The Alumnus, V16n1, January 1932
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University of Northern Iowa UNI ScholarWorks The Alumnus UNI Alumni Association 1-1932 The Alumnus, v16n1, January 1932 Iowa State Teachers College Let us know how access to this document benefits ouy Copyright ©1932 Iowa State Teachers College Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/alumnusnews Part of the Higher Education Commons Recommended Citation Iowa State Teachers College, "The Alumnus, v16n1, January 1932" (1932). The Alumnus. 202. https://scholarworks.uni.edu/alumnusnews/202 This Magazine is brought to you for free and open access by the UNI Alumni Association at UNI ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Alumnus by an authorized administrator of UNI ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE ALUMNUS J on u OP IJ ol 19 3 2 V L XVI IOW STATE TE CHERS C LL G . 1 Alumni Reorganization Planned A committee authorized b y The Alumni Association an nounces a proposed r evision of the Constitution to provide for : ( 1) Formation of local units of the alumni. ( 2) Change of date for annual alumni business meet ing from June to Homecoming. ( 3 ) Assumption of some financial responsibility both for the Alumnus Magazine through subscription or otherwise and for support in part at least for gen eral alumni activities. The April issue of the Alumnus w ill carry the full text of these proposed r evisions and a ball ot for your use. T he co mmittee calls a ttention t o the " Bureau of Public Re lationships" announced on page 14 in this issue w hich indicates that appropriate a tte ntion w ill be given t o all al umni activities and orga nization problems w hile plans a nd policies are bein g matured . THE ALUMNUS IOWA STATE TEACHERS COLLEGE Vol. XVI Cedar Falls, Iowa, January, 1932 No. 1 Alumni Pay Reverent Tribute to 11First T eacher11 D AVID SANDS WRIGHT, 84, one of the most and his fa ther was a Quaker preacher. At revered educators of all time at Teachers seven yea1·s of age, h e a ttended school in a College and the man who taught the first class "lone Jog structure," the Squabble High at the opening of the State Normal School in School in Ohio. In this and other country September 6, 1876, died at his home October schools he developed an interest in literature 30, 1931, following a ten-day period of illness and debate, and in 1866 became a school which began with a s troke which he suffer ed teacher in Ohio. Later he entered the Na Tuesday, October 20. tional ormal Universi Funeral services were ty at L ebanon, Ohio, held Sunday afternoon, where h e o btained the Bachelor of Arts Degree ovember 1, at the First in 1871. He received Me thodist Church in Ce the Master of Arts De da r Falls, with Dr. How gree at Penn College land Hanson, supervisor at Oskoloosa, Iowa, in of religious education at 1884. the College, officiating. [nterment was in Fair In 1872 he became view Cemetery. associate principal of Mr. Wright, professor Whittier College and emeritus of the College Normal Institute at Sa at the time of h is death, lem, Iowa, a Quaker was the oldest person academy establish ed in in point of service on a community of Friends. the faculty. He was in He became an instruc active teaching work tor in E nglish grammar from the opening of the and literature at the onnal School until he [owa State ormal retired as professor School in 1876 but later emeritus in 1928. He was appointed as pro was known throughout fessor of mathematics. the state as a leader He taught the first class in educational activities D. Sands Wright held in the newly or and was at one time ganized institution. In president of the Iowa State Teachers Asso- 1915 he retired from the .Department of ciation. Ma thematics to become director of religious He is survived by his wife, three daugh education. ters and a son. The daughters are Miss Lu Mr. Wright became identified with the ella Wright, Pri. '23, professor of English at Iowa State Teachers Association in 1875, and the U niversity of Iowa; Mrs. Ralph Swanson in 1904 wa elected president of the organi (Ruth Wright), B.A. '11, of Villisca, Iowa, zation. He contributed approximately 125 and Mrs. William Radcliffe (Lydia Wright), articles to the "Iowa rormal Monthly," a M.Di. '02, of Red Oak, Iowa. The son, Joseph professional magazine for teachers, and Wright, B.A. '09, is director of physical edu wrote several books, among them a "Drill cation at Frances Parker Sch ool at Chicago. Book in English Grammar," "Geometrical Mr. Wright was born December 7, 1847, Outlines," and "Bible Study Outlines." The on a farm in Penn Township, Hyland Coun latter has reached its third edition and is ty, Ohio. His parents were both Quakers, being used extensively in Iowa high schools 2 THE ALUMNUS January where the Bible is taught as a school sub where he is still remembered with affection ject. by his pupils, and where a grade school is Mr. Wright became well known through named in his honor. He developed at Cedar out the state for bis sermons and lectures, Falls Lhe Department of 1 atural Science. He and was recognized as an eloquent and force collected material and established the mu ful speaker. He was married to Miss Eliza seum. Rawstern, N.C. '79, B.Di. '80, July 24, 1880. He was not only a great teacher, but a Reprinted below is a tribute to Professor man of affairs in the community. He served D. Sands Wright and Professor Melvin F. with distinction on the City Council, Com Arey, prepared by L. H. Minkel, B.Di. '94, mander of the G. A. R., Superintendent of the M.Di. '95; Ph.B. '02, University of Iowa; su Methodist Sunday School, etc. Many of the perintendent of schools at Fort Dodge, Iowa; trees on the Campus are of his planting. and a former president of the Iowa State He appealed to the best in everyone. He Teachers Association. The tribute was pre could see in the rawest freshman a potential sented on the program of the annual reunion College President. In fact it was his habit of Iowa State Teachers College alumni at to start his lectures by saying, "Now teach Des Moines, November 12, 1931. ers". The year has marked the passing of two At the West door of the High School in venerable Professors, whose lives have blest Ft. Dodge there stands a magnificent elm Teachers College. It is well for us to pay tree, planted by Mr. Arey in front of his resi tribute to their memory. dence forty years ago. A thousand students Professor D. Sands Wright was a member pass under its kindly shade in summer and of the original Normal School Faculty in stand erect at the sight of its clean cut. 1876, serving as instructor in English Gram branches reaching heavenward in winter. mar and Literature. From 1880 to 1915, he Probably not one of them knows who planted was Professor of Mathematics, and from 1915 the tree. Professor Arey would have it so. to the time of his death, he was connected He projected his life aheaa many generations with the Department of Religious Education by quiet, efficient service. and Bible Study. Professor Wright and Professor Arey it was in this last field that he made his lived calmly, serenely, unostentatiously in the most notable contribution to our Educational face of an on-coming era of mechanical and System. As President of the Iowa State social restlessness. They would be out of Teachers Association in 1904, he stressed the place in a motion-mad and noisy generation. need of Bible- Study as a recognized part of But this generation and every generation to every College and High School Course of come will be in the debt of these men, who Study, and from that time till his death he helped to lay the foull(;lation of Teachers was recognized as a leader in this field. College in sanity, in truth and in righteous Professor Wright's humor and utter disregard ness, broad and deep. for the conventions of pedagogy made his classes a daily adventure for the students. His own description of how he conducted Alumnus Receives Honor the first recitation in the newly established The honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws Normal School as set down in his Book, was conferred on Dr. J. R. Magee, B.Di. '01, "Fifty Years at Teachers College," will illus Iowa State Teachers College; Ph.B. '04, Morn trate. He says, "Adjusting my forelock and ingside College; D.D. '21, Upper Iowa Uni necktie, I pointed my finger at the handsom versity, by officials of Morningside College at est girl in the group before me and inquired Sioux City, on November 16. 'What is Grammar'?" Dr. Magee, who is superintendent of the This departure from the standardized and Seattle District of the Methodist Episcopal orthodox is not to b e- underestimated in its Church at Sioux City, was presented for the value to the new institution. It established degree by Dr. R. N. Van Horne, head of the the principle that manhood is more than Mathematics Department at Morningside Col method, and that individuality and initiative lege. Dr. Earl Roadman, B.Di. '04, Iowa State are not to 'be submerged by the rules of Teachers College; Ph.B. '09, D.J).