Campus Altus was the Utopia in Tom’s novel cycle. It never existed, but the characters all kept trying to create it. It began in his fictional comic book Miracle Maid, and from there they tried to bring it to life in the real world. It seemed like a fitting title for a memorial to Tom.
A floating university, an island in the sky free from boundaries, politics, militaries and cop-outs. A university run by students. They read meaning into it, why not give them meaning? Do you get the pun? High Campus. High Campus. High camp. Freakville above the clouds. Acidland. It’s silly, a naive projection of mod sentiment. It’s camp. But it’s something we really want. We don’t believe it, but we want it. Dig?
I can’t believe I didn’t read this before. Thanks so much for posting this, Dawn. I think of Tom every May 4th. His memory makes the day less bitter for me.