Crowd ties one on for Morris
Morris remembered for dedication to education and unique personal style
By Ryan Adair
Co-Editor-in-Chief

Michael Schmidt/Chronicle Marsha Morris, widow of Ed Morris, shows off just a few of the ties for sale at the ‘Tie One On For Ed Morris’ fundraiser, held Friday, Dec. 6, on the 15th floor of the 600 S. Michigan Ave. building. More than 300 hundred pieces were available, with all profits benefiting the Edward L. and Marsha E. Morris Scholarship Fund.

For Ed Morris, Columbia’s late Television Department chair emeritus, wearing a bow tie was similar to displaying a work of art.

Morris, who died this past April at the age of 80, created a reputation for himself around Columbia not only by helping to put the college’s Television Department on the map, but also by displaying colorful ties or suspenders that often represented his different moods.

To honor Morris’ memory, the college hosted the “Tie One On For Ed Morris” tie sale last Friday, Dec. 6, with all proceeds benefiting the Edward L. and Marsha E. Morris Scholarship Fund. The scholarship, named for Morris and his wife, was established in 1995 to financially aid an outstanding television student each year. Last spring, the fund awarded $3,000 to Kristi Marx, according to Deanna Evans, a Television Department staff member.

For Morris’ widow Marsha Morris, holding the tie sale was the best way to help the college remember his contributions and unique personality and taste, while at the same time sustaining the scholarship fund.

“[Morris’] ties were about self-expression,” Marsha Morris said. “They ranged from the whimsical to ones with beautiful colors and patterns. Everyone always complimented him on them.”

Marsha Morris and Lesslee Cornelius, director of Special of Events for the Office of Institutional Advancement, raided Morris’ tie and suspender collection in preparation for the sale. It took nearly two days to inventory all the items, Marsha Morris said, with more than 300 pieces going up for sale.

Michael Schmidt/Chronicle Deanna Evans, from the Television Department, picks out a tie from the selection at the Ed Morris tie sale on Friday, Dec. 6.

Organizers then divided the accessories into categories for pricing, including designer ties such as Duchamp and Charvet which sold for $100 a piece; regular store ties such as Paul Stuart and several others Morris bought while traveling in Europe like Michel Axel, for $75 each; and older ties and suspenders for $50 a piece.

For the tie sale, the Television Department studio space on the 15th floor of the 600 S. Michigan Ave. building was transformed into a memorial for Morris. Studio A hardly looked like a production stage with Morris’ varied bow tie collection splayed across tables for perusal.

Next door, in Studio B, along side a buffet of Thai food, a wide selection of suspenders and neckties were up for grabs. Each item boasted decorative prints ranging from suspenders with floral designs to others showcasing mural-like art, with fine stitching and meticulous detail. Morris’ neckties were just eclectic, with plenty of polka dots and flashy patterns.

Studio C, the Ed Morris Studio, showcased the many honors Morris received during his long career in the Chicago broadcasting industry. Two regional Emmy Awards, as well as the Golden Bow Tie Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, were among the many honors on display.

Columbia President Warrick L. Carter praised Morris not only for his dedication to education, but also for his unique personal taste.

“People don’t have style anymore. Everyone dresses down... but Ed always dressed up,” Carter said at the event.

Carter bought three pieces from Morris’ supply.

“I’m fortunate to have Ed as part of my collection,” he said.

Until the time of his death, Morris was an active member of the Columbia community, serving on both the Academic Affairs Committee and the College Council.

He first made a name for himself in the Chicago television market 44 years ago, serving as director of programming for WTTW-TV, Chicago’s PBS station, in addition to later acting as vice president and general manager for WSNS-TV, channel 44.

Those who worked with Morris when he first joined Columbia in 1984 say he helped to expand the college’s Television Department by employing the latest technology used in the industry at that time. Morris left his position as department chair in 1998, but was named chair emeritus and continued to stay active as a full-time faculty member in both the Television and Management departments.

Marsha Morris said she spoke with her husband just before he died about the idea of a tie sale and he thought it would be a great asset to the scholarship fund, as well as a way to pass a little bit of himself on to others.

“He was a college personality and fixture; he treated everyone with the same grace,” she said. “Ed dared to be different and was a man not afraid to wear flowers.”