Candidate for
Board Member; Stockton Unified School District; Trustee Area 7

Autobiography: Glen A. Dolberg

Humanities is my area of expertise because I LOVE humans. And humans, of course, have always from the beginning of time loved the humanities, all those things which produce aesthetic pleasure: 1) music, dance, literature and drama,

2) painting, sculpture, and architecture, and
3) history, philosophy, and theology.

Profession

I have been an instructor at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, California for over twenty-five years and I currently serve as the chairman of the Philosophy & Humanities Discipline in the Social Science Division of S.J.Delta College. I have also taught at the University of California at Davis; Ohio University in Athens, Ohio; and Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. My present teaching assignments are all humanities courses:
1. Civ.3/ Hum.3 - Autobiography of Civilization

2. Anthro.4/Hum.4 - Introduction to Linguistics
3. Rel.14B/ Hum.14B - Religions of the Western World

2. German
3. English

Education

I came to my position as humanities instructor at SanJoaquin Delta College through undergraduate and graduate studies in German and English which included extensive course work in language, literature, drama, history, and philosophy:
1. Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) - German & English

2. Master of Arts (M.A.) - German & English
3. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)- German Language and Literature

My studies of German and English have qualified me to teach German, English, and Linguistics courses. Numerous theology courses completed at Brigham Young University have qualified me to teach religion. Finally, my doctoral studies have provided me background in the visual arts. My doctoral dissertation focused on Johann Joachim Winckelmann (1717-1768) who wrote the first history of art in the western world. He is often recognized as both the father of art history and the father of archaelogy. Winckelmann's works had a strong influence on the artistic tastes and styles of the eighteenth century especially in terms of sculpture, architecture, and painting. The neo-classical affinities of America's founding fathers can trace their origins directly back to Winckelmann; hence, neo-classical architectural elements can be seen today in nearly every state capitol building in the United States, in our nation's capitol building, and in countless other buildings throughout the western world. By adding sculpture, architecture, and painting to my repertory of academic preparation through my studies of Winckelmann, I finished my preparation to offer courses in general humanities such as Civilization 3/ Humanities 3 (Autobiography of Civilization) [a highly popular course at San Joaquin Delta College].

Personal

Like Winckelmann, I too love to learn. My parents recognized my love of learning early on and enrolled me into the first grade at age five. Neither of them finished high school - my mother to the 11th grade, my dad to the 6th. My parents were poor migrant workers who moved all over the western United States. By the time I graduated from Turlock High School in Turlock, California, I had attended fourteen different schools in six different states. Perhaps all of the moving during my childhood awakened in me a love for travel. During my adult life I have traveled extensively touring four of the seven continents including over 25 trips to Europe. Fortunately I have a wonderful wife, Bonnie K. Dolberg, who also loves to travel.

My wife and I have five children. Our daughter, Emilee, has completed a B.A. and M.A. in German but is currently very happy to be a homemaker for her husband and three little boys. Our sons Daniel and David are artists. Daniel completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts (equivalent to a regular Master of Arts degree) at the end of spring 2001 semester from BYU. He plans to complete a Master of Fine Arts (equivalent to a Ph.D.). David, our next son, is also pursuing studies in art. Paul, our third son, who married Felisa Sanchez in October 2000, completed a B.A. in Sociology from BYU in August 2001. He will be attending law school in 2002. Peter, who is currently serving an LDS mission in the London, England area loves the sciences and plans to become a physicist. He has already completed an A.A. and worked as an intern at the famed Lawrence Berkeley Labs associated with U.C. Berkeley before he went to England. We all enjoy learning. I guess that is why I became a teacher because then I could go to school forever and get paid for it!

It was probably my love for schools and learning that inspired several of my friends to urge me to enter politics - namely to seek the elected office of school board trustee. On Nov. 3, 1998 out of a field of three candidates, I receive 60% of the vote to become one of the seven members of the Board of Education for Stockton Unified School District (K-12=37,000 students) in Stockton, California. The Board of Education is the top governing body of any school district. My tenure as a board member has been an amazingly exciting education in itself. Learning is wonderful!

Well, as I have now told you a bit about myself, you hopefully have also learned a little about the humanities. For me, being human is wonderful, and like the Greeks, I find the arts divine. Perhaps it is this link with divinity which makes me love the arts so much since I myself am a deeply religious person and very active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A major tenet of my religion encourages, almost demands, that we humans continually seek knowledge in all forms of learning, that we recognize the good in all religions, and that we embrace all truth which edifies the soul. I think the concept of eternal learning is magnificent. As you and I get better acquainted, I look forward to a mutual friendship founded in life-long learning.