People | From Woody's Couch

Category: People (page 38 of 52)

Bleeds Scarlet and Gray: Dedicated alum’s final resting place is Bricker Hall

October 31, 2012 / drobik.5@osu.edu / Comments Off

Herbert Atkinson, 1920

OSU alumnus Herbert Atkinson was a devoted OSU student and alumnus whose final wish was for his ashes to be buried in Bricker Hall. Here’s how it happened:

Atkinson started his journey at OSU as a freshman in 1906, working his way through college with a colorful array of jobs: waiting tables, mowing lawns and mucking stables, and working as a metal polisher in the summer in his hometown of Fremont, Ohio. Somehow, he found time to join Bucket and Dipper, play Varsity Basketball for three years, and cheer on the Buckeyes as a member of the Varsity cheerleading squad for one year. Immediately after he earned his law degree from OSU in 1913, he was appointed secretary of the State Highway Department, according to the alumni magazine. He left the following year to practice law.

Eventually, Atkinson entered the political field, and was elected in 1918 as the Franklin County representative in the state legislature. He was re-elected twice, and for those last two terms served as the Democratic floor leader. He went on to found Atkinson-Dauksch Insurance and Bonding Agency, which grew to become one of Ohio’s largest agencies before his retirement in 1944.

As an alumnus, Atkins was active with his alma mater. He served as first vice president of the Ohio State Alumni Association for 13 years, and he was a member of the University’s athletic board for 13 years.

But it was his service on the Board of Trustees that really set him apart. In 1925 he was appointed to fill a vacant position on Ohio State’s Board of Trustees—a position that he would hold for the next 23 years. During his tenure, he helped select three Ohio State presidents: George W. Rightmire, (acting president) William McPherson and Howard L. Bevis. He was instrumental in establishing the schools of Aviation, Fine and Applied Arts, Social Administration, Home Economics, Optometry and Music. During his long tenure, he also helped complete such projects as University School, Don Scott Field, the construction of the Men’s Gymnasium and Natatorium, and the Stadium Dormitories.

Board of Trustees, 1925: Front Row: Mrs. W.O. Thompson, Lawrence E. Laybourne, President W.O. Thompson, Alma Wacker Paterson, Back Row: Egbert Mack, Julius F. Stone, Harry A. Caton, Herbert S. Atkinson, John Kaiser, Carl E. Steeb

He died in 1952. According to the Board of Trustees minutes, his widow, Laura, told then-OSU President Howard L. Bevis that Atkinson’s wish was for his ashes to be kept somewhere on campus. Because of his nearly quarter-century of century on the Board of Trustees, Bevis recommended to the board that his ashes be installed in Bricker Hall. The Trustees unanimously approved the recommendation.

(Left to right) President Bevis, Charles Kettering, Mrs. Atkinson and Carl Steeb pose for a portrait during the dedication of Herbert Atkinson’s ashes at Bricker Hall, 1954

Today, when ascending the main staircase between the first and second floors, look for the plaque in the wall, outside the meeting room of the Board of Trustees—that’s where his ashes reside.

Bricker Hall

Filed by C.N.

Early 20th century art – on football programs?

September 28, 2012 / drobik.5@osu.edu / Comments Off

Thurber’s cover art for the 1936 football program

If you’ve ever looked at old OSU football program covers, you’ll notice how arty they were. That’s because they were drawn by actual artists, including two OSU alums who went onto to successful careers using those artistic skills.

James Thurber was one of them, and the one football program cover he drew was actually done after he’d become a well-known author and illustrator. The football program was issued in conjunction with the Nov. 21, 1936, game against Michigan.

At the time of this football program’s debut, James Thurber was associate editor of The New Yorker, and a prominent author, having published two books, “Is Sex Necessary?” and “My Life and Hard Times.” Thurber also was well-known for his illustrations, although they generally received more attention for their humor than their artistic merit.

Thurber was born in Columbus and attended OSU, but withdrew in 1918 before completing his coursework shortly before the onset of World War I. With the outbreak of the war, he became a code clerk for the American Embassy in Paris. In 1926 he relocated to New York to work for the Evening Post, and the following year left to pursue his position at The New Yorker.

Caniff’s cover from 1927

Meanwhile, Milton Caniff has quite a few football program covers that bear his name from his student years at OSU in the late 1920s. During that time he also served as art director of the Makio and the Sundial, an OSU student humor magazine. He graduated in 1930 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He later went on to draw “Terry and the Pirates” and later “Steve Canyon,” probably his most famous comic strip. That strip ran for more than 40 years.

Both alumni received honorary degrees from the University.

Want to see how arty those football programs really were? Go here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ohio-state-university-archives/sets/

What better way to spend Founders Day than Tea with Gee?

September 19, 2012 / haire.14@osu.edu / Comments Off

Our first Founders Day event was a success, thanks to the wonderful folks in Ohio Staters, Inc., who co-sponsored the event with us; the many students, staff and faculty who accepted our open invitation to attend; and of course, President Gee, who shared some time with us to celebrate.

As you know, Founders Day commemorates the first day of classes at Ohio State in 1873, and as President Gee said, the mission that the then-fledgling university embraced at that time is the same today: providing a quality education for the next generation to tackle the challenges of the future. As it was then and is now, Gee said, we are up to the task. So, we appreciate everyone’s participation, and until next year, please enjoy the photos from 2012: