GOULD, Dr. William Steele "Bill"

GOULD, STEELE, CHEVILLE, FAUNCE, DARNELL

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/14/2016 at 10:50:28

Biography ~ Dr. William Steele "Bill" Gould
Graceland University, Lamoni, Iowa

Three gold seals from the college - three student years - thirty professional years as writer, dreamer, maker of pageants, laugh-maker, teacher, counselor, singer, preacher, administrator, and friend of the college all mark the years in which Bill Gould's life was so firmly woven into that of Graceland.

William Steele "Bill" Gould was born on August 14, 1914, in Independence, Missouri, the son of Herbert A. and Roberta P. (Steele) Gould. In his youth, Bill was a member of the Mt. Washington RLDS Congregation. He was a 1931 graduate from Northeast High School in Kansas City.

Bill came to Graceland where he was a student for three years, then enrolled at the University of Iowa where he obtained his B.A. degree in 1935 and his M.A. degree in 1936.

Bill taught at Central College in Pella, Iowa for three years before answering Graceland's call for an English and speech teacher in 1939.

Bill obtained his Ed.D. in the teaching of English at Columbia University Teachers College in 1950.

In addition to serving as teacher of English and speech, Bill served variously as he was needed: alumni director, dean of faculty, acting president [1956 and 1957-58], vice-president dean, in student recruitment, and as on of the main forces in moving the college from junior college to four-year accreditation. Bill was acting president when Graceland's first senior class graduated in the four-year religion major in 1958.

It was through Bill's efforts that a policy was established for women to be paid equally with their male counterparts. He laid the foundation for what became Graceland's English major. Other majors and programs, such as the intercultural affairs, are now [1972] emerging from this early planning.

Bill had suggested the idea of a winter term. After years of study, this program came into effect during January of 1971.

Bill's forte was teaching literature and he enjoyed writing poetry. He was known to add unique flaris to his classes, often playing his zither when the calss was studying English blaadas. His musical talentes were also evident when he regularly joined Roy Cheville and Roscoe Faunce as "The Bald Headed Balladeers" to sing Cigareets and Whusky and Wild, Wild Women for student crowds on vaious occasions.

Bill had just completed his 30th year at Graceland shortly before his last hospitalization. He died on August 20, 1969, at Kansas City, Kansas.

Charlotte Rose (Darnell) Gould died on December 3, 2010, at Bonners Ferry, Idaho, aged 97 years. They were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Lamoni, Iowa.

SOURCES:

Edwards, Paul M. "The Hilltop Where . . . An Informal History of Graceland College." Pp. 103, 133, 152-53. Venture Foundation. Lamoni IA. 1972.

Goehner, David. “The Graceland College Book of Knowledge: From A To Z.” Pp. 409-10. Herald House. Independence MO. 1997.

Charlotte Rose (Darnell) Gould obituary

Rose Hill Cemetery transcription

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2016

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