Vernon Cook
Encyclopedia
Vernon Cook is a former member of the Ohio House of Representatives
. and former faculty member of the University of Akron
Political Science
Department.
Cook was the first Director of the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics.
. He left high school in 1944 to enlist in the United States Army Air Corps
, and served as a cryptographer for the 231st AAF BU. He was stationed in Alamogordo, New Mexico
, England, and Germany as part of Operation Paperclip
.
After his discharge from active duty, Cook served in the United States Army Reserve
and obtained the rank of Captain. His reserve duties included teaching cryptographic and interrogation techniques at Fort George G. Meade
.
in 1951. He also completed the classwork required for a doctorate, but never his dissertation.
He was posthumously awarded an honorary Ph.D. from the University of Akron
in 1988.
and Case Western Reserve University
before becoming an Associate Professor at the University of Akron in 1965. He continued in that position after being elected to public office, until his death in 1987.
in 1972. In 1979, he was made Assistant Majority Floor Leader. He served on the Finance and Appropriations committee, the Ethics and Standards committee, The Rules committee and was chair of the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review.
. Although Cook had been Ray C. Bliss
's choice, Cook's appointment was controversial.
Despite some partisan wrangling, Cook was eventually given the post.
Ohio House of Representatives
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate....
. and former faculty member of the University of Akron
University of Akron
The University of Akron is a coeducational public research university located in Akron, Ohio, United States. The university is part of the University System of Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as a small college affiliated with the Universalist Church. In 1913 ownership was transferred to the City of...
Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
Department.
Cook was the first Director of the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics.
Early Life and Military Service
Vernon Floyd Cook was born July 10, 1927 in Kent, OhioKent, Ohio
Kent is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the largest city in Portage County. It is located along the Cuyahoga River in Northeastern Ohio on the western edge of the county. The population was 27,906 at the 2000 United States Census and 28,904 in the 2010 Census...
. He left high school in 1944 to enlist in the United States Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
, and served as a cryptographer for the 231st AAF BU. He was stationed in Alamogordo, New Mexico
Alamogordo, New Mexico
Alamogordo is the county seat of Otero County and a city in south-central New Mexico, United States. A desert community lying in the Tularosa Basin, it is bordered on the east by the Sacramento Mountains. It is the nearest city to Holloman Air Force Base. The population was 35,582 as of the 2000...
, England, and Germany as part of Operation Paperclip
Operation Paperclip
Operation Paperclip was the Office of Strategic Services program used to recruit the scientists of Nazi Germany for employment by the United States in the aftermath of World War II...
.
After his discharge from active duty, Cook served in the United States Army Reserve
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
and obtained the rank of Captain. His reserve duties included teaching cryptographic and interrogation techniques at Fort George G. Meade
Fort George G. Meade
Fort George G. Meade is a United States Army installation that includes the Defense Information School, the United States Army Field Band, and the headquarters of United States Cyber Command, the National Security Agency, and the Defense Courier Service...
.
Education
Cook graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ohio State UniversityOhio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
in 1951. He also completed the classwork required for a doctorate, but never his dissertation.
He was posthumously awarded an honorary Ph.D. from the University of Akron
University of Akron
The University of Akron is a coeducational public research university located in Akron, Ohio, United States. The university is part of the University System of Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as a small college affiliated with the Universalist Church. In 1913 ownership was transferred to the City of...
in 1988.
Teaching
Cook was an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Ohio Wesleyan UniversityOhio Wesleyan University
Ohio Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college in Delaware, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1842 by Methodist leaders and Central Ohio residents as a nonsectarian institution, and is a member of the Ohio Five — a consortium of Ohio liberal arts colleges...
and Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
before becoming an Associate Professor at the University of Akron in 1965. He continued in that position after being elected to public office, until his death in 1987.
Politics
Cook was first elected to the Ohio House of RepresentativesOhio House of Representatives
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate....
in 1972. In 1979, he was made Assistant Majority Floor Leader. He served on the Finance and Appropriations committee, the Ethics and Standards committee, The Rules committee and was chair of the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review.
Bliss Institute
In 1987, Cook was made the first director of the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the University of AkronUniversity of Akron
The University of Akron is a coeducational public research university located in Akron, Ohio, United States. The university is part of the University System of Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as a small college affiliated with the Universalist Church. In 1913 ownership was transferred to the City of...
. Although Cook had been Ray C. Bliss
Ray C. Bliss
Ray Charles Bliss was one of the important national U.S. Republican Party leaders of the 1960s and served as Chairman of the Republican National Committee from 1965 to 1969. He helped to pull the Republican party back together after Barry Goldwater's defeat in 1964 and his work culminated in the...
's choice, Cook's appointment was controversial.
Despite some partisan wrangling, Cook was eventually given the post.