Two years ago, before we had even begun to contemplate a commemorative magazine in honor of the college’s 2005 centennial, we received a letter to the editor that inspired one feature for the magazine you hold in your hands. Alumnus Roger Adams’s influential e-mail said:

June 1, 2003

I would appreciate a series of articles about the “Giants of the College” from past years. Many of my giants such as Guy Bond, Gordon Mork, and Marcia Edwards are long gone, but some like Ted Clymer are still alive. Please consider this possibility.

Intrigued by this idea and with the centennial on our minds, we replied to Dr. Adams to ask for more of his thoughts on this topic of “giants.” His reply was:

June 3, 2003

Asking me why I named several people “Giants” turns out to be quite interesting. Guy Bond I identified because of his national and international reputation in the field of reading. In his era he was known to anyone interested in reading instruction. I worked for Gordon Mork for two years as a supervisor of elementary student teaching. To me he was the consummate administrator. Focused, interested in perfection, but gentle and supportive. Marcia Edwards I admired from “afar,” having never worked for her directly. In recent years I have reflected that she came along far before her time. She was an extremely capable person and in this era would be a dean or a president of a prestigious institution, but in the ’50s and ’60s she hit the glass ceiling as an associate dean. Finally, Ted Clymer was my Ph.D. adviser. He was very supportive and but for his gentle prodding I would have never finished my dissertation.

This is not the end of my list of “Giants,” but I’m glad I didn’t name any more to you as this exercise is taxing my elderly brain.

As a result of this correspondence, Link alumni magazine began to solicit the opinions of all of our alumni, inviting our readers to nominate giants of the college. Below are the replies that this request generated, in the order they were received.

Nov. 11, 2003

I would like to nominate Norine Odland. She was instrumental in bringing together courses for a master’s and Ph.D. major in children’s literature. She was consistently supportive, knowledgeable, aware, and concerned about the needs of her students. To me and others in the children’s literature field she is a “Giant.”

Nov. 13, 2003

My strong nomination for a “Giant” is William Edson. For many years he was the head of the Student Personnel Office which later became the Education Career Development Office. He was also a full professor in educational psychology.

He was a national leader, as well as a campus leader, in student personnel work in higher education. His influence was felt, directly and indirectly, by thousands of undergraduate and graduate students.

Thanks.

Nov. 13, 2003

When I attended the University of Minnesota, two people stood out as faculty members. Dr. Graham who taught children’s theatre and creative dramatics in 1952. He was an inspiration for those who took his courses. Gerald B. Fitzgerald, lecturer in hospital recreation and other recreation courses, was a pioneer in his field. His work formed the foundation for therapeutic recreation as a profession in dealing with the mentally ill in the medical settings.

Cheers.

Nov. 15, 2003

Dora V. Smith (my doctoral adviser), Emma Birkmaier, Ruth Eckert, Guy L. Bond, Edith West, Palmer Johnson, Leo Brueckner.

Nov. 18, 2003

Don’t forget Leo Brueckner, the math man, and Edgar Bruce Wesley in social studies.

Nov. 26, 2003

I wish to suggest John C. Manning as a giant of the college. His energy and vitality were infectious to those who were fortunate to be his students. His commitment to the highest needs of children is unsurpassed by colleagues. 

Dec. 1, 2003

I think the “Giants” idea is a fine one. Roger Adams was right on target with his nomination of Marcia Edwards.

I nominate E. Paul Torrance, who was the subject of the feature article of “In Memoriam” (Link, fall 2003).

Sincerely,

Dec. 2, 2003

I’d like to nominate Dora V. Smith as a giant. She taught my children’s literature class in the ’40s and also taught Teaching of English, I believe. An inspiring lecturer and a person interested in her students.

Dec. 3, 2003

As I read the brief article, “They might be giants,” I agreed with Roger Adams that people such as Guy Bond, Gordon Mork, and Marcia Edwards were giants. They also were to me. Without Marcia Edwards, I might not have been able to come to Minnesota.

There are two additional individuals who played more than significant roles in the education of doctoral students as well as faculty members: Clyde Parker and William Edson. Dr. Parker filled the shoes of Gilbert C. Wrenn at a time when the impact of the death of President Kennedy and our involvement in Vietnam was guiding student development in many different directions. Dr. Edson, on the same line, was a trainer of student personnel leaders. His quiet demands on the students who worked for him in the college helped to provide the core of student personnel administrators and counseling educators across a wide sector of the country. I personally am highly indebted to both of them for my growth and behavior.

Dec. 11, 2003

I graduated from the University in 1947 (B.S.) with a major in home economics education. I had several courses in the College of Education, some of which were not very challenging, until I had a course in educational philosophy from Theodore Brameld—it must have been 1946 or 1947. Dr. Brameld was an impressive person. I particularly remember the time he discussed controversial issues and the need for education to deal with them. At that time there was beginning to be much concern about communism and that teaching about communism was dangerous because some people might be attracted to it! Dr. Brameld said, “If learning about communism wins out over learning about democracy, then democracy is not very strong.”  I have carried and applied this thought to many issues and matters over the 60 years in my career at Michigan State University and in my personal life. What he taught is as vital today as it was in the 1940s. 

May 24, 2004

I should like to nominate as a GIANT Stanley Kegler, Ph.D., 1958, professor, associate dean, department chair, acting dean, associate vice president and vice president, 1964 to 1993, retired.

June 28, 2004

I would like to recommend William Ammentorp as a “Giant of the College.”  He, through decades of service, has educated and mentored hundreds of school principals, superintendents, college presidents, and other educational leaders—myself included. His thinking, kindness, and passion have influenced educational policy across the country and the world. As I leave Minnesota to assume the presidency of Front Range Community College in Denver, Bill’s footprints will extend to the Rocky Mountains as well.

Feb. 15, 2005

One individual that still comes to mind is Emma Birkmaier. She made a positive impression on me and gave me considerable inspiration. Memories of my education at the U are positive.

A small memoir

From 1968 to 1972, I trained for a career in elementary education. This period of my life was focused by a very important mentor named Dr. Norine Odland.

By the time I met her, Dr. Odland had achieved a solid and remarkable reputation for scholastic rigor and achievement in the field of children’s literature. Norine represented a generation of women scholars at the University of Minnesota who took the term seriously.

After I married and a few years later, when my daughter Rachel was born, Norine gifted her like a grandniece. She often gave Rachel books and once a little rag doll of Ramona the Brave.

Today, I know that Norine embodies concepts strong in my memory and my ethic. Steadfast is one word that comes to mind. Punctual. Generous. Disciplined. Trustworthy.

So this small memoir is written in tribute to Dr. R. Norine Odland, 1919 to 2002. Women in academia now walk through doors opened by leaders like Norine Odland, and I hope that we can be as steadfast in our commitment to honesty and integrity in both mentoring and teaching.