Judge Alexander admires work of teachers

"I confess a feeling of guilt," said Judge Charles Alexander '54, upon receipt of the Distinguished Alumni Award. "I came to Clarion for the affordable education and did not become a teacher. I knew teaching was important. I see so many children in my job and I have a limited ability to help them. A teacher has them all . You and your colleagues can keep me from seeing them. I do appreciate my education and I admire those of you who went ahead to teaching."

Alexander, who graduated from Clarion State Teachers College in 1954, was appointed judge of Clarion County in November 1988 by Governor Robert Casey. He was elected to the position during the May 1989 primaries when he won the nomination of both parties and will serve until January 2000.

A lifelong Clarion resident, Alexander's first contact with what is now Clarion University when he and some friends used to sneak into Harvey Gymnasium to shoot baskets with the blessing of President Paul Chandler. He also spent part of his youth in Cook Forest where his father, George "Heap", was a forester. He graduated from Clarion High School in 1950.

When it was time to go to college, Alexander spent two years at Denison University, Granville, Ohio, before getting married. He returned to Clarion, where he took over the management of the Modern Diner, itself an institution for Clarion students at the time, from his parents, continuing to operate it until leaving for law school. Working full-time at the diner, Alexander also attended classes at Clarion and graduated in 1954 with education degrees in social studies and English. His Clarion education held up quite well at the University of Pennsylvania , where he graduated fourth in the class of 1957, cum laude with a juris doctorate degree and the Order of the Coif.

Alexander was admitted to the Court of Common Pleas of Clarion County on Dec. 24, 1957, Pennsylvania Superior Court on April 11, 1960; Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Sept. 29, 1958; and Federal District Court of the Western District of Pennsylvania on May 20, 1959. He was appointed by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to the Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners in 1995 and is currently vice chairman of that board.

He started his own law practice in Clarion, which grew to become Alexander, Garbarino, Kifer, Speer, & Neely. Alexander remained with the firm until his appointment to the judge's position.

Alexander and his wife, Maxine, reside in Farmington Township. Their children include, Charles Alexander, an accountant and timber consultant in Brookville; Dr. Stephen Alexander, a professor of physics at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio; James Alexander, an attorney in Clarion; Larry Kifer, an attorney in Clarion; and Sandra Kifer, a returning adult student enrolled at Clarion University.

"There is no institution that I have attended that this award would mean as much to me," he said. "Clarion is a part of my life."