Merle Middleton Odgers

Merle Middleton Odgers
Merle Middleton Odgers
President of Bucknell University
	In office; 1954–1964
Preceded by	Joseph Welles Henderson
Succeeded by	Charles Henry Watts II
Personal details
Born	April 21, 1900; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	September 6, 1983 (aged 83); Clearwater, Florida, U.S.
Resting place	Lewisburg Cemetery, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Parent(s)	David Odgers; Elizabeth Ramsay
Education	Central High School; University of Pennsylvania (MA, PhD)
Occupation	Academic; educator;

Merle Middleton Odgers (April 21, 1900 – September 6, 1983)^[1]^[2] was president of Bucknell University from 1954 until his retirement in 1964, when he was named president emeritus.^[3]

Biography

Born in Philadelphia on April 21, 1900, Odgers was a son of David Odgers and Elizabeth (Ramsay) Odgers. He graduated with first academic honors from Central High School in Philadelphia in 1918 and then from the University of Pennsylvania with class honors in 1922. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.^[4]

After receiving his Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from Penn in 1924 and 1928, respectively, he taught Latin at the university until 1933, when he was named dean of Penn's College of Liberal Arts for Women.^[5]

Odgers was then named president of Girard College, a Philadelphia secondary school for orphan boys. He held that position from 1936 to 1954.^[6]^[7]^[8]

Odgers authored Alexander Dallas Bache: Scientist and Educator, which was published by the University of Pennsylvania Press in 1947.^[9]

From 1954 until his retirement in 1964, Odgers was president of Bucknell University. He was then named president emeritus of the university.^[10]

Illness, death and interment

Following a brief illness, Odgers died at the Oak Cove Health Center in Clearwater, Florida, on September 6, 1983. His remains were returned to his home state of Pennsylvania, where he was interred in Lewisburg Cemetery.^[11]

References

^ "Merle Odgers". Retrieved July 11, 2020.
^ "Merle Middleton Odgers, 83, Former President of Bucknell". New York Times. September 9, 1983. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
^ Office of the President. "Presidents of Bucknell". Bucknell University. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
^ "Merle Middleton Odgers, 83, Former President of Bucknell". New York Times. September 9, 1983. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
^ "Merle Middleton Odgers, 83, Former President of Bucknell". New York Times. September 9, 1983. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
^ "Merle Middleton Odgers, 83, Former President of Bucknell". New York Times. September 9, 1983. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
^ School And Society. Vol. 44. Science Press. 1936. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
^ "Penniless Boys Of County Passing Up Free Education". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. February 16, 1939. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
^ Alexander Dallas Bache, scientist and educator, 1806-1867. (Book, 1947). WorldCat.org. OCLC 1026929.
^ Office of the President. "Presidents of Bucknell". Bucknell University. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
^ "Merle Middleton Odgers, 83, Former President of Bucknell". New York Times. September 9, 1983. Retrieved May 23, 2014.