Truman State University - Echo Yearbook (Kirksville, MO)

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Contents Campus... .. Academics .... . . . Grganizations ..... Greeks ..... . . Athletics .... . . . Classes ..... .... Student Life ...... .10 .26 .60 llO 132 170 260

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30 Years of Leadership. . To Walter Harrington Ryle, seventh president of Northeast Missouri State Teachers College, 1937-1967, we proudly dedicate the Centennial Edition of the Echo in grateful appreciation of 30 years of devoted leader- ship to the school. His connection with the College spans a period equal to more than half of its lifetime, for he arrived on the campus of the Kirksville Normal School in September, 1913, as a freshman majoring in history, and he remained here until he graduated with the 90-hour diploma in 1916. After an interruption to teach in Clifton Hill, near his home in Randolph county and to serve in the army during World War 1, he returned to Kirksville in December, 1918, to complete the work for the Bachelor of Science in Education degree, which he received in August, 1919, in the first class to graduate from the school under its new name, Northeast Missouri State Teachers College. Nine years later he was back in Kirksville again, this time as a member of the faculty, a position he held until 1937 except for a year's leave of absence while he completed the requirements for the Ph.D. degree from George Peabody College for Teachers. In those years on the faculty Dr. Ryle, professor of Social Science, taught courses in history and geog- raphy, served as director of the Bureau of Placements, and helped to organize the General College, becoming its first director in 1934. So much did he impress others with his talent. energy, and ability to accomplish pro- digious amounts of work that the Board of Regents by unanimous vote chose him on August 31. 1937, to succeed Dr. Eugene Fair as President of the Teachers College just 19 days after President Fair's death. During President Ryle's administration the College grew in size from 775 to 5,320 students, from a campus of 15 acres to one containing over 60 acres. from a faculty of 58 to one numbering 252, and from a physical plant of four major buildings to one of 25. ln these years the program of the College was extended to include graduate work for the first time in the sum- mer of 1947, and a number of new undergraduate pro- grams were added. Since I937, the campus has be- come a place of beauty with velvety lawns and a pro- fusion of flowers, and its attractiveness is directly traceable to the efforts of Dr. Ryle who personally selected most of the trees, shrubs, and plants and super- vised their care. Dr. Ryle and Maurine Lea, who was a teacher in Randolph county, were married on June 7, 1927, and she has been an able partner in her husband's career and was a gracious and charming First Lady of Northeast Missouri State Teachers College.