News of the Profession

Louise Overacker: ness. When he realized a dream to become a cattle and wheat rancher, the A Life in Political Science family moved to St. Helena in the Napa Valley. After finishing at a little public * high school held in rooms of the Town Hall, Overacker assumed that she would [Editor's note: Louise Overacker died a few immediately enter , months before APSA and the Women's the young institution which had opened Caucus for Political Science were to pay a the year she was born and her uncle had special tribute to her at the 1982 Annual attended. But the early interpretation of Meeting. An outstanding, indefatigable Mrs. Stanford's will limiting the number scholar, Overacker was a remarkable political scientist. PS thanks Victoria Schuck for of women to 500 at any one time (tuition preserving Overacker's contribution to our was free to students; admis- discipline.] sion was in order of application) led to disappointment. Her application and ar- Louise Overacker, Elizabeth Kimball Ken- rival exceeded the number, and she had dall Professor Emeritus of Political Sci- to return to her home in the fall of 1911. ence of , died in her Drop-outs did occur in the January term ninety-first year at her home in Los 1912, and on her second journey to the Gatos, California, April 26, 1982, from campus, she was allowed to stay. With heart complications following a broken extra credits from high school and addi- hip. An internationally recognized politi- tional courses taken along the way, cal scientist who contributed to a reshap- Overacker caught up with her class and ing of the discipline and built one of the was graduated with a B.A. in economics country's outstanding undergraduate and a Phi Beta Kappa key in 1915. departments, her life had something of a Stanford had no political science depart- story-book quality. Scholar-teacher, able ment although the discipline had been administrator, supportive colleague, formally organized as the American Politi- political activist, mentor and role model cal Science Association in New Orleans a to thousands of students, she became decade before Louise Overacker's the compleat political scientist—a legend graduation. The few courses given were in her time. in the Economics Department. Yet in retrospect it is fair to say that the Univer- Disappointment sity and the young Assistant Professor Victor J. West who had studied at the Born early in the last decade of the nine- and had come to teenth century—November 18, 1891 —a teach in her sophomore year sparked her third generation Californian, she spent career. West's courses in American poli- her first ten years in a small tics inspired her to continue for a town, Centerville, near Master's degree. With a half-time assis- where her father had a fruit-growing busi- tantship for two years, more West courses, ample field work in San Fran- cisco, and a thesis on "The Police Department of San Francisco," Over- • Victoria Schuck is a former professor of acker received an M.A. in 1917. political science at Mount Holyoke and past president of Mount Vernon College. World War I brought another dimension 600 PS Fall 1982 to her education, not as Rosie the Riveter Discrimination but as a clerk in the Washington bureauc- racy classifying jobs in the Bureau of War Now ready for an academic appointment, Risk Insurance for the U.S. Bureau of Effi- she again encountered discrimination as ciency. West, on war leave, had en- a woman. Urged by a faculty member to couraged her to come. After the Armis- seek a university position and having the tice, Overacker went with the YMCA to strong recommendation of Merriam, she Paris to route entertainers around France. met the head of the Political Science De- From these two vantage points, she had partment of Indiana University who vis- a chance to observe administration ited the campus to recruit an appointee beyond local police, to see the "greats" with her qualifications. He left the inter- in action—Wilson, Clemenceau, and view with assurances that she had the Lloyd George—and to celebrate the Ver- position. Later she had his very apolo- sailles Treaty in Europe. getic letter: the President was sorry but the institution could not offer the job The war over, both West and Overacker because she "would have to share an of- returned to Stanford: he to found a sepa- fice with a man." Undaunted, Overacker rate Department of Political Science in went to a woman's college, Wilson (in 1919 and she to serve as research assis- ) as professor of govern- tant. Within the year an offer of an in- ment and economics and taught courses structorship in political science at Vassar in both disciplines for a year. afforded the first opportunity to try teaching. After two years of learning to keep ahead in a wide variety of courses When Wellesley in 1925 invited her to as one of a two-member staff, she de- take the post of assistant professor in the cided to secure a Ph.D. History Department, she accepted with alacrity. Thus began a remarkable career Only Chicago for Overacker lasting 32 years—and beyond. She shifted courses from For her only one university would do, government to political science—from Chicago, to work under Charles E. Mer- riam. Then approaching the peak of his career (he would be a principal founder of the Social Science Research Council in 1923-24 and become president of the APSA in 1925), Merriam was fathering the behavior movement and creating the "Chicago School" of political scientists. Overacker entered the doctoral program as a university fellow in October 1922, took more than 60 percent of her gradu- ate courses, seminars and research in parties, politics and methods with Mer- riam, passed her doctoral examination magna cum laude, wrote a dissertation on "Presidential Primaries," and had her degree in August 1924, one of 19 women to complete the Ph.D. in political science throughout the country in the years 1921-1929 (women comprised 10 percent of the doctorates). At Chicago, she discovered the excitement of competition, absorbed methodological innovations taking over the discipline, in- cluding the interrelatedness of the social sciences, and became a member of Mar- riam's extended "familial [research] com- munity." Louise Overacker 601 News of the Profession the historical to analytic and behavioral — ber of roundtables on methods and created an independent department in American politics in the '20s, '30s, and 1940. Under the exigencies of war when '40s. The year Merriam was president, the college closed for an extended winter she was elected to the Executive Council recess, together with a young faculty for a two-year term (1926-1928). In member, she coupled "practical experi- 1933 she was selected to chair the pro- ence" to political science. In-term field gram committee for the national meeting, work and summer Washington intern- and in 1939 elected second vice presi- ships became a distinguishing feature of dent—the highest office open to a Wellesley's program. woman. More importantly SSRC grants kept coming in 1933 and 1936 for As Margaret Ball, her first full-time ap- research on campaign expenditures. And pointee (1936) and long-term colleague at the close of her primary-campaign- (until 1963) has recently remarked, fund series in 1945, she was named to Louise Overacker was "a mainstay of the the Board of Editors of the Review, a first department, whether as chairman or as for a woman, and she served two terms. senior member under someone else's chairmanship. She was a pillar of the col- During World War II, Overacker made the lege." Her primary concern, the main- decision to remain on campus, allowing tenance of high standards, coincided leaves for the young faculty. In 1945 she with the values of the college. For her accepted a rare invitation to a woman teaching and research were inseparable. by to present the Encouraging young faculty in each, she Gaspar G. Bacon lectures, later assem- was much admired within and outside bled in a little volume on Presidential the department. Campaign Funds (1946). There was time to respond to other invitations—for book Her leadership in no small measure de- reviews, an essay in the collection to rived from authoritative scholarship. Her honor Merriam, The Future of Govern- dissertation, which was reworked for ment in the {1942) and an Merriam's "parties and politics series" of article for the Encyclopaedia of the Social Macmillan, appeared in 1926. Aided by a Sciences on "Primaries, Political." While Social Science Research Center (SSRC) preparing the last she discovered the grant, she took leave to coauthor the pre-selection process in the Australian revision of Merriam's 1908 book, Pri- Labor party as the only institution outside mary Elections, published in 1928. the U.S. resembling the direct primary. West's untimely death in 1927 led her to Her interest was also piqued by the accept his widow's invitation to develop realization that no substantial accounts a book from notes on campaign funds. of Australian politics had emerged since Money in Elections resulted in 1932, Bryce's 100 pages in Modern Democra- another in Merriam's politics series. The cies more than a quarter of a century ago. three monographs plus ten articles in two series—one on primaries appearing in As soon as the war ended, she turned her even-numbered years from 1928 research to comparative politics and through 1940; the other on campaign especially Australia, New Zealand, and costs, alternating in off-years after each England. A sabbatical and another SSRC presidential election from 1933 through grant took her to Australia in 1946- 1945 —published in the American 1947; the prized Guggenheim award, to Political Science Review guaranteed her Australia and New Zealand in 1951- reputation. Meeting the canons of "sci- 1952; and a leave, to England in 1954. entific" objectivity and quantitative mea- Her ensuing book on The Australian Party surement "whenever possible," she System, published in 1952, was a sell- became the foremost researcher in the out. The APSR not only had a pre- two fields. publication chapter on the in 1949 but added a bib- Recognition liography on Australian politics in 1953 and an article on the New Zealand Labor Her peers in APSA gave early recognition party in 1955. The Political Science to her abilities. She was a frequent mem- Quarterly carried her article comparing 602 PS Fall 1982 the New Zealand and British Labor parties Louise Overacker thought of herself as in 1957. "a political scientist who happened to be In her last years before retirement there a woman." Hers was an era in which the were further honors. The APSA selected role definition of women depended solely her for its committees concerned with upon individuals. Her students graduated American party reforms and national par- in an age of volunteerism and became ty conventions. She also was given community leaders, also judges, writers another two-year term on the Executive and other professionals. Representatives Council, 1956-1957. And in the year of of three generations of Wellesley women her retirement, 1957, as the climax to reveal the depth of their appreciation. her career, she received the coveted elec- Betty K. F. Johnson, Wellesley class of tion as Fellow of the American Academy 1944 and now chairman of the Board of of Arts and Sciences. Trustees, who was a member of the 1942-1943 winter internship group, Active Retirement comments on her courses and the "pure joy" of her General Examination ques- The decade following amounted essen- tion. "She was stern, but kind, demand- tially to changing positions. She was a ing and receiving the best we could pro- John Hay Whitney Visiting Professor at duce. There was never any question Bethany College () in 1957- under her tutelage but that political 1958, Visiting Scholar for Phi Beta Kap- science was the first science of man . . . pa in 1958-60, substitute professor at not because Aristotle said so, because UCLA for the newly appointed Chancellor Louise Overacker taught it." After Betty of University of California at Santa Cruz Johnson's marriage and her own continu- who suddenly had to leave to plan the ing involvement in Democratic politics, new campus in 1960-61. Her last teach- they engaged in a life-long correspon- ing was at the Inter-American University dence. "It was as if she were my north in in 1963. star. I fixed my political compass by her." With "unflagging loyalty and devo- But her writing went on. The popularity tion," she and other former students of the out-of-print book on Australian created a fund for an internship scholar- parties had raised the issue of a new edi- ship honoring her on her eightieth birth- tion. Yet the enormous social and politi- day. cal changes of the 50s and 60s made her consider an entirely new book. An invita- , class of 1957, New tion from the Australian National Univer- Yorker political writer and television com- sity to spend 1965 there as a visiting mentator, views her influence this way. fellow provided the impetus for a new "Louise Overacker's role in stimulating monograph. Australian Parties in a my interest in understanding how the Changing Society: 1945-1967, pub- political process works was a critical one. lished in Australia in 1968, became her I am not sure that I would be doing what I sixth and final book. am today if it had not been for her. What greater tribute can there be than that she Once settling into her California home, inspired and left a lasting impact on her she did what she had often told her stu- students? She showed us what was im- dents to do: take an active part in poli- portant." tics. Indeed she had been an occasional activist in the Democratic party in Massa- Nannerl Keohane, class of 1961, the chusetts and had also been a par- new president of Wellesley, mentions her ticipating observer in party campaigns leadership in the department and "skills whenever she was present at elections as a sensitive and effective teacher," a from Australia to England. In California person remembered "with a mixture of Overacker worked in Democratic party awe and affection" who "brought depth clubs, the Democratic Council, attended and excitement to everything she did on state conventions, and even signed up as campus." She notes, "When I took the a deputy registrar in order to conduct presidency of the College, I traveled up door-to-door registration of voters. into the foothills of the Coastal Range

603 News of the Profession

from Stanford to Los Gatos to receive her The NEH was founded in 1965 and for blessing as one of the sturdiest links with the next 1 5 years attracted extraordinary Wellesley's past. I did feel that I had her bi-partisan support. Both the NEH and its blessing, and this was one of the most sister agency, the National Endowment important things I brought back East with for the Arts, enjoyed their greatest me." growth when Richard Nixon was Presi- For some years Louise had teasingly dent, but found support from every ad- chided me about not paying a visit. In the ministration. In the Congress, senior summer 1981, I went to her hilltop members of both parties in the House and home. What pleasure! We discussed the Senate were committed to the agen- myriad subjects from politics and inter- cy. Although the NEH was at times the national affairs to the reprinting of three subject of controversy over the selection of her books as classics in the late of a chairman, its policies, or its individual 1970s, the brilliance of Nan's appoint- grants, the precept upon which it was ment. Charming and witty as ever, she founded, that "it is necessary and ap- posed cheerfully for my new camera. propriate for the federal government to help create and sustain not only a climate This warm wonderful woman—we shall encouraging freedom of thought, im- miss her. agination, and inquiry, but also the Her legacy remains. • material conditions facilitating the release of this creative talent," was never seriously questioned.

Punitive Cuts

Defending the The earliest inkling that after January Humanities 1981 this would not long continue to be the case came when the Heritage Foun- Moira Egan* dation issued its report recommending a National Humanities Alliance wide range of changes in government agencies to President-elect Reagan. The One frequently observed phenomenon in section on the NEH, while affirming the Washington is that when a program or basic mission of the agency, was highly agency comes under attack, its sup- critical of current policies and programs. porters who may previously have been in But even this report did not prepare sup- torpid disarray suddenly are galvanized. porters of the agency for what followed The sweeping changes proposed by the — the announcement by President Reagan administration have provided am- Reagan that he would seek a cut of 50 ple opportunity for this kind of reaction percent in the NEH budget. The justifica- from a variety of groups—environmen- tion for this action, that the humanities talists, students, and the handicapped, to should be a low priority, that the NEH had name only a few. The administration's become the "patron of first resort" for decision to reduce by half the budget of the humanities, and that the NEH had dis- the National Endowment for the Humani- couraged private donors, seemed flimsy ties (NEH) has brought about a high at best, outright wrong at worst. The degree of concern among scholars and cuts were not simply part of government- other supporters of the agency. The wide reductions but were so large and so result has been the formation of a coali- carefully targeted as to strike many tion dedicated to preserving federal sup- observers as punitive. port for the humanities and a subsequent Distress at the disproportionate size of string of successes in both the legislative the cuts and the harsh language of the and the executive branch. justification was widespread and, as might have been expected, bipartisan. Among those most concerned were directors of scholarly organizations in the * Moira Egan is executive director of the Na- humanities, who had believed that the ra- tional Humanities Alliance. tionale underlying federal support for 604 PS Fa\\ 1982