WSU: President Clarence Hilberry, 1928-1966

I speak for the Wayne State University of the past, the Colleges of the City of Detroit which became Wayne University and in 1956 Wayne State University -- for the students, the faculty, and the staff who knew and loved Ruth Hilberry not only as the wife of Clarence B. Hilberry, but as herself.

As Leslie Hanawalt said in the official history of Wayne State University titled A Place of Light , “she made her own special kind of place in the University community.”

The years of Clarence Hilberry’s tenure as President were golden years in the history of Wayne State University. The student body increased from 16,000 to more than 25,000. Sixteen buildings which grace the campus were designed and erected to replace many of the old houses. These included the McGregor Memorial Conference Center, the College of Education, the G. Flint Purdy and Kresge Science Libraries, the Community Arts Building, and the Alumni House in which the Hilberrys had an apartment, the Prentis Building, Shapero Hall, the Physics Building, and the Law School was started. Even more importantly, the numbers and quality of faculty were sharply increased along with broadening the University’s educational services to students.

In 1956, Wayne University became Wayne State University through Public Act 183. In 1959, the people of Michigan voted to give Wayne State University the same constitutional status as The University of Michigan and Michigan State University.

In all of these developments Ruth Hilberry played a significant role. She was truly a partner with Clarence in their leadership of the University. She was not only a gracious First Lady of the University, she was a wife whose great interest in the University was a source of stimulation to her husband, to the faculty, and to the administration and she helped to motivate him and them. The Hillberrys brought a warmth of personal relationships to the University community which has been missed by those of us who knew them in the years of their active leadership.

I speak for the Wayne State University of the present, and the Wayne State University of the future in appreciation of the foundation that was laid under the leadership of Clarence and Ruth Hilberry. The legacy that the two of them left of concern for academic values, for the outreach of educational opportunity for all sorts and conditions of men and women, and for the community, is one that has been and will be cherished by this University.

I speak for myself as a long-time friend of Clarence and Ruth Hilberry and one who has been associated with this University since 1946. The two of them helped create a spirit which touched the lives of all who worked with them to help Wayne progress. In a very real sense, Ruth was the real conscience which challenged all to aspire to greater heights.

When I asked George Gullen, who is here in the audience today, to enable me to leave the administration so that I could spend full-time in the faculty, he and the Board of Governors were kind enough to name me the second University Professor in the history of the University. I was particularly pleased when President Gullen recommended to the Board that the University Professorship be named for Clarence Hilberry....

Scope & Contents

The papers of President Clarence Beverly Hilberry were placed in the University Archives in eleven shipments from 1959 to 1967. They include Hilberry’s files as President as well as some of his files as Dean of Administration.

Clarence B. Hilberry was named Acting President of Wayne University in September, 1952. He served as Wayne’s fourth President from July 1, 1953 until his retirement on July 1, 1965. Wayne University, a municipal institution, became Wayne State University, a state institution, in April of 1956. Hilberry came to Wayne in 1930 as an instructor in the Department of English and, in 1939, became the head of the Department. He was appointed Dean of Administration of the University in 1945, serving in that position until his appointment to the presidency. Prior to coming to Detroit, he taught English at Albion College (1925-1927) and at the Y.M.C.A. College in Chicago (1927-1930).

After his 1965 retirement from Wayne, Hilberry accepted the position of educational consultant to the Ford Foundation in New York City. He died of a heart attack on January 10, 1966 at age 63. University memorials honoring President Clarence Beverly Hilberry for his leadership and dedication include the Hilberry Classic Theatre, the Hilberry Theatre (building), the “Law Window” in St. Andrews Hall, a sugar maple at the corner of Cass and Hancock, and the University Professorship renamed the Clarence Hilberry University Professor.

President Hilberry earned his bachelor’s (1924) and master’s (1925) degrees from Oberlin College. He received his doctorate degree (1930) from the University of Chicago with a major in English Literature. While President, Hilberry was awarded honorary degrees from Albion College, Michigan State University, Oberlin College, Cleary College, Hillsdale College, Detroit Institute of Technology, and Assumption University of Windsor.

Clarence Hilberry was active in many professional associations. He was President of the Association of Urban Universities and worked extensively with the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. Because of his contributions, he was elected an honorary member of the North Central Association, an honor equivalent to an earned degree in education statesmanship. Hilberry also served on the boards of many local cultural and social agencies including Detroit Adventure, Cranbrook School, Economic Club of Detroit, and the United Foundation. For additional biographical information, see box 148, folders 1 and 2.

Administrative Officers of Wayne University 1950-1951

President David D. Henry

Dean of Administration Clarence B. Hilberry

Provost Arthur Neef

Dean of Student Affairs Victor F. Spathelf

Executive Secretary Olin E. Thomas

Deans

Business Administration Walter C. Folley

Education Waldo E. Lesssenger

Engineering Arthur R. Carr

Graduate School John J. Lee

Law Arthur Neef

Liberal Arts Victor A. Rapport

Medicine Gordon H. Scott

Nursing Katharine E. Faville

Pharmacy Roland T. Lakey

Social Work Charles B. Brink

Administrative Officers of Wayne University 1954-1955

President Clarence B. Hilberry

VP for Academic Administration Winfred A. Harbison

VP and Provost Arthur Neef

VP for University Services and Development William E. Stirton

VP for Business and Finance Olin E. Thomas

Deans

Business Administration Walter C. Folley

Education Waldo E. Lessenger

Engineering Arthur R. Carr

Graduate Schoo John J. Leel

Law Arthur Neef

Liberal Arts Victor A. Rapport

Medicine Gordon H. Scott

Nursing Katharine E. Faville

Pharmacy Stephen Wilson

Social Work Charles B. Brink

Administrative Officers of Wayne State University 1960-1961

President Clarence B. Hilberry

VP for Academic Administration Winfred A. Harbison

VP and Provost Arthur Neef

VP and Treasurer Olin E. Thomas

VP for Graduate Studiesand Research Randal M. Whaley

VP Emeritus, Graduate Instruction and Research Lloyd Allen Cook

Deans

Business Administration Walter C. Folley

Education Francis C. Rosecrance

Engineering J. Stuart Johnson

Law Arthur Neef

Liberal Arts Victor A. Rapport

Medicine Gordon H. Scott

Nursing Katharine E. Faville

Pharamacy Stephen Wilson

Social Work Charles B. Brink

Administrative Officers of Wayne State University 1964-1965

President Clarence B. Hilberry

VP for Academic Administration Winfred A. Harbison

VP and Provost Arthur Neef

VP for Medical SchoolDevelopment Gordon H. Scott

VP and Treasurer Olin E. Thomas

VP for Graduate Studies and Research Randal M. Whaley

Deans

Business Administration Walter C. Folley

Education Francis C. Rosecrance

Engineering J. Stuart Johnson

Law Arthur Neef

Liberal Arts Martin Stearns

Medicine Ernest D. Gardner

Monteith Woodburn O. Ross

Nursing Katharine E. Faville

Pharamacy Martin Barr

Social Work Sidney Dillick

The Clarence Beverly Hilberry Collection documents:

¨ multifaceted aspects of Hilberry’s presidency

¨ Wayne prior to his presidency (1952)

¨ academic and administrative organization and reorganization

¨ public attitudes and the academic environment during McCarthyism

¨ academic freedom, student and faculty investigations, communism, and outside speaker (Communist) policy

¨ legislation affecting Wayne and higher education in Michigan

¨ effort to gain state aid and, ultimately, state control

¨ transition from a municipal to a state university

¨ increased attention to research

¨ increased attention to public relations

¨ matters presented to the Detroit Board of Education and the Wayne State University Board of Governors for information and/or action

¨ University budgets

¨ faculty, personnel policies, and labor organizations

¨ growth, development, policies and activities of colleges and University units

¨ student social and political activities, discipline, scholarships, and financial aids in particular from the late 1940s to mid 1950s

¨ University Council and University committees

¨ campus planning and development, building construction, and fiscal constraints

¨ awards and events

¨ non-Wayne colleges and universities

¨ involvement with foundations and civic, private and higher education professional organizations

¨ Hilberry’s public role as President and University representative

¨ Hilberry’s service to professional, civic, cultural and social organizations

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Subjects

Academic Calendar

Academic Freedom

Accreditation; College and School

Accreditation; University

Administration, University

Admissions Advisory Committee

Admissions Office

Admissions and Records Office

Adult Education

Aeronautical Engineering Department

Affiliations/Agreements

Affiliations; Medicine

Alumni Relations Office

American Association of Land Grant Colleges and State Universities

American Association of University Professors

American Council on Education

American Youth for Democracy

Applied Management and Technology Center

Associated Midwest Universities

Association of American Colleges

Association of American Universities

Association of Governing Boards and Presidents of State Colleges and Universities of Michigan

Association of Urban Universities

Associations, Higher Education

Athletics

Awards

Board of Governors, Wayne State University

Budgets, College and School

Budget, University

Buildings

Business Administration, School of

Businessmen’s Advisory Committee (Business Administration)

Calendar, Committee on the

Campus Development

Chemistry Department

Citizen’s Committee on Higher Education (State of Michigan)

Civil Defense

Civil Defense Committee (University)

Civil Rights

Classes

Cohn Building

Commencement

Committees, University

Communism

Community Arts Building

Community Colleges

Community Relations (with Wayne)

Computation Laboratory

Computing Center

Council of Deans

Cranbrook School

Degree, Doctoral

Degrees Granted

Departments, University

Detroit

Detroit Adventure

Detroit Board of Education

Detroit Council of Veterans

Detroit Educational Television Foundation

Detroit Institute of Technology

Discrimination

Discrimination; Fraternity and Sorority Discriminatory Clauses

Discrimination; School of Social Work

Economic Club of Detroit

Economics Department

Education, College of

Emancipation Proclamation Centennial Committee (University)

Engineering, College of

English Department

Faculty

Faculty Dismissal/Suspension

Faculty Governance

Farm, University (See: Schmidt Foundation Farm)

Federation of Teachers, Wayne State University

Fellowships

Financial Aid, Student

Ford Foundation

Foundations

Fraternities

Fraternities; Discriminatory Clauses

Fringe Benefits

Gifts

Graduate Division

Graduate School

Grants

Harrison, Gerald

Health Service, University

Higher Education

Historic Marker Dedication (WSU)

Honorary Degrees

Hospitals

Housing

Institute of Industrial Relations

Insurance

International Education

Journalism Department

Junior Colleges

Kellogg Foundation

Kresge Foundation

Kresge-Hooker Scientific Library

Kresge-Hooker Scientific Library Associates

Labor Unions

Law School

Legislation

Legislation, Federal

Legislation, Higher Education

Legislation, Junior College

Legislation, State of Michigan

Legislative Study Committee on Higher Education (State of Michigan)

Liberal Arts, College of

Library Building, Kresge Science

Libraries, University

Mackenzie Hall (See: Student Center)

Material Management Center (Business Administration)

McGregor Fund

McGregor Memorial Conference Center

Medical Science Building

Medicine, School of

Medicine, School of; Admissions

Medicine, School of; Affiliations

Meisner, Lorraine

Michigan Council of State Presidents

Michigan, State of

Michigan State University

Michigan, University of

Monteith College

Mortuary Science

Music Department (Liberal Arts)

Music Education Department

National Commission on Accrediting

North Central Association

Nursing, College of

Nursing, College of ; Building Plans

Office Personnel Association, Wayne State University

Outside Speaker Policy (WSU)

Personnel

Pharmacy, School of

Phi Beta Kappa

Physics Department

Policies, University

Post-War Planning Committee (University, World War II)

PRESCAD (Pre-school, School, and Adolescent Children)

President-Deans Conference

Presidents Athletic Conference

Program Planning Committee

Protests/Complaints

Psychology Department

Religious Center Building

Religious Education

Research

Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC)

Retirement

Rights and Responsibilities Committee

Ruthven Study Commission (State of Michigan)

Sabbatical Leaves

Salaries

Schmidt Foundation Farm (University)

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Science and Engineering Advisory Committee (University)

Science Hall

Selective Service

Shapero Hall of Pharmacy

Social Work, School of

Social Work, School of; Discrimination

Sororities

Sororities; Discriminatory Clauses

Speaker Policy, Outside (WSU)

State Aid

State Hall

Stein, Irving

Student Activities

Student Activities; Political

Student Activities Committee

Student Center

Student Discipline

Student Government

Student Organizations

Student Personnel, Division of

Student-Faculty Council

Students

Students, Disadvantaged

Students, International

Students, Minority

Students, Women

Summer School

Teaching

Television

Tenure

Thailand Project

Tuition

Theater

University Council

Wayne State Fund

Wayne State University

Wayne State University Press

Wayne University

Wayne University Foundation

Webster Hall (See: Student Center)

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Transfers

Nine negatives and the following black and white prints relating to campus development have been transferred to the University Archives audio-visual collection:

Suren Pilafian --mainly renderings

1943 Student Center Building (2 views)

1944 Student Center Building (interior)

1945 Classroom Building (State Hall) (2 views)

1946 Classroom Building (State Hall)

1946 Classroom Building (State Hall) (floor plans for 4 floors, 2 exterior views)

1949 Kresge Science Library

1950 General (Purdy) Library

1943 model of proposed campus (2 views)

1946 proposed campus (2 views)

1946 proposed location of new buildings

c1940s partial photograph of Pilafian

Buford L. Pickens

1944 Cultural Center model (2 views)

Other material