Rudolph Blair Welch (July 23, 1850 – October 12, 1906) was an American educator and attorney most notable for serving as the fourth

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

of the Kansas State Normal School (KSN), now known as

Emporia State University Emporia State University (Emporia State or ESU) is a public university in Emporia, Kansas, United States. Established in March 1863 as the Kansas State Normal School, Emporia State is the third-oldest public university in the state of Kansas. Em ...

, in

Emporia, Kansas Emporia is a city in and the county seat of Lyon County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 24,139. Emporia lies between Topeka and Wichita at the intersection of U.S. Route 50 with Interstates 335 ...

Biography

Early life and career

Rudolph Blair Welch was born on July 23, 1850, in

Spencerville, Indiana Spencerville is an unincorporated community located in Spencer Township, DeKalb County, Indiana, United States. The only covered bridge A covered bridge is a timber-truss bridge with a roof, decking, and siding, which in most covered bridges ...

. Welch graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University in 1877 with an education degree. After graduating, Welch immediately became the superintendent of schools in

Pontiac, Illinois Pontiac is a city in Livingston County, Illinois, United States. The population was 11,931 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Livingston County. The town is also the setting of the 1984 movie ''Grandview, U.S.A.'' Geography Location P ...

, serving for 12 years.

Kansas State Normal presidency

On August 20, 1879, just fourteen days after

Charles Rhodes Pomeroy Charles Rhodes Pomeroy (June 15, 1830 – June 25, 1916) was an American educator most notable for serving as the Kansas State Normal School's (KSN) third president in Emporia, Kansas. Biography Early life and education Pomeroy was born in Weybr ...

's resignation, Welch became the fourth president of the Kansas State Normal School. In 1878, a year before he became president, a fire and tornado struck the administration building on campus. Shortly after taking over as president, the school built two temporary buildings due to the tornado and fire the previous year. Welch traveled the state of Kansas to promote the school and under Welch's guidance, enrollment grew. On March 6, 1882, Welch resigned to practice law, which would be effective June 30, 1882.

Political career

From 1889-1893, he served as

Shawnee County Shawnee County (county code SN) is located in northeast Kansas, in the central United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 178,909, making it the third-most populous county in Kansas. Its most populous city, Topeka, is the state ...

Attorney, succeeding

Charles Curtis Charles Curtis (January 25, 1860 – February 8, 1936) was an American attorney and Republican politician from Kansas who served as the 31st vice president of the United States from 1929 to 1933 under Herbert Hoover. He had served as the Sena ...

, who would later become

Vice President A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on t ...

of the United States. He also served as president of the Topeka Board of Education.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Welch, Rudolph B. Presidents of Emporia State University Illinois Wesleyan University alumni 20th-century American lawyers Educators from Illinois 1850 births 1906 deaths People from Pontiac, Illinois People from DeKalb County, Indiana Burials in Kansas