bachelor of arts degree from BSC in 1962, five years after he acquired Suzie. After graduation, Gene went on to the University of North Dakota, graduating with a doctorate in counseling and guidance.
Gene returned to BSC because he enjoyed living in northern Minnesota, and also because he wanted to return to the Bemidji campus, saying he liked the college, especially the students and faculty.
Gene met his wife, Dr. Kathryn Bradfield, while a student at the University of North Dakota.
Gene’s preparations for class lectures are much the same as the study habits he developed as a student at Bemidji. Mrs. Bradfield transcribes her husband’s textbooks onto recording tapes. Gene then listens to the taps and takes a few notes in braille. He relies primarily on his memory while giving lectures, having developed an amazing power of thought organization and recall. His ability at voice recognition has, necessarily, also become highly refined.
Gene and Suzie have become familiar figures in the halls and classrooms of BSC, and it is often claimed that Suzie has better manners in class than many of the students. Gene recalls that the hardest adjustment he had to make in overcoming his loss of vision was learning to place complete confidence in Suzie.
Campus attitude toward Gene is perhaps best summed up by saying that he gives more to the people he deals with than they can ever give to him in return.
This is part of the reason why, in addition to being a psychology instructor at BSC, Gene is also a member of the counseling staff.
