Remembering Archie Hill
Former University of North Dakota journalism faculty member and director of many educational projects at UND and throughout the Midwest, Archie N. Hill of Iron, Minn., died Aug. 18 at the age of 84.
Archie was born May 24, 1926, to Floyd and Josephine (Halverson) Hill, in Gary, S.D. He received an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army for service in World War II. He earned a B.S. degree from General Beadle State Teachers College, Madison, S.D., an M.S. degree from South Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D., and pursued graduate studies at the University of South Dakota, Indiana University, and the University of Iowa.
Archie was involved in high school administration in South Dakota, then appointed assistant professor of journalism at the University of North Dakota from the early to late 1960s. He served as interim director for one year of the UND Office of University Relations and was a leader in building a thriving Northern Interscholastic Press Association and advising several UND student organizations.
After leaving UND, his education career included an assistantship to the president of the Arrowhead Community College System, and director of community service and public relations and instructor at Mesabi Community College. He was an associate professor of English and journalism for one year at Dickinson, N.D., State University. Archie’s many other activities included founding Happy Trails Tour Company and conducting popular writing workshops.
In recent years, Archie reconnected with UND through the Center for Community Engagement, where he led the effort to preserve the legacy of his former UND colleague, Alvin E. Austin, who was a UND journalism professor from 1946 to 1980 and department chair for 23 of those years. In 2009 Archie was awarded the Center’s Community Partner Award.
A memorial service is planned for Archie in Hector, Minn. The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to the UND Center for Community Engagement, 317 Cambridge St., Stop 8254, Grand Forks, ND 58202, which will be used to benefit the Alvin E. Austin Memorial Fund.
