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Illinois Supreme Court Justice Burke to speak at SIUC

BY SCOTT FITZGERALD, The Southern

Saturday, October 13, 2007 11:19 PM CDT

CARBONDALE - Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke, who will be in town this week as a guest speaker of the Jeanne Hurley Simon Lecture at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, is no stranger to this area.

In 1965, Burke was one of 10 recreation teachers from the Chicago Park District who attended a workshop at Touch of Nature led by William Freeberg, chairman of SIUC's Recreation and Outdoor Education Department. Freeberg was working with the Kennedy Foundation to help people with disabilities benefit from recreation.

Inspired by what she learned at the workshop, Burke returned to Chicago and found an opportunity to work on a July 20, 1968 event in Soldier Field that today is known as the International Special Olympics, which is celebrated annually, benefiting millions of people with disabilities and their families.

Turning her efforts toward law, Burke received her law degree from IKK/Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1983. Four years later, she was the first woman appointed as a judge with the Illinois Court of Claims.

"Ann is terrific. She returned to law school at age 40 and spearheaded efforts to improve the Illinois justice system," said Matt Baughman, assistant director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute.

Burke has helped reform Cook County's juvenile justice system and child protective services. She also helped establish guidelines and policies for prevention of sexual abuse by clergy, serving for two years as interim chair of the National Review Board of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Before Burke's speech, the public has an opportunity to view the late Jeanne Hurley Simon's papers and photos that will be on display beginning at 6 p.m. in the John W. Corker Lounge adjacent to the ballroom.

Simon served as assistant state's attorney in Cook County beginning in 1952 and was subsequently elected to the Illinois General Assembly in 1956 and 1958. She married legislator Paul Simon in 1960 and actively participated in her husband's campaigns for lieutenant governor, U.S. representative and senator and in his 1988 bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.

scott.fitzgerald@thesouthern.com / 351-5076