Oklahoma State University - Redskin Yearbook (Stillwater, OK)

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THE PRESIDENT DB. HENBY G. BENNETT ln l9U8-O9 he served as superintendent ot school at Boswell, Oklahoma, tor his first position in the educational tield. The tol- lowing year he became the county superin- tendent ot schools in Choctaw county, Oklahoma, and served one year. ln l9lU he accepted the position as head ot the schools in Hugo, Oklahoma, and served there until l9l9 at which time he became Dr. Henry Garland Bennett, who was born on a small farm in Nevada County, Arkansas, December l4, l886, has ad- vanced irom a rural horseback mail car- rier to one ot the most prominent and re- spected educators of the nation. Dr. Bennett's edu- cational background consists of an A. B. degree from Ouachita College, Arkadelphia, Arkansas, in l907g an M.A. degree from the University of Oklahoma, in l924, Ph. D. from Columbia University, in' l926, with the honorary LL. D. degree con- ferred on him by the Ouachita college. He was married to Vera Connell ot Dur- ant, Oklahoma, lanu- ary 29, l9l3. At the present time tive children are in the family. They are Henry Cfarland, Phil Connell, Liberty Loven, Mary Lois and Thomas Edwin. president of the Southeastern Teachers College at Durant. He served as head ot the Durant Teachers College until l928. Dr. Bennett took over his present position as president of Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College, upon his resignation at Southeastern Teachers College in l928 and has served here since that time. During his first year as President of A. n Page 18

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xx I . ' , Leon C. Phillips, a man with the ideals of a minister and the human understand- ing of a politician, is the Governor of Okla- homa as the state enters its fiftieth year. Very few common- wealths can boast of a leader so pre-emi- nently an American. Before the Revolutions t ary War his ancestors were colonists in Con- necticut. A l w a y s seeking new frontiers, the family moved westward. Leon was born in Missouri. When he was two years old his father moved to the new land of Oklahoma. Phillips, who grew up as a red-haired farm boy in Custer County, inherits his shrewdness from his Scotch-lrish father and his peity from his Pennsylvanian Dutch mother. That com- bination has pro- duced a man with a mind keen enough and clean enough to determine what is right, and tough enough to stay on the track, pushing ideas to completion. Phillips' decision to become a lawyer came after several years of preparation for the ministry. l-le entered the University of Oklahoma Law School in l9l3. As an undergraduate he made an out- standing record. He was president of his class and of the student council in his senior year. l-le was a guard on the l9l5 Page l 7 ay! A .i ggmfj V GOVERNOR LEON C. PHILLIPS all-victorious football team. He was also named best all-around student in his senior class. l-lis wife, former Miss Myrtle Ellenberger of Norman, was a class-mate at the univer- sity. Still wobbly from a stay in an Okla- homa City hospital Red returned to Nor- man for the fatal step. He then hung out his shingle at Okemah, Oklahoma where he practiced law until lanuary 9, l939.

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l743s , . Hum and M. College, he and his associates con- ceived a twenty-five year plan for the col- lege which started the same year. Since then he has been the guiding hand and dominant figure in the expansion of both the enrollment and construction work on the campus. His interest, above his other progressive ideas and contributions, is in the develop- ment of men and colleges. His life here at A. and M. College has been one of consis- tent achievement for the people of Okla- homa and the youth of the state who have a desire to obtain an education at a very reasonable price. An example of the enterprise of President Bennett is illustrated by the speed with which the 25-year plan of expansion is be- ing put into effect. His ability to pick from the masses those who have definite ambitions and a degree of understanding in the various phases of education has enabled many young de- serving men and women to attend A. and M. College. Many of these students would have been denied the opportunity of an ed- ucation because of adverse financial cir- cumstances. During the past few years, Dr. Bennett has secured for the A. and M. College five new buildings which are already finished and two that will be completed sometime in September, l939. A new Life-Sciences Building, Engineering Building, addition to the Animal Husbandry Building, Pireman- ship Training Division, and the new half- million dollar fieldhouse have all been erected during the past two and half years. At the present time two new dormitories are well on their way as a result of Presi- dent Bennett's continuous effort. These two constructions will greatly increase the en- rollment at the school within the next year. At the same time a new training school the technical firemanship training school has been added to the regular divisions. His influence and guidance is felt in ev- ery division of the school even though he I I Page 19 is not present on the campus very often. His popularity with the prominent na- tional figures is attested by Senator Elmer Thomas of Oklahoma, who once described him as one of the best known and respected Oklahomans to visit the United States Capi- tol at Washington. His trips to the national capitol were made toward the betterment of the educa- tional system in this state, and to encour- age some plans whereby the farm boys and girls with ability may be able to de- velop it. Besides being a leader in educa- tion, Dr. Bennett has become very promin- ent among the farmers of Oklahoma. He has been chosen to serve as state chair- man of the soil conservation committee, a member of the Oklahoma Farm Tenancy committee, Oklahoma State Planning board chairman, and director of the Okla- homa Cotton Growers association. His success as an educator has grown from a small town superintendent, shortly after his graduation from college a guarter of a century ago, and has progressed suc- cessively through the intermediate posi- tions of county superintendent, superin- tendent of one of the larger school systems of Oklahoma, head of a teachers college, then to the presidency of Oklahoma A. and M. College, one of the larger university- type land-grant colleges of the United States. His progress has been due, not only to his educational leadership, vision, and in- defatigable energy, but egually to his hu- man sympathies and cordial personality, which have won for him consistently the affection and confidence of the ever-widen- ing circle of responsible citizens who have come to accept him and to respect him as a leader in education and social progress. Dr. Bennett enjoys this prestige not only in educational circles, but among many fraternal, civic, and religious groups and institutions with which his diverse responsi- bilities as head of a great school bring him in contact.