Grove City College - Ouija Yearbook (Grove City, PA)

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. Ketler

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“Weir C. Ketler devoted his life to Grove City College . .. He has influenced the lives and character of succeeding generations of young men and women to a degree which cannot be measured by any human stan- dard. We are confident that when the histo- ry of American institutions of learning is written, it will be recorded that few men concerned with education have accom- plished so much.” These words were written for Weir C. Ketler’s fortieth anniversary as president of Grove City College in 1956 and repro- duced in the Alumni News in 1988. Weir Carlyle Ketler was born in Black- town, on March 14, 1889. He was the son of Grove City College's founder and first president, Dr. Isaac C. Ketler, and Matilda Gilson Ketler. Grove City became his home. He attended elementary and high school in the Grove City Public Schools. Following high school graduation he at- tended Grove City College. Upon graduat- ing in 1908 he joined the faculty here. He also continued his education, receiving a second degree from Yale in 1910. Beginning in 1914 as assistant to the president, Weir C. Ketler stepped into the president’s position in 1915 upon the death of Dr. Alexander T. Ormond. This in itself gave Dr. Ketler a reputation not soon to be forgotten. He was the youngest college president, at age 27, to be recognized in the country. It was a difficult time, but this did not deter him. Through two World Wars, the Korean Conflict, and three depressions, he strove to achieve many goals. We can see the effects of his work in what he be- lieved was his greatest achievement-the carrying out of the upper campus develop- ment. What is known today as the Quad came from a dream, Dr. Weir C. Ketler’s dream, and it will be remembered in each of our dreams. Dr. Ketler was not only president of Grove City College but also a husband. He married Ellen Bell on August 26, 1914. She died May 10, 1968. He was then remarried on February 14, 1970, to Edna Taylor Johnstone. Dr. Ketler’s family includes one daughter, two sons, one stepson, one step- daughter, nine grandchildren, and thirteen great-grandchildren. Many outward signs of success mark the life of Dr. Weir C. Ketler. He did, howev- er, SO much more in the lives of the people he met. As Dr. Dwight R. Guthrie recalled at the memorial service: Micah 6:8 -‘What does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love kindness, and to walk hum- bly with your God.” This is what Weir C. Ketler did and encouraged everyone else to do. 8 Opening Though some old traditions have brought new ideas and interpretations, the College stands on a solid base. ‘The origi- nal purpose of the College,’ wrote Dr. Ketler, ‘to provide exceptional educational advantages amid beautiful surroundings in a wholesome environment and at a reason- able cost, has not been sacrificed.” The 1922 Ouija stated, ‘‘We dedicate this book to Dr. Weir C. Ketler, the presi - dent of our College. He is loved as a friend among the students, admired as a scholar among his colleagues and honored as a In Honor Of man among men.” We, The 1988 Bridge, again dedicate this book to Dr. Weir Car- lyle Ketler. He has given each life he touched something special. This is only a small remembrance of a great man. Thank you Dr. Ketler for bringing your dreams together with our dreams and creating a beautiful reality. By Angela Krysiak

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Homecoming crowd cheers on the Wolverines. The Washington Monument. 10 Seniors