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July 4, 2009

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Walter P. Morgan’s bumpy road to college president

By Mike McCormick

Walter Piety Morgan first arrived in Macomb, Ill., on Feb. 26, 1912 during a raging snowstorm.

A native of Vigo Country and, for two years, superintendent of Terre Haute Public Schools, he had been invited by John E. McGilvrey, acting president of Western Illinois State Normal School, to discuss a faculty position.

When the conference with Professor McGilvrey ended, Morgan was named head of the Department of Education and director of the Western Illinois Training School.

Four months later he was appointed president of the college which, according to Western Illinois University historian Victor Hicken, jolted “the institution from portal to portal.”

Morgan later told Hicken he was hired “to be groomed to be college president” and promised the position by the trustees. Board minutes are silent on the topic.

The only son of William Riley and Nancy (Piety) Morgan, Walter was born Dec. 30, 1871 in Prairie Creek Township and graduated from Prairie Creek High School in 1888.

William Morgan wanted his son to be a farmer but Walter had other ideas. He enrolled at Indiana State Normal in Terre Haute, attending classes in the spring and summer while teaching at country schools during the winter. Years later, he would drive through rural communities pointing out the hazards of farm life to his passengers.

Morgan earned a college degree from Indiana State in 1895 and became a mathematics teacher at Terre Haute (later Wiley) High School for four years. He secured an A.B. from Indiana University in 1900 after one year in Bloomington.

Walter joined the Indiana State faculty in September 1900 as a math instructor. While teaching college, he was chosen assistant superintendent of the Terre Haute Public Schools, effective at the commencement of the 1901-02 school year.

On Aug. 1, 1906, Morgan succeeded William H. Wiley as superintendent. Replacing Wiley was a formidable task. He was much revered, having served the Terre Haute school system since 1865, first as principal of Voorhees School and Terre Haute High School (1865-1870) and, then, as superintendent of schools (1869-1906).

When Morgan was seeking a promotion, Terre Haute City Councilman James D. Weeks championed his candidacy. Weeks and Morgan were cousins. Vigo County judge James E. Piety was Walter’s brother-in-law and Oklahoma congressman Dick Thompson Morgan, a lawyer and former Terre Haute newspaper publisher, was his father’s cousin.

Within months of Morgan’s appointment, rumors surfaced that he was alienating some school trustees, administrators and teachers.

Walter survived the first year but, in June 1908, it was apparent he would not survive another. On June 13, 1908, a “secret meeting” was conducted at school trustee Tom Kehoe’s office in the Rose Dispensary building. The names of those attending was not revealed but councilman Weeks was present. Since no reason had been revealed as to why Walter was disliked, Weeks inquired as to the superintendent’s work performance.

The only news released was that Walter “was not satisfactory to the board.”

Once notified of the decision, Morgan was given the opportunity to resign. He refused. Nevertheless, when inquiry was made regarding the superintendent’s future, the board responded that he had “resigned.” Board members explained that there was no desire “humiliate Professor Morgan or to minimize the value of his services.”

The Saturday Spectator, Terre Haute’s popular weekly tabloid, reported “on good authority, that Morgan was told he lacked tact and sympathy, had a curt and overbearing disposition and was unsuccessful in getting the best work out of teachers.”

At a special school board meeting on June 19, James H. Tomlin, superintendent of the Shelbyville (Ind.) Public Schools for 14 years, was named superintendent. Walter was present at the meeting but did not speak. A petition was circulated asking to board to retain Morgan but it was not tendered to the board.

Tomlin was well known throughout Indiana but particularly in the Wabash Valley. Before serving as superintendent in Shelbyville, he was superintendent of the Clinton schools for nine years. He also had stints heading schools in Rockport and Princeton. An Indiana State Normal alumnus, he was a member of its board of trustees for 15 years.

Professor Tomlin was a popular administrator though he opposed the creation of Garfield High School, believing Terre Haute was best served with one central high school. He resigned in 1910 — shortly after agreeing to a contract for a third year — to accept a “flattering offer” from the Evansville public schools.

The school board promptly sought a replacement but two prospects refused to accept a job offer. School board member Wiley was acting superintendent until Charles J. Waits, Tomlin’s successor, was chosen. A native of Carlisle and a graduate of Indiana State Normal, Waits was the Wiley High School principal for six years.

Meanwhile, ex-superintendent Morgan pursued graduate work at the University of Chicago, earning a masters degree there in 1909. While residing in the Windy City, he taught math at Englewood High School and Chicago University High School.

Morgan probably knew McGilvrey, a Parke County native and an 1890 Indiana State Normal grad. Since graduating from college, John had served in many positions including superintendent of Rosedale schools and principal of Paris (Ill.) High School.

McGilvrey served as interim president of Western Illinois after the death of President Alfred Bayliss. In 1912, he became founding president of Kent State University.

During Morgan’s 30-year reign as president of Western Illinois, the college became one of the “Top 20 Normal Schools in America.” Outlawing fraternities and sororities, he banned smoking, chewing, drinking and dancing.

Personality traits that doomed him in Terre Haute intimidated those who opposed him in Macomb. A strict and decisive leader, Morgan was always right and he knew it! The college he nurtured grew slowly but it grew.

Morgan reluctantly became president emeritus at age 70 on Sept. 1, 1942. He died in Macomb, at age 86, on March 31, 1958.

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