The Miami Student VOLUME 138 NO. 55
Oldest university newspaper in the United States, established 1826
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO
In 1981, The Miami Student reported the Miami University Faculty Association had sent a letter to faculty and administrators claiming the new dormitory being built on Western Campus was being paid for by illegally obtained funds.
Remembering ‘Uncle Phil’
Phillip R. Shriver 1922-2011
CONTRIBUTED BY MIAMI UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
By Sam Kay Editor in Chief
President Emeritus Phillip Raymond Shriver (1922-2011) died Saturday evening in Oxford at the age of 88. He was Miami University’s second-longest serving president and oversaw a remarkable period of growth for the university. During his 16 years as president from 1965-1981, Miami opened campuses in Middletown, Hamilton and Luxembourg. Thirty new buildings were constructed and the Western College for Women was merged with Miami, adding another 12 buildings. Miami’s first 10 doctoral programs were introduced and enrollment was nearly doubled to approximately its current levels. Shriver was born in Cleveland, Ohio, August 16, 1922 to Raymond Shriver and C. Ruth Smith Shriver. He graduated from Cleveland’s John Adams High School, graduated from Yale University in 1943, earned his Masters at Harvard University and his Doctorate from Columbia University. He saw action as a junior officer aboard the destroyer U.S.S. Murray in the Pacific Theatre during World War II and was inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame in 2009. Shriver began his career as a teacher in 1946 at Kent State University, eventually becoming dean of the College of Arts and Sciences before becoming Miami’s 17th president in 1965 at the age of 42. He authored or co-authored seven books and more than 200 articles. He served as Chairman of the Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of
Cincinnati, President of the Ohio 50 years of teaching, “Many a time Historical Society and the Ohio he has explained that continuing to Academy of History. He was an ac- teach at least one course each year has tive member of the Oxford Rotary served to maintain communication Club and Presbyterian church, and with students and to preserve his feel had a lifelong association with the for the classroom. The more nearly those two goals can be achieved … Delta Upsilon fraternity. He is survived by his wife of the more fully the entire campus is a classroom.” 67 years, Martha Professor of hisDamaris Nye, their “He had this tory Curt Ellison, five children, Caroamazing ability to editor of Miami lyn Shaul, Susan, Melinda Williams, tell stories ... (his University: BicenDarcy and Raystudents) hung on tennial Perspectives said Shriver always mond Scott II, eight every word.” placed great emphagrandchildren and sis on understanding four great-grandGREGORY MARRKO the classroom. children. STUDENT OF PHILLIP SHRIVER “He believed The family plans CLASS OF 1978 that administrators to have a private should be in the burial and a public classroom,” Ellison said. “The deans memorial service will be held at a he appointed would teach regularly.” later date. Before he took over the history of Miami course following Shriver’s re‘His greatest joy was tirement from teaching in 1998, Ellithe classroom’ son sat in on one of Shriver’s classes. “The room was filled, he drew Shriver was a lifelong educator. He people from all over the campus,” Eltaught a class in each of his 52 years lison said. “On one occasion, Shriver but one in higher education. Even read stories and aphorisms from the during his 16 years as president of McGuffey Reader,” hardly edge-ofMiami, he taught courses on Miami seat material. But Ellison said the and Ohio history. class sat in rapt attention. “His greatest joy was the class“You could hear a pin drop,” room. He was a teacher,” said his Ellison said. daughter, Darcy Shriver, class or “He was a storyteller with a talent 1975. “He loved students, and he or a genius for putting together a story was here for all of you, because you that captured a distinctive identity for are Miami.” the campus and made you feel like Those who knew him say his abili- you were a part of that legacy.” ties as a historian and a storyteller set Gregory Marrko, class of 1978, him apart as a remarkable educator. took Shriver’s Ohio history course, Robert Howard (d. 1998) wrote in which met once a week for five hours 1997, for an event marking Shriver’s when Marrko took it.
“He had this amazing ability to tell stories,” Marrko said. “He was so good that at the end of a very long lecture session, he would start one of his stories about five minutes before class was supposed to end, go on for 20, 30 minutes, but nobody would move. They hung on every word.” Marrko said Shriver was down to earth as a teacher and tolerated the occasional practical joke. Once students had pizza delivered to class. Another night, students covered the map of
Ohio Shriver would pull down at the beginning of every class with a Playboy centerfold. When Shriver pulled down the map that night, realizing what had happened, he blushed a deep red and immediately put the map away. “Well, you certainly can’t say we haven’t covered Ohio well tonight!” he said. Shriver began teaching Ohio
wSee SHRIVER, page 12
CONTRIBUTED BY MIAMI UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
Shriver fishing with John Aigler (right) July, 1981. Shriver caught two fish, the larger of which weighed five pounds and was 26 inches long.