Studying the History of Higher Education Journal

"In Great Degree of Spirit": Higher Education Studies at the University of Toledo

Snejana Slantcheva-Durst — 2024-05-10

The University of Toledo’s Higher Education program and its Russel Center for the Study of Higher Education host the SHHE Journal. This first article provides a historical account of their origins and growth. The beginnings of higher education studies at the University of Toledo marks a significant milestone in the institution’s history. Introduced in 1960 at the doctoral level, the Higher Education program was amongst the pioneers of doctoral education at the municipal Toledo University. Its faculty awarded some of the first doctoral degrees at the university and established the first interdisciplinary research center on higher education studies in the state of Ohio. Drawing on archival resources and secondary research, this article examines the broader context of doctoral education in the United States and Ohio, the visionary leadership of the education faculty who championed the cause of graduate education, and the expansion of the program through its own department and research center. Despite many challenges, the Higher Education program and its research center thrived and evolved over the decades. Today, the program boasts more than 650 graduates while its alumni serve institutions of higher education nationwide.

“adapt a large part of the institution to the Navy’s special needs”: The Navy Japanese Language

Dana Parcher — 2024-05-10

The onset of World War II drove the American government to seek support from universities across the nation to educate officers in the service in the language and customs of Japan. The University of Colorado Boulder played a significant role in hosting the U.S. Navy Japanese Language School from 1942 to 1946, and in training officers in the Japanese language. Many of the school’s graduates contributed significantly to the war efforts. This article explores the origins and evolution of the Japanese Language School at CU Boulder, providing a historical overview of the factors behind the school’s formation and the actions of its organizer Commander Albert E. Hindmarsh. Rooted in primary and secondary sources, including those from the University of Colorado Boulder libraries archives, the article traces the school’s establishment in the context of the strained relations between the U.S. and Japan, and discusses the invaluable role of its graduates to the war effort. In addition to teaching the Japanese language, the school and its teachers played a critical role in fostering positive relationships with the locals and addressing stereotypes. Graduates, both men and women, forged careers in diverse fields, becoming ambassadors for Japanese culture and language. The legacy of the Boulder school lives on in the various Japanese language programs existing across the country and in the personal transformations of those involved.

The Methodist Theological School in Ohio and the “Easter Assault on Racial Barriers”

Lee Richards — 2024-05-10

This article traces the stories of four faculty members of the Methodist Theological School in Ohio (MTSO) who, alongside other individuals, were jailed for their integration activism in Jackson, Mississippi in March of 1964. The four faculty members included Van Bogard “Bogie” Dunn, Everett Tilson, Paul Minus, and Jeffrey Hooper. All four were outspoken supporters of racial equality before their arrest, and the persecution they and their fellow protestors faced did not prevent them from voicing their position. Their actions played a pivotal role in organizing for change across the Methodist church and its subsequent desegregation. This historical analysis discusses the events around the arrests in Jackson, Mississippi, and the consequences thereafter. The narrative is based on archival sources and available research on the period.

A Pioneer Campus Center: The Creation of the University of Michigan's Human Sexuality Office

Carolani Green — 2024-05-10

This essay focuses on the creation of the Human Sexuality Office at the University of Michigan, the first official LGBTQ+ center at a university in the United States. The Human Sexuality Office opened in the Fall of 1971 spearheaded by graduate student Jim Toy, but also with support from local LGBTQ+ groups and university staff, students, and faculty. This historical essay traces the opening of the Human Sexuality Office, the role of its main founder Jim Toy, the resistance against it, and its first year in operation. In addition, the essay provides an overview of the environment surrounding the office’s opening, including national attitudes and activism regarding the LGBTQ+ community during the 1960s and early 1970s. I rooted this historical analysis in primary and secondary documents from the University of Michigan’s Bentley Historical Library and its collection of documents related to the Human Sexuality Office, now known as the Spectrum Center, and its founder Jim Toy.

The Myth Behind the Mask: Blue Crew Secret Spirit Society at The University of Toledo - Recollections of a Founder

Donovan Nichols — 2024-05-10

This article traces the history of the origins and evolution of Blue Crew, a secret spirit society at The University of Toledo (UToledo), through the recollections of one of the organization’s co-founders. Secret societies have existed on U.S. college campuses since 1750; however, Blue Crew’s unique characteristics and dedication to enhancing school spirit set it apart from other institutions’ secret societies. Founded in 2000, Blue Crew consists of 10 student members whose identities are hidden behind masks, wigs, and overalls. This secret society is devoted to building community and improving the campus culture by promoting university traditions. This article provides a rare glimpse at the organization’s beginnings and its positive influence on campus. The co-founder’s firsthand account pairs with archival resources to detail the creation, development, and unique characteristics of Blue Crew, including its purpose, name origins, hidden identities, distinct uniforms, “demasking” process, and challenges experienced throughout the years. Today, Blue Crew is a thriving society with over 130 total initiated members, an alumni association, and an endowment fund that financially supports its members and activities.

Editorial Introduction

Snejana Durst — 2024-05-10