Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1915-08-05
Henry Means Crooks, Presi-
dent Albany College, Ore,
Succeeds 7. c. Blaisdell.
OREGON RECORD ENVIABLE
Acceptance of Brilliant Educator and
Executive Expected Though
Not Yet Received.

Henry Means Crooks, ABB, presi-
dent OF Albany College, Albany Ore
gon, was elected to the presidency
of Alma College by the Board Of
Trustees at the college meeting, in
special session, Wednesday after
noon, to succeed DR.. Thomas C.
Blaisdel, who resigned last May, to
accept q deanship in Penn State col
lege, Pennsylvania Fifteen of the
Trustees were present. and their de-
cision, was unanimous. Mr.. Crooks
graduate Of Woaster University,
Ohio, was selected over twenty other
candidates, upon the unusually fine
recommendations of educators, bus
mess and professional men and min
isters who were familiar with his
work at Albany College, but princi-
pally upon the fine record which he
has made during his stay at Albany
college. Albany is the Presbyterian
Synodical College of Oregon. Ten
years ago when Mr.. Crooks went to
the college, as its president, it was
pretty badly run down. A discour-
aging number of students attended it
and the endowment did not meet the
running expenses of the institution.
The college boasted nothing which
would attract students or money to
it. 1t was the typical denomination
al college run down at the heel He
has stayed ten years and the words
of Dr. Mckenzie of the College Board
of Education expresses most clearly
the results which he has obtained,
"He took Albany College at zero and
brought it up to first class condition
The one quality which appealed to
the Board strongly was his great ex-
ecutive ability.
The splendid management of his
college, both from an intellectual and
business standpoint testifies to his
ability along these lines. He did not
seek the presidency of Alma college;
in fact, he did not even apply for it
but the attention of the Board was
attracted to his work and its results
by DR.. J. H. Boyd of Portland, Ore
gon, DR.. f. p Hill of Chicago, DR..
w. II. Faulkes of Philadelphia and
Secretary Mckenzie of the College
Poard of No,.y VorI-
He aroused the interest of James
J. Hill the multimillionaire in his
college and the latter responded with
gift Of fifty thousand dollars. In
the same way he attracted a large
number of prominent business and
financial men. One and all contribu-
ted to the endowment of the college.
This rose from nothing to over two
hundred thousand, and at the meet
ing of the Board of Trustees in June
it was indicated that the endowment
would be greatly increased in the
near future by further and larger
gifts.
Mr.. Crooks is married and has
three children and if he should ac-
cept the presidency of Alma College
he will move here not earlier than
Novmber of this year. No indication
has been made to the Board of Trust
ees of this college whether he will
accept or not though they rather an
ticipate that he will.
Prior to his period of years at AL
bany college that institution had been
headed by thirteen different presi-
dents in about thirty years. If there
is any virtue in remaining in office
the palm must go to Mr.. Crooks for
his ten-year stay.
DR.. Blaisdell will continue as Pres
ident of the college until about the
first of September. He will move
with his family to his new location
in about two weeks. Upon his de-
parture DR.. James M. Barkley of De-
troit, chairman of the Board of
Trustees, will be acting president and
will be called to Alma, as occasion
demands. The heads of the depart
ments and members of the faculty
will care for their various depart
ments in so far as the other interests
of the college are not concerned.