Missouri Southern State University - Crossroads Yearbook (Joplin, MO)

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Points of Interest

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Leon C. Billingsly 1925 - 1978 Dr. Leon C. Billingsly, the only person to serve as Presi¬ dent of Missouri Southern State College, died suddenly of a heart attack on Saturday, November 25, 1978. He was 53. For fourteen years he had served as president of the college which under his leadership had grown from a one building junior college to a four-year state college on a 300 acre campus. He was the right man at the right time for MSSC. Although he was only 39 years old when he assumed the presidency, his teaching and administrative experience coupled with his sound business acumen and solid common sense provided him with the tools to meet the challenges of building a college. Dr. Billingsly had left home at 16 to join the Navy because “There was no employment for young people where I was. I lived south of Springfield on a farm and young people had to leave the community to find work.” After traveling four years in the service, he began his college education at Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield. He had traveled to many countries during his Navy duty including Australia, India, Japan, Africia and the Phillippines. “I saw many good places to live,” he had said, “but nothing that compared to the U.S. We’re for¬ tunate to live here. With all our faults, this is still the best place to live. We have a good system of public education, the privilege of voting for those who will govern us and of objecting to those officials who don’t do their job right, our standard of living is higher—things which are com mon here are a luxury elsewhere.” Dr. Billingsly graduated from SMS with degrees in political science and biology and enough physical educa¬ tion to coach, which he did for two years at Golden City, Mo. While teaching there and at Lamar, he completed his Master of Science at Pittsburg State University, beginning his administrative career as Superintendent of Schools at Golden City. He then held the same position at Pleasant Hill, became Director of the Laboratory Schools at PSU, and after completing his Doctor of Education degree at the University of Arkansas, became Dean of the Joplin Junior College in 1961. In 1963 he became President of Kellogg College in Battle Creek Michigan for one year, returning to the presidency of MSSC (then Jasper County Junior College) in 1964. For the next fourteen years, Dr. Billingsly dealt with the pressures, disappointments, challenges and triumphs of establishing MSSC as an outstanding four-year college. His abilities in dealing with legislators in Jefferson City, college administrators around the state, and civic and business leaders at home were in large measure respon¬ sible for the college’s growth and success. Dr. Billingsly had stated in an interview, “This job has a certain amount of pressure. There are times when you can’t just leave it at the office. However, the benefits far outweigh the problems. I like it—no, I love it, or I wouldn’t be here now.” ■ mmSSStSub Jy ft SssiHi '