Barnaby Keeney
Encyclopedia
Barnaby Conrad Keeney was president of Brown University
from 1955 to 1966 where he was known and loved by the student body for openness and his dry wit. As he once observed, “One of the joys of the life of an educator, particularly a president, is the amount of free advice he gets.” Keeney then served as president of Claremont Graduate University
from 1971 to 1976.
, Oregon
on October 17, 1914. He grew up in Hartford
, Connecticut
where he was a high school track star. He was Greater Hartford champion in the 440-yard dash in 1931 and he won the state championship in that event in 1932. He graduated from the University of North Carolina
first in his class in 1936. He later took a master's degree and doctorate in medieval history at Harvard University
, where he taught until 1941. In 1941, he was married to Mary Elizabeth Critchfield. They have a son and two daughters.
Subsequently, he served as an intelligence officer for the United States Army
following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
. He received the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and the Silver Star while serving with the 35th Infantry in World War II. While serving as president of Brown, Keeney worked for the Central Intelligence Agency
.
s," many of whom went on to become Brown's most successful graduates. In 1964 he started a "big brother" exchange program with tiny (500 students) Tougaloo College
in Jackson
, Mississippi
, the state's only integrated college. Keeney never ducked away from controversy. In 1964 he stoutly defended his director of health services, Dr. Roswell Johnson, who had prescribed birth-control pills for a handful of marriage-bound students at nearby Pembroke College (Brown University)
, Brown's female counterpart.
After leaving Brown University, Keeney was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson
as the first head of the National Endowment and Council on the Humanities.
Keeney died on June 18, 1980 in Providence
, Rhode Island
, at the age of 65.
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
from 1955 to 1966 where he was known and loved by the student body for openness and his dry wit. As he once observed, “One of the joys of the life of an educator, particularly a president, is the amount of free advice he gets.” Keeney then served as president of Claremont Graduate University
Claremont Graduate University
Claremont Graduate University is a private, all-graduate research university located in Claremont, California, a city east of downtown Los Angeles...
from 1971 to 1976.
Personal life
Kenney was born in HalfwayHalfway, Oregon
Halfway is a city in Baker County, Oregon, United States. This town took its name from the location of its post office, on the Alexander Stalker ranch, half way between Pine and Cornucopia...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
on October 17, 1914. He grew up in Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
where he was a high school track star. He was Greater Hartford champion in the 440-yard dash in 1931 and he won the state championship in that event in 1932. He graduated from the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
first in his class in 1936. He later took a master's degree and doctorate in medieval history at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, where he taught until 1941. In 1941, he was married to Mary Elizabeth Critchfield. They have a son and two daughters.
Subsequently, he served as an intelligence officer for the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
. He received the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and the Silver Star while serving with the 35th Infantry in World War II. While serving as president of Brown, Keeney worked for the Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
.
Brown University presidency
Keeney was the twelfth president of Brown. During his administration, Brown's operating budget tripled to $25 million a year; its endowment doubled to $55 million, and the value of its physical plant doubled to $40 million. "At college age, you can tell who is best at taking tests and going to school, but you can't tell who the best people are. That worries the hell out of me." Keeney initiated a new admissions policy under which 10% of the places in Brown's freshman class (about 650 students) were reserved for youngsters whose grades ordinarily would not qualify them for an Ivy League college—but who exhibit some "outstanding characteristic." They referred to themselves as "Tom SawyerTom Sawyer
Thomas "Tom" Sawyer is the title character of the Mark Twain novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer . He appears in three other novels by Twain: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn , Tom Sawyer Abroad , and Tom Sawyer, Detective .Sawyer also appears in at least three unfinished Twain works, Huck and Tom...
s," many of whom went on to become Brown's most successful graduates. In 1964 he started a "big brother" exchange program with tiny (500 students) Tougaloo College
Tougaloo College
Tougaloo College is a private, co-educational, liberal arts institution of higher education founded in 1869, in Madison County, north of Jackson, Mississippi, USA.Academically, Tougaloo College has received high ranks in recent years...
in Jackson
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, the state's only integrated college. Keeney never ducked away from controversy. In 1964 he stoutly defended his director of health services, Dr. Roswell Johnson, who had prescribed birth-control pills for a handful of marriage-bound students at nearby Pembroke College (Brown University)
Pembroke College (Brown University)
Pembroke College in Brown University was the coordinate women's college for Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1891 and closed in 1971.-Founding and early history:...
, Brown's female counterpart.
After leaving Brown University, Keeney was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
as the first head of the National Endowment and Council on the Humanities.
Keeney died on June 18, 1980 in Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, at the age of 65.
Publications
- Judgment by Peers 1949
- Life And Works Of John Hay, 1838-1905 1961
- The Expectations of Education 1973