How Danforth Shaped WU for Decades to Come

The independent newspaper of Washington University in St. Louis since 1878 VOLUME 142, NO. 2 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2020 WWW.STUDLIFE.COM STAYING ACTIVE LEGACY UNDERPASS Learn how the Sum- Law professor Lee South 40 Underpass ers staff is tailoring Epstein reflects on turned into moving the Rec’s workouts Justice Ginsburg, art piece by local for your dorm room Supreme Court artists (Scene, pg 4) (Scene, pg 5) (Cadenza, pg 10) ‘He was the most admired human being in the city of St. Louis’: How Danforth shaped WU for decades to come MATTHEW FRIEDMAN giant Ralston Purina Company’s “when things had not gone as we ASSOCIATE EDITOR founder. In 1973, a $60 million had hoped.” endowment challenge grant from William H. Danforth II rarely the Danforth Foundation—which ‘Fortunately, there is flew first class. Given his 60-to- he helped run—helped spark the work left to do’ 70-hour work weeks and his tall, fundraising. lean build, Danforth’s staff often But it was Danforth’s exten- Taking on challenges was a encouraged him to splurge. Yet he sive preparation for meetings hallmark of Danforth’s time lead- insisted that until his students and with donors that struck Mark ing the University, and he did professors could afford to fly first Wrighton, who succeeded him as not shy away from them. “Today class too, he would fly in the back chancellor and served until 2019. there are doubters, persons who of the plane with everyone else. “He was a very articulate spokes- question the historic confidence That care and humil- person for higher education and in progress and in education,” ity informed his approach to the importance of research,” he said in his speech following Washington University, and, Wrighton said. “He was able his appointment, acknowledg- over 24 years as chancellor from to make the case as to why sup- ing the hurdles that faced higher 1971-1995, enabled him to trans- port should be extended and the education. “No one can deny the form the school from one of impact that it would have.” problems, but anyone who thinks mainly local renown to a nation- seriously about the matter realizes ally recognized pillar of higher ‘They were just proud that without the existence of a education. in any way to be asso- vigorous educational system man- Danforth died in his Ladue, ciated with him’ kind will be ill-prepared for the Mo. home on Sept. 16. He was tasks ahead or even for survival in 94. That persuasion impressed this complex and interdependent John Biggs as well. Biggs served world.” MATT MITGANG | STUDENT LIFE ‘A very articulate as the University’s vice chancel- Danforth would reflect on his Danforth delivers a speech at a campus event in Graham Chapel in 1999. spokesman for higher lor for administration and finance time with the University each He retired as the 13th chancellor of Washington University in 1995. education’ in the late 1970s and early 1980s, fall in notes the University later overseeing everything from the compiled into a volume it called in 1975. “When Eliot got angry, public freedom. We have been When Danforth first took endowment to budgets and the “Thanksgiving Letters.” The 1985 most everyone on the second floor very lucky, particularly when office, a majority of University implementation of a reserves letter demonstrates how the chan- of Brookings Hall knew it, as well you look at the way university students came from the St. Louis system, which he said allowed cellor refused to stop fighting for as a few on the first.” heads have intervened at other region. He took the reins of a individual deans much more the school. “People ask me occa- Danforth, on the other hand, universities.” “streetcar college” that had just autonomy and creativity, enabling sionally, ‘When will this striving was much more measured. Biggs It was common for students the previous fall faced a $6.7 mil- the University to thrive. “Bill was and sacrifice end?’” Danforth recalled how the chancellor was to run into Danforth on cam- lion deficit. The University was the most admired human being in wrote. In an insistent tone, he outraged at the four-year prison pus. Some even joked that it was struggling with what an inaugu- the city of St. Louis,” Biggs said. noted that the same question was sentence for a person accused of easier to get a conversation with ration day Student Life article That status and the chancel- likely asked of each of his pre- burning an American flag outside the chancellor than it would be to termed “the growing problem of lor’s soft-spoken yet compelling decessors. “Fortunately, there is Brookings Hall and how Danforth schedule an appointment with an student attitudes: apathy, distrust, nature made fundraising much work left to do. The opportuni- insisted that the University find academic dean. He held an annual cynicism.” easier. “Whenever I know that ties forever outstrip the resources; some way to honor an outgoing picnic with the University’s resi- By the time he retired in 1995, something is of interest to Bill the challenges never end. Each community member even though dent advisors at his house and was 85% of students came from out- Danforth, I usually end up giving generation—even each decade— he had been a longtime key insti- active in other aspects of campus side the St. Louis area. Danforth two or three times what I should,” brings new challenges that must gator of campus activism. life, once attending a senior class had grown the University’s Biggs said. “I think everybody felt be met and surmounted to keep “His philosophy was always to holiday party at Blueberry Hill on endowment elevenfold to $1.72 that way. They were just proud faith with the past and renew the say that there was a smart way the Delmar Loop. billion and had gained a reputa- in any way to be associated with search for excellence.” to live your life that is not to get Wrighton said that Danforth tion among students as fatherly him.” That optimistic impres- angry or dislike people,” Biggs took a very favorable view of the sion of the role of higher said. “My instinct would have changes that had occurred at the education seeped into nearly all been to intensely dislike [the cam- University since he first arrived of Danforth’s actions as chancel- pus organizer] and say ‘Thank on the medical school faculty lor. He established 70 endowed god he’s going,’ but Bill didn’t in the 1950s. “I think one of the faculty chairs and implemented see it that way. He saw him as things that gave him a great sense extensive campus construction someone really committed to the of pride is how, through his lead- and scholarship funding. To the University as a critic.” ership, we became an attractive occasional chagrin of students place for people from all across and faculty involved with the lib- ‘I wish everyone could the country to go to college,” eral arts, he focused on expanding have that experience’ Wrighton said. the University’s research capa- That pride in the University bilities, increasing support for Despite their occasional dis- especially shined through in research from $27.8 million in the agreements, faculty and students Danforth’s Thanksgiving Letters. 1971-1972 academic year to $101 alike viewed the chancellor in In his last one, a special let- million in 1986-1987. a popular light. “I have a great ter he wrote in March of 1995 Pushback to the emphasis on deal of respect for Bill Danforth,” just months before retirement, STUDENT LIFE MEDIA research was not the only topic of Michael Friedlander, a phys- he focused on his love for the Danforth addresses a crowd in October 2011. A prolific fundraiser, he helped contention on campus. Danforth’s ics professor who at one point many students who had passed raise the University’s endowment elevenfold in his 24 years as chancellor. tenure had its fair share of other chaired the Faculty Senate, told through during his chancellor- student activism, from the rem- the Post-Dispatch in 1994. “We ship. “Certainly, it has been a “Chan Dan,” known for strolling Biggs recalled how Danforth nants of Vietnam War opposition have disagreed on policies involv- privilege to share in the lives, the the campus and reading stories to was offered multiple attractive in his early years to the numer- ing tenure and other matters. hopes, the ideals and the dreams incoming undergraduates. government positions during his ous Black Manifestos developed In a couple of cases, we’ve dis- of young people who come to As Chancellor Andrew Martin time as chancellor. Each time, he throughout his time. Black stu- agreed quite publicly. But it has Washington University,” he put it in the hours after Danforth’s would turn down the position, cit- dent enrollment, which was at never been disagreeable. And he wrote. “I wish everyone could death, “In addition to his innu- ing his love for the University and 6% in 1983, the midpoint of has always been a defender of have that experience.” merous accomplishments, we will not wanting to commit to things Danforth’s chancellorship, was also remember Bill for his passion that were beyond his values. “99 a key issue, as was the limited for our mission, his relentless pur- out of 100 chancellors would have number of Black professors with suit of excellence and his abiding jumped at the chance to be doing tenure. appreciation for and commit- a major job for the government, The University often did not ment to the people who make but Bill wouldn’t do anything act upon student demands, citing up our Washington University unless he could do it on his terms, financial constraints or other fac- community.” which were totally honorable,” tors.

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