Donald Tresidder
Encyclopedia
Donald Bertrand Tresidder (April 7, 1894 – January 28, 1948) was the fourth president of Stanford University
.
Son of Dr. John Treloar Tresidder (from Cornwall
), Tresidder was born in Tipton, Indiana
. At the age of 20 he took a trip with his sister to Southern California
. However, the railroad tracks were washed out and they went to Yosemite Valley
instead. There he met many Stanford faculty, who convinced him to enroll in Stanford University
. Biographer Edwin Kiester says that Tresidder "described himself as a gangling youth from the Midwest, wearing a jacket with sleeves too short to cover his long arms, shambling nervously up Palm Drive carrying a battered suitcase. But each student he passed waved and spoke to him cheerfully. At last he encountered President (David Starr) Jordan
. The president tipped his broadbrimmed hat, bowed and greeted the young man from Indiana. Tresidder never forgot that welcome."
In Yosemite, Tresidder also met future wife Mary Curry, daughter of the owners of the park concession, Yosemite Park and Curry Company, Tresidder spent summers working in Yosemite as a porter and other various odd jobs. He was briefly fired for taking his future wife rock climbing up the back side of Half Dome
. They married June 17, 1920. He earned his M.D.
from Stanford Medical School
in San Francisco, and became president of Yosemite Park and Curry Company. While attending medical school he was a member of Phi Chi Medical Fraternity.
Dr. Tresidder was president of Stanford University
from 1943 until 1948 and brought the school through the difficult years of World War II
. He often said that his main job at Stanford was fundraising for the school. Tresidder set up a professional fundraising organization and streamlined administrative and accounting practices. He established a scholarship program and helped established Stanford Research Institute
. Tresidder also abolished the sorority system on campus.
Every Stanford president is automatically invited to join the Bohemian Club
, and Tresidder accepted. Membership gave Tresidder access to a wider range of powerful men, skilled in political campaigns and in fundraising.
For many years, Tresidder played the role of the Squire at the Bracebridge Dinner
, a lavish Christmas feast which was held every Christmas Day at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite. His wife played the role of Lady Bracebridge. It was Tresidder who, in 1929, asked photographer Ansel Adams to take over as director of the Dinner, which Adams agreed to do.
Tresidder died of a heart attack
at St. Regis Hotel in New York City
, while on University business.
Tresidder Peak
(10,600', 3231 m, 37.83°N 119.42°W) in Yosemite National Park
is named after him, as is the student union building at Stanford University.
Queen Elizabeth II
and Prince Philip
stayed in the Ahwahnee Hotel
's sixth-floor Tresidder suite in 1983. http://www.yosemite.org/newsroom/clips2002/june/060302.htm
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
.
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
), Tresidder was born in Tipton, Indiana
Tipton, Indiana
Tipton is a city in and the county seat of Tipton County, Indiana, United States. The population was 5,106 at the 2010 census. It is part of the 'Kokomo, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. At the age of 20 he took a trip with his sister to Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
. However, the railroad tracks were washed out and they went to Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley is a glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of California, carved out by the Merced River. The valley is about long and up to a mile deep, surrounded by high granite summits such as Half Dome and El Capitan, and densely forested with pines...
instead. There he met many Stanford faculty, who convinced him to enroll in Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. Biographer Edwin Kiester says that Tresidder "described himself as a gangling youth from the Midwest, wearing a jacket with sleeves too short to cover his long arms, shambling nervously up Palm Drive carrying a battered suitcase. But each student he passed waved and spoke to him cheerfully. At last he encountered President (David Starr) Jordan
David Starr Jordan
David Starr Jordan, Ph.D., LL.D. was a leading eugenicist, ichthyologist, educator and peace activist. He was president of Indiana University and Stanford University.-Early life and education:...
. The president tipped his broadbrimmed hat, bowed and greeted the young man from Indiana. Tresidder never forgot that welcome."
In Yosemite, Tresidder also met future wife Mary Curry, daughter of the owners of the park concession, Yosemite Park and Curry Company, Tresidder spent summers working in Yosemite as a porter and other various odd jobs. He was briefly fired for taking his future wife rock climbing up the back side of Half Dome
Half Dome
Half Dome is a granite dome in Yosemite National Park, located in northeastern Mariposa County, California, at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley — possibly Yosemite's most familiar rock formation. The granite crest rises more than above the valley floor....
. They married June 17, 1920. He earned his M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
from Stanford Medical School
Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford University School of Medicine is a leading medical school located at Stanford University Medical Center in Stanford, California. Originally based in San Francisco, California as Cooper Medical College, it is the oldest continuously running medical school in the western United States...
in San Francisco, and became president of Yosemite Park and Curry Company. While attending medical school he was a member of Phi Chi Medical Fraternity.
Dr. Tresidder was president of Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
from 1943 until 1948 and brought the school through the difficult years of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He often said that his main job at Stanford was fundraising for the school. Tresidder set up a professional fundraising organization and streamlined administrative and accounting practices. He established a scholarship program and helped established Stanford Research Institute
SRI International
SRI International , founded as Stanford Research Institute, is one of the world's largest contract research institutes. Based in Menlo Park, California, the trustees of Stanford University established it in 1946 as a center of innovation to support economic development in the region. It was later...
. Tresidder also abolished the sorority system on campus.
Every Stanford president is automatically invited to join the Bohemian Club
Bohemian Club
The Bohemian Club is a private men's club in San Francisco, California, United States.Its clubhouse is located at 624 Taylor Street in San Francisco...
, and Tresidder accepted. Membership gave Tresidder access to a wider range of powerful men, skilled in political campaigns and in fundraising.
For many years, Tresidder played the role of the Squire at the Bracebridge Dinner
Bracebridge dinner
The Bracebridge Dinner at Yosemite is an annual Christmas event held at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park. Started in 1927, the Ahwahnee's first year of operation, the dinner is inspired by the fictional Squire Bracebridge's Yule celebration in a story from The Sketch Book of Geoffrey...
, a lavish Christmas feast which was held every Christmas Day at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite. His wife played the role of Lady Bracebridge. It was Tresidder who, in 1929, asked photographer Ansel Adams to take over as director of the Dinner, which Adams agreed to do.
Tresidder died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
at St. Regis Hotel in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, while on University business.
Tresidder Peak
Tresidder Peak
Tresidder Peak is a mountain in California. It is the line parent of Cloud's Rest....
(10,600', 3231 m, 37.83°N 119.42°W) in Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is a United States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain...
is named after him, as is the student union building at Stanford University.
Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
and Prince Philip
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....
stayed in the Ahwahnee Hotel
Ahwahnee Hotel
The Ahwahnee Hotel is a destination hotel in Yosemite National Park, California, on the floor of Yosemite Valley, constructed from stone, concrete, wood and glass, which opened in 1927...
's sixth-floor Tresidder suite in 1983. http://www.yosemite.org/newsroom/clips2002/june/060302.htm
External references
- Biographical sketch (Stanford)
- Edwin Kiester, Jr., Donald Tresidder: Stanford's Overlooked Treasure (Stanford Historical Society, 1992)
- Shirley Sargent, Yosemite’s Innkeepers (1975, 2000).
- New book recounts life of Stanford's fourth president at www.stanford.edu