Maj ragain biography of george

From Marilyn Holt:

     Major Dan Ragain or Maj as he was fondly called by friends was born September 15, 1940 in Olney, Illinois.   He grew up along Olney’s Vernon Lake and returned yearly throughout his life.  

    As a young child Maj had polio and as David Hassler the director of the Wick Poetry Center stated, “Ragain’s life-long poetic journey began at the age of 8 when polio left him unable to walk.  In some ways he felt lucky that he was broken at such an early age where he was forced to know his own soul, and to get to know that deeper part of himself and speak through that wound.” 

    And know his soul – he truly did!   Maj graduated from East Richland High School in 1958, received his Bachelor of Arts degree at Eastern Illinois University in 1962, his Master’s Degree at the University of Illinois in 1963 and earned his PhD in Literature a