San Diego State University - Del Sudoeste Yearbook (San Diego, CA)

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How many times has Dr. Hepner passed through this door since he became president of San Diego State College some l7 years ago? SAL TE T0 HEP ER Now that Dr. Hepner is returning to private lite after 39 years ot public service as a California educator, he and Mrs. Hepner plan to spend six months exploring America, gathering material for social studies textbooks. He has al- ready written several books now being used in various schools. Dr. Hepner began his career in edu- cation as a teacher in Oxnard. Later, he became a Lcng Beach principal and then superintendent of schools in Fres- no. Because ot the outstanding job he did there, he became city schools super- intendent in San Diego in l928, then moved another step up the ladder of success to become chief ot the state's Division of Secondary Education in I934. He was named president ot San Diego State College 20 months later. President Hepner has worked night and day to improve our school. His boundless energy served him well in meeting the problems of a vigorously growing college. His capable statt ot advisors had imagination and initiative, and together they were able to solve these problems. He would accept tull responsibility when an idea backtired-- he never passed the buck. ln his spare time, Dr. Hepner has been a useful citizen to society as a whole. Governor Warren twice named him to state committees, one on juve- nile justice and the other on mental hy- giene. He also was special advisor on secondary education to the occupation forces in Germany when a program for de-Nazification was being developed. President Hepner's remarkable ac- complishments have tocused much ta- vorable attention on San Diego State College. Even in retirement, he plans to continue the career of service he started 39 years ago. Dr. Hepner's tireless efforts to put San Diego State College on the map are evidenced by such programs of campus expansion.

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Dr. Hepner is retiring. During his l7 years as president of San Diego State College, his ideas and dreams have bath brought prestige to State and improved and expanded the ad- vantages offered students. Although the college has improved in many ways during these years, it is not for material reasons that students and faculty will remem- ber Dr, Hepner. He has been a good president -not only was he able to take care of the necessary paper work and strive for continual improvement, but at the same time he had an understanding of students' problems and needs and a desire to help them. Since he did recognize the problems of the student body, he gave students every oppor- tunity to help themselves by setting up student government. Dr. Hepner visualized the col- lege campus as a laboratory for democracy. His philosophy included student-faculty voice in matters affecting them. Because of Presi- dent Hepner's philosophy, San Diego is known as one of the most democratic colleges in the nation. He realized that participation in a democratic student government is excellent training for leadership and citizenship. Dr. Hepner has always believed that the main job of administrative officials was to be of service to students, and to accomplish this, they should be free to use their own ideas. Because of this belief, he has been able to assemble one of the finest teaching staffs in the nation. Educators from Stanford, Columbia, Harv- ard, and other outstanding colleges and uni- versities have come to San Diego. -He has welded together an inspired faculty which is constantly striving to improve the curriculum. In l935, President Hepner drew up a mas- ter plan for future additions to the campus. Community needs have played an important part in the changes. Some l7 years ago, San Diego State was a teachers' college, just moved to this new location. Although there is still emphasis on teacher education, majors are offered in liberal arts, professional, and technical' fields. The enroll- ment has jumped from l5OO to 4200, the faculty from 63 to 222. Over lOOO new courses have been added, as well as eight new buildings, four exten- sions, and an open-air theater, all made pos- sible by the acquisition of l67 additional acres. Although Dr. Hepner has always be- lieved that a well-rounded athletic program is essential, he has fought any attempts at commercialism which would make education and citizenship of secondary importance. Graduates of San Diego State have had three objectives under Dr. Hepner's philosophy of education-they learned skills which would support them, they gained an appreciation of their country and its background, and they learned how to become good citizens. Now he is retiring. His l7 years of service and hard work have resulted in a bigger and better San Diego State College with an out- standing faculty and an enthusiastic, demo- cratic student body. Dr, Hepner will be most remembered not for the campus improve- ments, but rather for his understanding of his students and the way in which he worked for their benefit.