Samantha Moore, History 250: The Historian Craft, Fall 2022

World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II took the nation by storm, leaving educational institutions such as the University of Nebraska to manage their own devices without outside aid. Many people now would say that the university is dedication to the education and advancements of students and programs, however, this was not always the case. During time of national struggle, chancellors and deans were strained trying to balance students’ education and faculty employment. Charles Henry Oldfather, a Classical historian and linguist, came to the University of Nebraska during this time of crisis and shaped the College of Arts and Sciences to refocus on educational advancement for faculty and students alike.

Charles Oldfather began his career in higher education in 1902 at Hanover College in Indiana. He graduated from Hanover in 1906, receiving his Bachelor of Arts; and in 1911, he attended McCormick’s Theological Seminary where he received his Bachelor of Divinity. From there, Oldfather attended many institutions to further his education. In 1922, he graduated from the University of Wisconsin where he received his Doctorate in Philosophy. After earning his Ph. D., he pursued graduate studies and research opportunities in Illinois and Munich, Germany. Due to his academic accomplishments, Hanover College bestowed to him an honorary Doctor or Law degree in 1933. Oldfather’s career as an educator began in 1912 at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon where he taught English until 1914. He then traveled back to the United States where he taught at two colleges: Hanover and Wabash, until he came to the University of Nebraska in 1926 where he held many crucial positions.[1]

At the University of Nebraska, Charles Oldfather held many different positions throughout his career. He was a Professor of Ancient History from 1929 to 1932, the Chair of the Department of History from 1929-1946,[2] and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, also known as CAS, from 1932 to 1952.[3] As an educator, Oldfather had six lessons that he taught to students, the most significant being “History teaches us not to be in a big hurry: there is substance to the saying that ‘a generation which does not know its history is condemned to repeat it’: a reading of history will tend to show us that no form of government, no social doctrine or “ism” has the whole answer.”[4] These lessons were what Dr. Oldfather took throughout his career, and what he hoped to implement in CAS. During his time as dean, he made it known that he wanted to change the program structure and refocus it to be more centered on the education and advancements of students.[5] As seen throughout his career, Oldfather himself held education very closely to his heart. He was dedicated to the Classics, teaching, and wanted to expand his beliefs throughout the department. Due to global issues, however, Oldfather had to focus more on faculty level problems than student opportunities.

Wages and salaries were a sensitive topic to many Americans in the years following the Great Depression, especially at the university. While serving as Dean, Dr. Oldfather dealt with many different issues surrounding the College of Arts and Sciences, many of them focusing on the salary of faculty. Oldfather had many interactions with Chancellor C. S. Boucher about the issues faculty had regarding their pay. W. S Gregory, a Professor of Social Sciences, wrote to the Dean and the Chancellor about a title change and pay increase, as well as a position with a new program offered by the university.[6] After sending his letter to the Chancellor and Oldfather, Gregory, for unknown reasons, withdrew his request and profusely apologized for demanding changes.[7] The next day, Oldfather contacted the Chancellor and suggested that the situation be forgiven. The Dean wrote in his letter to the Chancellor “We can all understand, I am sure, why financial worries may have cause Mr. Gregory to be as concerned as he was and to write as he did.”[8] In situations such as W. S Gregory’s, Oldfather had to oversee concerns faculty had about their finances, but still showed respect and understanding to the other party.

There were other circumstances similar to W. S. Gregory that Oldfather experienced, but they concerned the monetary expenses of the college. In the case of Raymond Pool, a professor who asked for a conference trip to Dallas be funded.[9] Oldfather had to consider many factors before making his decision. Although the Dean himself was very adamant about providing opportunities for both faculty and students, he could not ignore the limited resources of the college and university. World War II proved to be detrimental on the university as many professors were absent and money for the institutions was stretched thin. Oldfather contacted Chancellor Boucher about Dr. Pool to come to a decision in a timely manner. In the end, both the Chancellor and the Dean concluded to decline Professor Pool’s request.[10] It was denied because of the limited funds the university had.[11] Pool’s request also sparked a conversation between the Dean and Chancellor about creating a separate account for funding traveling expenses when the university would be financially stable.[12]

The University had two chancellors between the years 1932 and 1952, C. S. Boucher and Rueben Gustavson, both of whom Oldfather frequently worked with. Gustavson was chancellor from 1946 to 1953. Within that time, both Gustavson and Oldfather were facing the aftereffects of World War II head on. The war not only affected admissions, but it also created problems on the faculty level. Similar to issues he dealt with in the early 1930s, Oldfather had to oversee more disputes regarding employment. He believed that people deserved to be given the titles and salary they worked hard to earn, and he often advocated to promote professors he felt were not getting proper recognition. For instance, in 1947, the chair of UNL’s Psychology Department suddenly resigned.[13] Gustavson and Oldfather were both searching to find a replacement, to which Oldfather was quick to recommend Mr. Donald W. Dysinger. The Dean felt that he was highly qualified and a well-liked person for the job, so he recommended him to the Chancellor. In the letter to Chancellor Gustavson from May 21, 1947, Oldfather wrote in a very respective tone about why he was recommending Mr. Dysinger for the position.[14] Even though the Dean did not get a direct response from the Chancellor, he wrote about Dysinger with such high regard and admiration because he believed the professor deserved the position.

Oldfather not only advocated for faculty members he also brought new opportunities and programs to the College of Arts and Sciences. In August of 1946, the Smithsonian Institution drafted and sent a proposal to the University of Nebraska asking if they could use a space in the basement of Love Library for their Missouri River Basin project.[15] In this proposal, the Smithsonian Institution wrote that they were invited by the University to use the space within the Anthropology Department but would like to expand into the basement for more room and more extensive research.[16] This program was intended to bring more opportunities to the field of anthropology and to those studying the material. Oldfather, wanting to provide more educational opportunities for CAS, was very adamant about approving the lease of the library space. In a letter addressed to the Chancellor, Oldfather wrote that he felt responsible for getting the approval of this program because Anthropology is a part of the CAS.[17] He also included a copy of the proposal and hinted at an upcoming project he and other colleagues were working on:

Oldfather wanted to express to Gustavson the importance of approving the library space, as it would be the first of many projects to bring about new opportunities within the college. Toward the end of Oldfather’s career and as global strife began to lessen, he was able to connect with students on a closer, but still professional level. Although still the acting dean of CAS, Oldfather had more time to do interviews that allowed him to reiterate his passion for education. In an article from The Daily Nebraskan, Oldfather talked about not only his academic philosophies, but also his adoration for the study of history. Having taught and worked in administration during major global events, Oldfather made it a point in the article to encourage the study of history. He said, “History is now being taught more and more through social and economic interpretation of events than through dry compiling of dates… history puts old heads on young shoulders,”[19] highlighting the sudden urge many people had to learn history in different ways. The Dean then went on to talk about how CAS was a unique college due to the programs it offered and how it taught subjects in the main divisions of knowledge. Throughout the article, Oldfather commemorated students in CAS and encouraged their studies whether it be in history or other programs.[20]

The dean also partook in a handful of articles where he gave small details of his personal opinions on modern life. In the article “Dean Oldfather Encourages Study of History,” Oldfather gave his opinions on modern art and radio and whether he liked them or not. His response to his take on modern art was an unprecedented one, as he said he was “not very happy about modernistic painting.”[21] As Oldfather was a classical historian, his artistic tastes tended to resemble that of the classical period. His opinions and preferences about the radio, however, were more academic than classic, as he said he regularly listened to news programs such as Elmer Davis and the News – a program that primarily reported on the events of World War II. After each response, however, Oldfather gave an explanation as to why he had those preferences. His reasoning for not liking modern art was because it was not as pleasing as classical art, and it did not spark the same happy emotion as classical art sometimes does. For radio, Oldfather felt that its influence could be enormous in the field of education and provide true appreciation for better things in life. These articles gave the dean a chance to open up about his personal tastes, but also to show how enthusiastic he was about ancient history and education.[22]

After his retirement in 1952 and his death in 1954, the University dedicated Oldfather Hall to Charles Henry Oldfather. Meant to represent a new center for faculty and students alike, Oldfather Hall housed a variety of departments and offices, such as the Deans office, Botany, Mathematics, History, and more.[23] The twelve-story structure was open to the university in 1970. The previous year, however, the university held a dedication ceremony where the building was introduced followed by a string of speeches. At this dedication ceremony, the new Chancellor, Chancellor Shosnik, said that Oldfather Hall was meant to represent new beginnings and growth within the university and the college itself, just like the ideals that Oldfather carried throughout his career. Not only was the building a tribute to the late Dean, but it was also a symbol of a new era in the college of Arts and Sciences.

There were many speeches given at the dedication ceremony, the most significant being those of Oldfather’s family. The talks given by the former Dean’s family members represented different aspects of the dedication ceremony. The speech from the late Dean’s son, Professor Charles H. Oldfather Jr., (seen in figure 2)[25] expressed that Oldfather Hall represents the very ideals his father cared most about: creativity, skill, and hard work.[26] He also spoke on his father’s behalf, saying that Oldfather would see the building as a place where the imagination could be kindled with education.[27] Another relative who was present at the dedication ceremony was Oldfather’s nephew, Dr. Edwin Oldfather Reischauer, who briefly presented a lecture on Japanese history.[28] Although they spoke on different topics, both Professor Oldfather and Dr. Oldfather addressed how Oldfather Hall was a place for creativity and academics.

The University of Nebraska experienced hardships during the 1930s to the 1950s. Many programs were not centered on student’s education, and much of the faculty had qualms between their titles and salaries, especially in the College of Arts and Sciences. The university needed someone to tackle faculty-wide issues and reshape the college and that person was Charles Oldfather. Throughout his time at the university, he dealt with many problems between faculty, all while trying to bring as many opportunities for students to campus as possible. When he died in 1954, less than a decade later Oldfather Hall was constructed in memory of the Dean and all that he brought to the university. Although there were instances where Dr. Oldfather had to turn away requests made by faculty and students, today Oldfather Hall houses programs that align with the ideals he hoped to implement into the college. Programs like Education Abroad and Career Services offer students opportunities to travel around the world or enhance their skills, just as Oldfather advocated for during his time as dean.  

Endnotes

1. “University of Nebraska News Service,” Sunday, October 12, 1969, University of
   Nebraska – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
2. Dedication program, “Charles Henry Oldfather Hall,” 1969, folder 3, box 19, University
   of Nebraska-Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
3. University Communications, “C.H. Oldfather,” Nebraska U, accessed April 28,
   2022, https://unlhistory.unl.edu/items/show/1754
4. Dean Oldfather Encourages Study of History,” The Daily Nebraskan, March 12, 1948,
   folder 16, box 221, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
5. “Dean Oldfather Encourages Study of History,” The Daily Nebraskan, March 12, 1948,
   folder 16, box 221, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
6. W. S. Gregory to C. S. Boucher, April 15, 1940, folder 3, box 3, University of Nebraska
   – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
7. W. S. Gregory to Charles Oldfather and C. S. Boucher, April 19, 1940, folder 3, box 3,
   University of Nebraska – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
8. Oldfather to C. S. Boucher, April 20, 1940, folder 3, box 3, University of Nebraska –
   Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
9. Raymond Pool to Charles Oldfather, December 5, 1941, folder 3, box 3, University of
   Nebraska – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
10. Charles Oldfather to Raymond Pool, December 6, 1941, folder 3, box 3, University of
    Nebraska – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
11. C.S Boucher to Charles Oldfather, December 8, 1941, folder 3, box 3, University of
    Nebraska-Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
12. C.S Boucher to Charles Oldfather, December 8, 1941, folder 3, box 3, University of
    Nebraska-Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
13. Charles Oldfather to Rueben Gustavson, May 21, 1947, folder 5, box 5, University of
    Nebraska – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
14. Charles Oldfather to Rueben Gustavson, May 21, 1947, folder 5, box 5, University of
    Nebraska – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
15. Smithsonian Institution to Rueben Gustavson, August 10, 1946, Memorandum
    Regarding Quarters for the Missouri River Basin Survey, folder 5, box 5, University of Nebraska
    – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
16. Smithsonian Institution to Rueben Gustavson, August 10, 1946, Memorandum
    Regarding Quarters for the Missouri River Basin Survey, folder 5, box 5, University of Nebraska
    – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
17. Charles Oldfather to Rueben Gustavson, August 10, 1946, folder 5, box 5, University
    of Nebraska – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
18. Charles Oldfather to Rueben Gustavson, August 10, 1946, folder 5, box 5, University
    of Nebraska – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
19. “Dean Oldfather Encourages Study of History,” The Daily Nebraskan, March 12, 1948,
    folder 16, box 221, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
20. “Dean Oldfather Encourages Study of History,” The Daily Nebraskan, March 12, 1948,
    folder 16, box 221, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
21. “Dean Oldfather Encourages Study of History,” The Daily Nebraskan, March 12, 1948,
    folder 16, box 221, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
22. “Dean Oldfather Encourages Study of History,” The Daily Nebraskan, March 12, 1948,
    folder 16, box 221, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
23. “Oldfather Hall Dedicated to the College of Arts and Sciences,” 1969, folder 3, box 19,
    University of Nebraska – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
24. Soshnik, Joseph, “Remarks for Oldfather Hall Dedication,” The Role of Arts and
    Sciences in Modern Society, (1969), folder 3, box 19, University of Nebraska – Lincoln Archives
    and Special Collections
25. “Oldfather Hall #4”, 1969, folder 3, box 3, University of Nebraska – Lincoln Archives
    and Special Collections
26. Oldfather, Charles H. Jr., “Remarks at Dedication of Oldfather Hall” (1969), folder 3,
    box 19, University of Nebraska – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
27. Oldfather, Charles H. Jr., “Remarks at Dedication of Oldfather Hall” (1969), folder 3,
    box 19, University of Nebraska – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
28. “University of Nebraska News Service,” Sunday, October 13, 1969, folder 3, box 19,
    University of Nebraska – Lincoln Archives & Special Collections

Bibliography

• C.S Boucher to Charles Oldfather, December 8, 1941, folder 3, box 3, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
• Dean Oldfather Encourages Study of History,” The Daily Nebraskan, March 12, 1948, folder 16, box 221, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
• Dedication program, “Charles Henry Oldfather Hall,” 1969, folder 3, box 19, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
• Gregory, W. S. to Boucher, C. S., April 15, 1940, folder 3, box 3, University of Nebraska – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
• Gregory, W. S. to Oldfather, Charles and Boucher, C. S., April 19, 1940, folder 3, box 3, University of Nebraska – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
• Oldfather, Charles to Boucher, C. S., April 20, 1940, folder 3, box 3, University of Nebraska – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
• Oldfather, Charles to Gustavson, Rueben, May 21, 1947, folder 5, box 5, University of Nebraska – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
• Oldfather, Charles to Gustavson, Rueben, August 10, 1946, folder 5, box 5, University of Nebraska – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
• Oldfather, Charles to Pool, Raymond, December 6, 1941, folder 3, box 3, University of Nebraska – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
• Oldfather, Charles H. Jr., “Remarks at Dedication of Oldfather Hall” (1969), folder 3, box 19, University of Nebraska – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
• “Oldfather Hall Dedicated to the College of Arts and Sciences,” 1969, folder 3, box 19, University of Nebraska – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
• “Oldfather Hall #4”, 1969, folder 3, box 3, University of Nebraska – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
• Pool, Raymond to Charles Oldfather, December 5, 1941, folder 3, box 3, University of Nebraska – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
• Smithsonian Institution to Rueben Gustavson, August 10, 1946, Memorandum Regarding Quarters for the Missouri River Basin Survey, folder 5, box 5, University of Nebraska – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
• Soshnik, Joseph, “Remarks for Oldfather Hall Dedication,” The Role of Arts and Sciences in Modern Society, (1969), folder 3, box 19, University of Nebraska – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
• University Communications, “C.H. Oldfather,” Nebraska U, accessed April 28, 2022, https://unlhistory.unl.edu/items/show/1754 “University of Nebraska News Service,” Sunday, October 12, 1969, University of Nebraska – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections
• “University of Nebraska News Service,” Sunday, October 13, 1969, folder 3, box 19, University of Nebraska – Lincoln Archives and Special Collections