Leading by Example: How JJC's First President Helped Shape the Future of Community Colleges in Illinois

2010·0.54 MB·English

by  Joliet Junior College

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JJC’S FIRST PRESIDENT HELPED SHAPE THE
UTURE OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN ILLINOIS
Y EXAMPLE
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Much like the community college
he served, Joliet Junior College’s
first president Elmer Rowley was
many things to many people.
For some, he was a respected leader in Illinois higher
education legislation. For others, he was a steadfast
advocate of progressive college programs in a postwar
world. To his five children—who all attended Joliet Junior
College—he was a thoughtful, dependable and dedicated
. v #* - ~v., V -/i father.
Born in 1909, Elmer Wells Rowley spent the beginning
years of his childhood on a farm in Montana. His mother
had graduated from high school, and his father attended
school through the second grade, as was common in the
early days, and then stayed home to assist with the
work, Rowley’s son John, said.
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e
a
the Board of Education districts. At the time, the college d
i
hired him to become dean fell under the jurisdiction of the high n
g
of the college in response to school board, and received no funding
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ballooning postwar enrollments from the state. y

and the need to broaden the E
“He lobbied members of the state x
college curriculum. Rowley a
legislature on important issues, m
would occupy this role for the
served on national committees of p
next 20 years. L
the American Association of Community
“Elmer was a deep thinker— and Junior Colleges (AACJC) and invited
he contemplated and educational leaders to come see what
Walter Zaida (left) stands with Elmer Rowley listened," Walter Zaida, JJC was doing academically,” John
and Susan Wood during a JJC registration in former JJC administrator and Rowley said. “These visitors would
Rowley’s colleague, said. “He come to our home for dinner and
the 1960s. (Photo courtesy of Robert Sterling)
challenged ideas to move them would tell us their stories and share
forward and was a hard-nosed their families with us.”
negotiator for what he believed in.”
After the family moved to Illinois to
By 1967, Rowley had rallied enough
farm in rural Homer Township in 1918,
Rowley’s four daughters, with wife political support in Springfield to
Rowley went on to attend Lockport
Ruth—Joanne ’54; Jean ‘55; Sue make both dreams a reality, and
High School, most times traveling to
’59; Carol ’60—and his son John '66 even had a part in co-writing the
school by horse and buggy. After high
all attended JJC in the years their original legislation which established
school, he enrolled in the junior college
father was dean. community college districts in the
courses located within Joliet Township
state of Illinois that still exist today.
High School, which, by 1927, had been “Though it was a pleasure to have him
settled for over two decades in the high at the college, it always made us work It wasn’t long after that Rowley, then
school building on Eastern Avenue in harder so as not to let him down in any 58, was selected to become the first
downtown Joliet. way,” John Rowley said. “He was very president of Joliet Junior College on
outgoing and personable and enjoyed Aug. 15, 1967. For the next two years,
According to Robert Sterling’s “Joliet
talking with and he worked prodigiously
Junior College: A Pictorial History of
helping the students. to establish the college’s
America’s Oldest Public Community
He seemed to enjoy new location on Houbolt
College,” before his graduation in 1929,
the long days at the Road, which opened in
Rowley played for the college’s first
September 1969.
Despite the intensity of
“He challenged ideas to move them forward
his work in the later
and was a hard-nosed negotiator for what years, Rowley’s children
vividly remembered their
he believed in." .... „.
father outside the office:
Walter Zaida
-
fishing, going out to eat
in Chicago’s Chinatown,
baseball team in 1929 and was an actor or going ballroom
old campus in
in the production of the comedy “The dancing at the O’Henry
downtown Joliet.’
Youngest,” which perhaps inspired the in Willow Springs.
“Rudolph Valentino” nickname written And long days they
Rowley retired in 1970 to
next to his yearbook photo. were. Only four years into his post
once again live the life of a farmer on
as dean of the college, Rowley was
John Rowley said his father graduated his acreage in Homer Township.
tapped in 1951 to concurrently direct
with high honors from both JJC and He passed away in July 1988.
the new adult education program.
later, the University of Illinois. By
While these roles fully occupied his day-
“His legacy lives on in the lives he
1941, Rowley had earned his master’s
to-day life on campus, his ideas of the
touched and in the course of action
degree from the University of Chicago
future of community colleges in Illinois
he took to make the college a true
in educational administration. Soon
were percolating.
service to the community,” John
after, he spent a year in Hawaii as an
Rowley said. “Not before or since have
exchange teacher, where he was also a Rowley ultimately believed two-year
we witnessed a funeral visitation where
foreman on a pineapple plantation. institutions should receive financial
so many people attended. It was a true
support from the state like four-year
In 1942, Rowley was back in Joliet and witness to his greatness as a man of
colleges and universities did, and that
teaching agriculture courses at the high the people.”
they should exist within their own
school. By 1947, according to Sterling,
JJC CONNECTIONS | FALL 2010