STEWART, Rolland MacLaren

STEWART, ANDERSON

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/26/2016 at 01:48:58

Biography ~ Rolland MacLaren Stewart
Graceland University, Lamoni, Iowa

Rolland MacLaren Stewart was born in November of 1878, in Winslow, Illinois. His early education was in Winslow and his preparatory school training was at Western College, present-day Coe College in Iowa.

At the age of 17, Stewart began his teaching career in the rural schools of Wisconsin and Illinois. He earned an A.B. degree at the University of Iowa in 1904, where he was one of four men among fourteen students elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

Stewart joined Graceland's faculty as professor of education, Greek and English in 1904. He was appointed as the first vice president on January 15, 1905. He became the third person to officially serve as Graceland College President, filling that role from June 1905 until 1908. His presidency followed the second term of Ernest Dewsnup, who had recommended the appointment of a vice president for the college, and preceded that of David Anderson. Stewart was known as an advocate of developing campus life.

Stewart earned his B.A. degree from the University of Iowa in 1904 and completed his Ph.D. there in 1912. While earning his degrees at the University of Iowa, he served as a teaching assistant. After leaving Graceland, Stewart was on the education staff at the University of Iowa teaching courses in psychology and education until 1918, when joined the education faculty at Cornell University. Stewart was a member of the Department of Rural Education which was then in a formative stage in the State College of Agriculture.

Coincident with Stewart's tenure at Cornell, Congress passed the National Vocational Education Act, creating an immediate need for teachers of vocational subjects, including agriculture, for the secondary schools. Due largely to Stewart's influence and leadership, with the support of other early members of the Department of Rural Education, Cornell University rapidly became the leading institution in two phases of agricultural education - develpment of an undergraduate program preparing teachers of agriculture for secondary schools, and develop a graduate program for leaders in the field of vocational education in agriculture. Cornell's prominence remained throughout Stewart's tenure at Cornell, during which period well over a hundred graduate students studied under his direction and attained leadership positions in vocational education throughout the United States and abroad. Stewart insisted upon a continuous program of research as the basis for charting growth and development. He was instrumental in the organization of a research committee for the agricultural education section of the American Vocational Association and served as a member for more than 25 years, the last eleven as chairman. He edited and contributed to the first publication of the committee, which listed over 800 studies completed throughout the country, many of these under his direction.

Steward became head of the Department of Rural Education in 1944, and in 1946 was named director of the School of Education. From 1927 through 1934 he was director of the summer session for the state college units at Cornell. He also taught in summer sessions at Purdue University, the University of Kentucky, and Hampton Institute.

Dr. Stewart retired in 1947.

Stewart’s published works have been extensive. Included was one of the earliest and most widely used text and reference books in his field, Teaching Agricultural Vocations, with A. K. Getman as co-author. In addition to the many bulletins and papers he published, he was contributor to or editor for other publications, including an early encyclopedia entitled Book of Rural Life.

Following his retirement in 1946, Dr. Stewart conducted a survey of the Negro institutions of higher education in the South at the request of the General Education Board. This gained for him much commendation from both the institutions served and the Board for his assistance and advice in upgrading standards and programs. The sincere, conscientious, and knowledgeable manner in which he approached and conducted this assignment was characteristic of the relationships that he had established earlier in the University and the profession.

Always active in matters related to the public welfare of the community, Dr. Stewart was identified with the local chapter of Red Cross for about 25 years, serving as chairman during the last eleven years preceding retirement. He was a member of long standing in Rotary and St. Paul’s Methodist Church. He held membership in the professional organizations of Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Delta Kappa, Kappa Phi Kappa, American Vocational Association, National Education Association, National Society of College Teachers of Education, National Society for the Study of Education, Society for the Advancement of Education, and the American Association of University Professors.

Dr. Stewart died on June 12, 1963, at his residence in Williston Park, Long Island, where he and Mrs. Stewart, the former Hattie R. Philips, had resided since his retirement. In addition to Mrs. Stewart he is survived by a son, Harold P. Stewart of the same address, and a brother, Oliver M. Stewart of Winslow, Illinois.

Dr. Stewart was one of Graceland's few leaders who was not part of the RLDS faith, having membership in the Methodist Church.

He is the namesake of Stewart Manor, which was first used as the name of the men's basic residence unit in 1956 and then as a residence hall house in 1962.

SOURCES:

Dean of University Faculty. "Memorial Statement for Professor Rolland Maclaren Stewart ." Cornell University. Ithaca NY. 1963.

Goehner, David. "The Graceland College Book of Knowledge: From A To Z." p. 442. Herald House. Independence MO. 1997.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2016

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