Kent State University - Chestnut Burr Yearbook (Kent, OH)

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Karl Clayton Leebrick was inaugurated as fourth president of Kent State University on October 21, 1938 in an impres- sive ceremony attended by representatives of 110 colleges and universities. All of the country ' s leading colleges and universities, from the smallest to the largest, sent their messages of congratu- lations, some of which are pictured on the first page of this section. The ceremony opened in the morning with c program under the chairmanship of Dean Raymond E. Manchester, which included speeches by representatives of Ohio State, Syracuse and Bowling Green State universities. Following that was the Inaugural luncheon at which there were speeches by President H. E. Simmons, Akron University; President Charles L. Anspach, Ashland College; and E. N. Dietrich, Ohio Direc- tor of Education. Immediately after the luncheon came the academic pro- cession, headed by Dr. Leebrick and William E. Dodd, former ambassador to Germany. The procession terminated in Wills Gym where the formal inauguration ceremony was held. The three important phases of the ceremony are depicted in the three pictures at the top of the opposite page. 1. the presidential emblem is bestowed upon Dr. Leebrick by Super- intendent John R. Williams, president of the University Board of Trustees; 2. Dr. Leebrick delivers his official in- augural address; 3. former U. S. ambassador William E. Dodd gives the main address: Public Education and Democracy . In the upper picture of the right hand panel on the opposite page ore shown the Leebrick family, Henrietta, Mrs. Leebrick and Karl, Jr. Below the Leebrick family ore pictured the radio technicians of the Mutual Broadcasting Co., which carried the ceremony over its coast-to-coast networks. Broadcasts also were carried by WGAR of Cleveland and WADC of Akron. The final important event of the inaugural was the ban- quet in the evening at which Editor Paul Bellamy of the Top: President Rufus B. von KleinSmid, University of Southern California; Paul Bellamy, Cleveland Plain Deoler editor and former Ohio governor Martin L. Davey chat during Inougural banquet . . . Center: Coed ushers directed banquet offenders . . . Below: Editor Bellamy opens banquet ceremony as toast- moster . . . Left: President Leebrick relaxes ond eots von KleinSmid delivers main oddress . . . . President • 19

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' ' More Than a Thousand People Listened color bearers — attentively ... ' balcony audience — indifferently ... family — proudly ... radio engineers — professionally . IS

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Cleveland Plain Dealer was toastmaster. Former Ohio governor Martin L. Davey also spoke and the main address was given by President Rufus B. von KleinSmid, University of Southern California. The ceremony concluded with a final program in Wills gymnasium in which John Batchelder of the senior class, extended the students ' welcome to Dr. Leebrick. Born 53 years ago in Iowa, Dr. Leebrick was graduated from the normal school at Tempe, Arizona and later received a doctor of philosophy degree from the University of Cali- fornia in 1916. Later he served as head of the political science department at the University of Hawaii and was executive secretary of national conference on education, reclamation and recreation in Honolulu. He came to Kent State from Syracuse University where he was dean of the liberal arts college and professor of international relations. He is considered an authority on Pacific relations and was director of the Institute of International Relations on the Pacific Coast. Kent State University students were vitally interested and hod a part in the inauguration of Dr. Leebrick as the fourth president of their University. From the balcony of the atrium in the Administration building they watched notables of the educational world arrive for the august ceremonies. Many assisted in the behind-the-scenes work that had to be done, such as mapping out the course for the inaugural procession in the afternoon. Seniors and graduate students marched in the academic procession, while still other students were enrolled in the group that carried the University ' s colors. Still others, camera-stricken students, found the inaugural, especially the procession, good photography material. In the final event of the inauguration program, senior John Batchelder extended the student body ' s welcome to Dr. Leebrick. And while students, faculty, guests and others participated in or watched the impressive ceremony, those who engineered it, the faculty members of the inaugural committee pictured below, sat bock and were satisfied with having done a good job. 20