Thomas Hedley Reynolds (November 23, 1920 – September 22, 2009) was an American historian and university professor who served as the fifth President of Bates College from March 1967 to November 1989. His presidency was marked with a renewed focus on academic rigor with the expansion of professor salaries and exacting institutional standards for graduation. Reynolds lead the college through the 1960s and 1970s with expansive integration of

feminism Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...

, anti-war ideology, and the

civil rights movement The civil rights movement was a nonviolent social and political movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to abolish legalized institutional racial segregation, discrimination, and disenfranchisement throughout the Unite ...

into the Bates community. The college became known for its academic standards and

socially liberal Cultural liberalism is a social philosophy which expresses the social dimension of liberalism and advocates the freedom of individuals to choose whether to conform to cultural norms. In the words of Henry David Thoreau, it is often expressed a ...

tendencies. During his presidency he diversified the student body and eliminated standardized test scores.

Life and career

Thomas Reynolds was born in New York to Wallace and Helen (Hedley) Reynolds. He attended The Browning School in New York City and graduated from

Deerfield Academy Deerfield Academy is an elite coeducational preparatory school in Deerfield, Massachusetts. Founded in 1797, it is one of the oldest secondary schools in the United States. It is a member of the Eight Schools Association, the Ten Schools Admis ...

in 1938. Reynolds earned a B.A. in political science from

Williams College Williams College is a private liberal arts college in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It was established as a men's college in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams, a colonist from the Province of Massachusetts Bay who was kill ...

in 1942 and then a Master's (1947) and Ph.D. (1953) in American history from

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

.President Emeritus Thomas Hedley Reynolds, champion of academic excellence, dies at 88, Bates Magazine - Doug Hubley - Sep 24, 200

/ref> During World War II, Reynolds served as a tank commander in Europe and received various decorations for his service. After obtaining a Ph.D., Reynolds became an author and history professor at Middlebury College before becoming president of

Bates College Bates College () is a private liberal arts college in Lewiston, Maine. Anchored by the Historic Quad, the campus of Bates totals with a small urban campus which includes 33 Victorian Houses as some of the dormitories. It maintains of nature p ...

. Reynolds was elected the fifth president of Bates College in Lewiston, Maine on March 1, 1967. His presidency was marked with an increased faculty number as well as dramatically increased salary levels. He also improved gender equity within the administration of the college. Reynolds diversified the student body, eliminated standardized test scores, and constructed Ladd Library and the Olin Arts Center. Reynolds also introduced the short-term into the academic calendar. He frequently joined in on student protests against the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...

and in support for the civil rights movement. After the college's students established "

Newman Day Newman Day is a collegiate drinking tradition in which 24 beers are consumed over 24 hours. The ritual was initiated by students of Bates College, in Lewiston, Maine.''The Daily Princetonian''Carol Lu, "If I had a nickel for every beer I drank today ...

" He received a letter from Paul Newman that denounced the tradition, personally asking him to institutionally bar the activity.''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

''
"Newman's Day — forget it, star urges drinkers."
Retrieved May 27, 2007. Reynolds retired from the Bates presidency on November 1, 1989.

Death and legacy

Thomas Hedley Reynold died on September 22, 2009 in Lewiston, Maine. The Thomas Hedley Reynolds history professorship was endowed in Reynold's honor.

Life and career

Death and legacy

See also

References

Further reading