(credit eprintablecalendars.com)
Imagine if we were to create a Switzerland County educator tree like we create a family tree. Start with a few of the founders of education like Julia Dumont. We could drop down a generation or 2 and include educator/authors like E.S.L. Thompson. We could drop again to educators, by proxy, like Lydia Moss Bradley. Skip a few generations of educators to get to the ones in my yearbook and then to the notable Switzerland County educators we have today. Switzerland County's educator tree would be robust and it would be interesting to see where we ranked among other cities and counties.
Then consider the impact that all those educators have had on America, and probably the world. The legacy of education in Switzerland County has got to be one of its greatest foundations. It's worth understanding, it's worth trying to repeat and it's worth promoting.
(credit WSU) - Ernest Otto Holland
One such educator was Ernest Otto Holland. He was born February 4th, 1874 in Bennington, Indiana to Philip & Ann Holland. Ernest was a product of Vevay High School, graduating early at the age of 16. Shortly after the family moved to Bloomington, Indiana so that father, Philip, could practice medicine.
Ernest's education route looked like this; Vevay High School, Indiana University, summer school at Cornell and University of Chicago, and then his Ph.D. from Teacher's College at Columbia University. After formalizing his how education, Mr. Holland's teaching career went through this route; Rensselaer, IN to Anderson, IN to Boy's High School in Louisville, KY to associate professor at Indiana University.
He then became Superintendent of Schools in Louisville, KY in 1911. After 5 years, he then became the 4th president of what is now called Washington State University, WSU or "Wazuu", in Pullman, Washington.
A little sidebar of a story: Ernest Holland inherited an in-state school rivalry with the University of Washington, UW. It was fueled by the prior president, Enoch Bryan. With Holland at WSU and Henry Suzallo at UW, this rivalry became even more heated. Suzallo was a close friend and room-mate of Holland's at Columbia University, but their close relationship fizzled when Suzallo advocated for stripping all but the agriculture department at WSU. Suzallo even went as far as bribing Holland that he would help make WSU the best "agriculture" school in the world "if" most other curriculum were left to the UW. Holland didn't relent, and Washington State University prospered.
(credit Wikipedia) Washington State College - 1925
Within 2 years as president, Ernest Holland created or nurtured five colleges within the WSU umbrella(Agriculture, Home Economics, Mechanic Arts & Engineering, Sciences & Arts, and Veterinary Science) and 4 schools including Education, Mines, Music & Applied Design, and Pharmacy.
Mr. Holland was the longest serving president of Washington State University from 1916 to 1944. After leaving WSU he continued his pursuit of making education paramount by taking on a civilian role with the United States Air Force, conducting education surveys. He died on May 30, 1950, while in Austria.
One can imagine, with Mr. Holland's many roles in education, he inspired a number of his students to become educators, administrators, or sponsors of education. Picturing his branch of the Switzerland County educator tree, we might need multiple pages.
Updates:
1891 Vevay High School trip to Wyandotte Cave
July 27, 2022 - This image was shared on the Switzerland County Historical Society's facebook page in April, 2019. It shows one Ernest Holland participating in the adventure of a lifetime at about age 17.
Back row: Ben Waldenmaier, Eugene Detraz, Prof. W. R. J. Stratford, Hedden Baird, Bryant McMakin
Middle row: Milton Boerner, Carroll Walton, Frank Detraz, Clarence Shaw
Front row: Pearce Bushman, Ernest Holland, Wade Siebenthal, Harry Lee
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_O._Holland
https://honorsandawards.iu.edu/awards/honoree/552.html
https://president.wsu.edu/holland/
https://historylink.org/File/5701
Other Lingering Questions:
What famous broadcast journalist graduated from WSC in 1930?
What Indiana School did Enoch Bryan preside over before WSU?
What family member attended Washington State College while he was dean?