Page Two

Scarlet and Black

GRINNELL COLLEGE
Glinnnil. low:

A weekly newspaper published each Frldny of the COI-
iege year by the Grim-lei] Committee on Student Yublica»
tlons, Lall‘d H. Barber, chairman. Represented for
national advertising by Nuiunul Advertising Service lnc.,
College Publishers Representative. is East soul street,
New York 7.2 14.11. Second class postage Plid at Orinneii,
”555 Iowa. Subscrlpuon me use an schoul year.

This special edition was put out by members of the
regular staff with the aid of certain special assistants.

miron .. Lynn Deuzlel’
BUSINESS Jim Melnrym
MANAGING Ebrroa John walr
um) PHOTOGRAPHER Tom Hmmnn
rmruxe EDITOR a" Klfen Adklnlon
Corr 5.0mm ,

NEWS ASSISTANT

An MANAGER
An ASSISTANTS

nusmrss Assrsr

cincuLA‘rioN MANAG -
SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER

‘Excellence of a Man'

The all-night hustle and bustle of getting out an
“extra exclusive edition,” doesn’t quite coincide with
sitting calmly down at the typewriter and trying to
evaluate Dr. Bowen‘s years of service and contribution
to the college. Therefore, that will not be our purpose
today.

ItJ is unfortunate that some of the immediate stu-
dent reaction to Dr. Bowen’s newly announced position
was touched with animosity and bitterness. There are
probably two dirgct reasons for this. First, the students
were completely taken by surprise— there had been
no~campus reference to the fact that the president was
being considered by SUI, and the 5&3 had never re-
ceived any word that such a big story was in the mak-
ing. Second, communication between the president and
the students had been cut off for the greatest share of
the winter due to the extensivarworld tour taken by
the president and his wife. During his leaves of absence,
new student leaders were both selected and elected,
and even though they were looking forward to work-
ing with the president, there had been no opportunity
to have recent associations with him.

Perhaps yesterday we felt cheated; but despite stu-
dent disagreement with administration policies, and
the breaks in student~administration relationship dur-
ing recent years, we can hardly feel that Grinnell Col—
lege has been cheated by Howard R. Bowen.

In his eight years as leader of the college, we have
seen the name and position of our liberal arts instiution
find increasing distinction throughout the nation. Pres—
ident Bowen and Grinnell College have become synony-
mous in educational circles for academic excellence
Disgruntled as students might be with the ideas of a
Grinnell Image, the fact that Dr. Bowen has made
glowing contributions to the image of ourcollege can-
not be denied. He has served tirelessly during his eight
years here the cause of better education and has sought
to further his ideal of a liberal arts education as con-
tributing directly to personal excellence in the student.

Dr. Bowen is admired by students, faculty and ad-
ministration, alumni, and friends of the college
throughout the world. During his recent tour, he repre-
sented the college to educators in Europe and Asia with
a sincerity and academic concern that is gratifying to
see in any person of leadership.

Mrs. Bowen has always been aliavorite of the stu-
dents. Her warm personality and direct personal con-
cern with the campus and its inhabitants is radiated
wherever she goes.

We will have plenty of time to evaluate, to criti-
cize, and to suggest. Our first concern should be to rec-
ognize the excellence of the man who has served us, and
who goes on now to new educational fields and respon-
sibilities. Dr. Bowen’s presence at Grinnell will be
missed, but his contributions will remain. We join all
the friends of the college who have expressed their
congratulations to President Bowen as a scholar, an
educator and a friend. We wish Dr. and Mrs. Bowen the
very best in their new roles at SUI.

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Dick Sunnﬂnl
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SCARLET AND BLACK

Saturday. March l4. I964

Bowen Selected Grime/I Prexy
Over 100 Applicants In I955

A ten month search during
the academic year 1954-55 cul-
minated in the selection of
Howard Bowen to succeed
President Samuel N. Stevens,
who had resigned the J uno be-
fare.

The search was carried on
by a committee of seven mem-
bers of the Board of Trustees,
headed by John R. Heath, Chi<
cago attorney. Over 100 appli-
cants were considered. 25 were
interviewed and 15 visited cam-
pus, including Bowen.

In a statement to the 5&8
upon the announcement of his
appointment, Bowen Said, “I
look forward with keen antici-
pation to joining the commu-
nity of Grinnell College. One of
the greatest satisfactions of my
new job will be the opportunity
to meet you, work with you,
and share in your social and
intellectual life. I hope that to-
gether we may help to carry
on the fine traditions and the
strong community spirit that
have made Grinneli a distin—
guished liberal arts college."

Before coming to Grinnell,
Bowen was a professor of eco-
nomics at Williams College. Of
his departure the Williams Rec-
ord lamented, “With a definite
amount of mixed emotions, the
Record would like to add its
name to the long list of well-
wishers of Professor Howard
R. Bowen‘ who recently ac‘
cepted invitation to become
president of Grinnell College.
The invitation is a well de-
served opportunity for the
young professor of economics.

“But we at Williams cannot
allow Mr. Bowen to depart
from the local scene without
sincere regret. Mr. Bowen has
been a hard working, devoted
instructor who has never been
too busy to give counsel to in»
quiring students. A man of ex-
ceptional patience, Mr. Bow-
en’s aid and consideration‘ have
become an important part of
many Williams men’s educa—
tion during the last three years.

Mr. Bowen has in his Wil~
liams stay earned the label that

More On
Bowel-l, Convo

Fri., March 20
Issue

ranks above all degrees. He has
been a true educator, Williams
will miss a gentleman of great
ability and quiet, friendly marl~
ner. Congratulations, Mr. Bow»
en. We know that you will be
a success in your new position
as you were in your much too
brief Stay at Williams.”

Before assuming office July
1, 1955, Bowen visited campus
several times. On April 30 he
addressed an all-college assem-
bly in Herrick Chapel. In his
first official appearance on
campus Bowen offered several
remarks.

“First of all, I want you to
know how pleased and proud I
am to have been invited to join
you here. I have long been an
admirer of Grinneii. In fact, I
first visited the campus just 21

 

years ago this spring, and on
several occasions have attended
conferences here. But I think I
had not fully understood the tub
tent of its reputation until the
flood of mail began pouring in
after my appointment was an-
nounced. I wish that I might
read some of it to you. The con-
sistent theme is that Grinnell
is not just‘another small liberal
arts college. It is a Very special
institution with a unique and
precious heritage.

"I have asked myself: ‘What
accounts for the outstanding
reputation of Grinnell and for
the quite remarkable loyalty of
its alumni and friends?’ As I
have thought over this ques—
tion, I have reached Several
tentau've answers.

“G r i n n e I l’s reputation is
based in part, I think, on the
continuous Stream of talented
students it has attracted, on the
scholarly attainments of its
faculty, and on the exceptional
distinction of its alumni. But
beneath these outward signs,
the true source of its strength,
I think, has been its constant
dedication to the liberal arts,
its devotion to freedom of in
quiry and freedom of speech,
its consistent practice of de-
mocracy in every day campus
life, its concern for each indi-
vidual students as a distinctive
person, and the essential whole-
someness of its social life. And
I think Grinneii has been able to
hold fast to its principles be

Dr. Howard R. Bowen made
the following statement yester-
day afternoon at his press con-
ference in the library viewing
room:

“The State University of Iowa
is one of America’s great uni-
versities 4 one in which the
people of Iowa justly take great
pride. I am, of course, honored
to be elected as president. and
humbled by the responsibility
placed upon me.

“I look forward to my duties
especially because of my for-
mer association with the uni-
versity where I was a student
and faculty member for nine
years.

“At the same time, I leave
Grinneil College with deep re-
gret a n d great affection.
Grinneli is one of our coun-
try’s outstanding liberal arts
colleges. Through my expe-
rience in both public and pri-
vate colleges and universities,
I hope I may be instrumental
in establishing close ties be-
tween the State University
and the private colleges and
universities of Iowa and other
states.

“I seek support and coopera-
tion for the university from the
people of Iowa. An excellent

university is a cultural and eco-
nomic asset of the first order.
It is one of the prime require-
ments of a state and nation that
intends to develop culturally
and economically. I anticipate
that the State University of
Iowa will occupy a steadily in-
creasing role in the develop
ment of Iowa and the nation.”

 

cause of its traditional allegi-
ance to Christian values.

"When I say that Grinnell is a
great college, I do not mean to
imply that it is without prob-
lems. Obviously, we coma use
more money. Some new build-
ings are needed. According to
several articles in the Scarlet
and Black, the students might
be more interested in campus
affairs. The word “apathy" ape
peered several times. Doubt.
less, if I asked faculty mem-
bers, they would tell me that
students might be more inter-
ested in their studies. Perhaps
if I asked Students, they would
tell me that the faculty ought
to assign fewer papers an

grade more generously. 0
course there are problems at
Grinneli large ones and
small ones (and sometimes the
small ones are more trouble-
some than the large ones).

“But the problems of Grim
nell can be faced with confi-
dence, when we consider the
basic soundness of the college.
When the present problems are
solved, as I am sure they will
be, they will be replaced by
other problems. A lively, vital
college always has problems.
Awareness of them is a symp-
tom of the urge to improve. By
analyzing and facing up to our
problems, we are able to direct
0 ur efforts intelligently. I
earnestly hope that we shall
never be without problems, be;
cause problems represent a
kind of creative dissatisfaction
that will spur us on to build a
greater college.

“50, I, for one, approach the
coming years with a sense 01
confidence. This confidence is
based on the great traditions of
this institution. and on the fact
that we are Stimulated to con-
structive action by the aware-
ness of problems.

At commencement the new
president commented, “I shall
be learning about my new joli
while Working at it fulltime.
During the summer there are
many things to be done around
a College — even though the
students are gone. There are
problems of Staff recruitment.
finances. admissions, and prep-
aration for the opening of the
autumn semester."

Ludwig comments

Merritt c. Ludwig, vice-
president of the college,
made the following state-
ment last night concerning
the new appointment of Dr.
Bowen:

“Because so many oppor-
tunities for important and
perhaps greater service to
education have been present-
ed to President Bowen in re-
cent years, I think we all
knew that one which he
could not refuse would eveni-
ually come along. Even so, it
is hard to accept the idea
that he will soon be leaving
Grinnell College. We wish
him success in his new posi-
tion.”

 

 

