Robert E. L. Strider (April 8, 1917 – November 28, 2010) was the 17th President of

Colby College Colby College is a private liberal arts college in Waterville, Maine. It was founded in 1813 as the Maine Literary and Theological Institution, then renamed Waterville College after the city where it resides. The donations of Christian philanthr ...

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...

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, from 1960 to 1979.

Early life

Born in Wheeling,

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...

, Strider was the son of the Rev. Robert E.L. Strider, later the third bishop of the Diocese of West Virginia; and Mary Holroyd Strider, who died at his birth. Valedictorian of his class at the Linsly Military Institute, young Strider studied at

Episcopal High School (Alexandria, Virginia) Episcopal High School (also known as the High School, Episcopal and EHS), founded in 1839, is a boarding school located in Alexandria, Virginia. The Holy Hill campus houses 440 students from 31 states, the District of Columbia and 16 countries. ...

Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandria ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

before entering

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

, where he graduated, cum laude, in 1939. At the onset of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, Strider served as an ensign and then lieutenant in Navy communications, stationed in Washington, D.C. After his discharge, in 1946 he joined the English department at

Connecticut College Connecticut College (Conn College or Conn) is a private liberal arts college in New London, Connecticut. It is a residential, four-year undergraduate institution with nearly all of its approximately 1,815 students living on campus. The college w ...

, and completed his Harvard doctorate in 1950.

Presidency at Colby

Strider came to Colby in 1957 as dean of faculty, and in 1960, at the age of 42, succeeded Julius Seelye Bixler as Colby's 17th president. During his Colby presidency, he prevailed as an academic leader and introduced a number of lasting curricular innovations, including the now widely imitated January Program of Independent Study. He led the college to residential co-education and broadened the curriculum to include foreign study opportunities, interdisciplinary studies and non-Western and black studies. In 1962, the Ford Foundation chose Colby as one of 18 "centers of academic excellence" and awarded the college a two-for-one matching grant of $1.8 million, an amount nearly six times greater than any gift the college had ever received. Strider's professional positions included the presidency of the

New England Association of Schools and Colleges The New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. (NEASC) is a United States' regional accreditation association providing educational accreditation. NEASC serves over 1500 public, independent schools, and technical/career institution ...

(1966) and the chairmanship of the

Association of American Colleges and Universities The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) is a global membership organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States. It works to improve quality and equity in undergraduate education and advance liberal education. ...

(1974). He was also a fellow of the

American Academy of Arts and Sciences The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (abbreviation: AAA&S) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, and ...

. In the 1980s, he chaired a governor's commission to study the

University of Maine The University of Maine (UMaine or UMO) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Orono, Maine. It was established in 1865 as the land-grant college of Maine and is the Flagship universities, flagshi ...

. Strider served as Colby's president for 20 years, at the time the longest presidential tenure in the college's history. Strider held honorary degrees from 11 colleges, including Colby, which presented honorary doctorates to him and his wife on his retirement in 1979. He was named a life trustee of the college and a scholarship was created in the Strider name. The newly constructed theater in Runnals Union was named in their honor; and in recognition of their love of music, especially choral music, the college established the annual Strider Concert. Also in 1979, the

Maine State Bar Association The Maine State Bar Association (MSBA) is a voluntary bar association for the state of Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine ...

presented him with its Distinguished Citizen Award.

After Colby

After his retirement, the Striders moved to

Brookline Brookline may refer to: Places in the United States * Brookline, Massachusetts, a town near Boston * Brookline, Missouri * Brookline, New Hampshire * Brookline (Pittsburgh), a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania * Brookline, Vermont See ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

, and he served for a time as professor and dean at

Wentworth Institute of Technology Wentworth Institute of Technology (WIT) is a private institute of technology in Boston, Massachusetts. Wentworth was founded in 1904 and offers career-focused education through 21 bachelor's degree programs as well as 13 master's degrees. Histo ...

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

. Following his wife Helen's death, he took residence at the Springhouse retirement community in

Jamaica Plain Jamaica Plain is a neighborhood of in the City of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Settled by Puritans seeking farmland to the south, it was originally part of the former Town of Roxbury, now also a part of the City of Boston. The commun ...

, where he remained active in the pursuit of scholarship, lecturing on Shakespeare and poetry and leading current events discussions until the time of his death. In 2000, the city of Waterville,

named Strider Avenue for him. A lifelong, active Episcopalian, he served vestries at St. James Episcopal Church in New London, CT, St. Marks in Waterville; and Church of Our Saviour in Brookline, MA. His travels, most often with his wife, Helen, covered all 50 states, more than 30 countries and six continents.Obituary, Robert E. L. Strider, "The Morning Sentinel" (http://obituaries.onlinesentinel.com/obituaries/mainetoday-morningsentinel/obituary.aspx?n=robert-el-strider&pid=146889201)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Strider, Robert E. L. 1917 births 2010 deaths Military personnel from West Virginia United States Navy personnel of World War II Colby College faculty Connecticut College faculty Educators from West Virginia Episcopal High School (Alexandria, Virginia) alumni Harvard University alumni Linsly School alumni People from Wheeling, West Virginia United States Navy officers Presidents of Colby College People from Jamaica Plain 20th-century American Episcopalians Military personnel from Massachusetts