Spotlight: V.F. Schwalm

Remember the guy that signed the welcome note to Opa? He was the President of McPherson College at the time, and a pretty interesting guy... read on for more!

 

Vernon F. Schwalm

April 10, 1887-May 10, 1972

From the 1941 McPherson College Yearbook

His father was H.M. Schwalm. H.M. was of German descent and was a native of Eastern Pennsylvania. He united with the Church of the Brethren in 1878 and became an elder in the Baugo church in 1900. For twelve years, he had charge of Osceola. He married V.F.’s mother, Margaret Spohn and had eight children.

V.F. was born on April 10, 1887 near Wakarusa, Indiana. He was called to ministry in Baugo in 1908.  He graduated from Manchester College in 1910. He received an A.M. Degree from Chicago University in 1914. He taught history and political science and was head of the department of history in Manchester College. In 1915, he married Miss Florence Studebaker of Shideler, Indiana. In 1927, he left Manchester to be President of McPherson College. Fall of 1941, he left McPherson to come back and be President of his alma mater of Manchester. They have an adopted daughter, Betty, who went to McPherson. 

At his inauguration in 1941

A good blog about his time at Manchester can be found at http://yellowbrickjourney.blogspot.com/2008/09/vernon-schwalm.html