Citation: “John Baldwin, Jr. Dies At New Orleans,” The Exponent, March 2, 1920, pp. 1 & 5.
The news of the death of Mr. John Baldwin, Jr. came to us last week. It was a great shock to the community as well as to the friends and students of the college. Mr. Baldwin has been a familiar figure on the Baldwin-Wallace Campus for many years and we shall miss him in every way. His death robs Baldwin-Wallace of one of its greatest benefactors and friends. But, altho Mr. Baldwin is no longer with us the memory of his wise, modest council his unfailing liberality and living interest in the affairs of Baldwin-Wallace College as well as humanity in general will always remain with us and be an incentive for better and higher living on our part.
John Baldwin, Jr. was born July 27, 1838 in the "little old red house" on the South Side in Berea. He died at New Orleans, La., February 17, 1920 following a very severe operation. He was the 4th of seven children born to John Baldwin and Mary Dunn Chappell of whom but one, Mrs. Rossannah Baldwin of Wellesley, Mass, is now living. Mr. Baldwin lived in Berea up to the time that his father purchased two large plantations, containing nearly 5000 acres, in St. Mary Parish, La. Having completed his elementary work in the public schools of Berea, he entered Baldwin Institute, being one of the youngest students in attendance at that time. Later he entered Baldwin University and graduated in its first class—1859. All members of this, class with the possible exception of Rev. Adam C. Barnes of Findlay, Ohio, are now dead.
On March 26, 1863 John Baldwin Jr. was married to Lura A. Gould of Berea. The children born to them were Philura G., Milton T., and John Paul, of whom but John Paul is now living.
It was the death of Philura that prompted the gift of the Philura Gould Baldwin Memorial Library which is one of the most beautiful buildings on our Campus. Mr. Baldwin has always taken an especial interest in the library and has given us many valuable additions to it in the form of books. Mr. Baldwin himself, an omnivorous reader knew well the value of good books and in this way had done great service to the College. The annual White Rose Exercises held at Commencement time in memory of Philura Gould Baldwin are among the most beautiful customs of the school.
The purchasing, by his father, of the two plantations in Louisiana necessitated the supervision of someone stronger than "Grandpa" Baldwin, and John, Jr. shouldered the responsibility of going to the Southland during the reconstruction period following the Civil War and making a success of what seemed more likely to turn out in failure. However, Mr. Baldwin possessed the rare combination of high business ability, a presence that commanded respect, candor and dependability, courage, great mechanical skill and the ability to keep out of the political squabbles of that region. Owing to his commanding personality and business qualities, Baldwin Plantation was saved from the fate of bankruptcy and failure which struck almost all the plantations at this period of our history.
Through all the stirring times of his early career he was steadily adding to his possessions and at the same time giving liberally to many causes. Especially was he a donor to Baldwin University and Baldwin-Wallace College, as is well known to everyone.
All these latter years he has been
(Continued to Page S, Col, 8)
(Continued from Page 1)
a great sufferer, having been in hospitals and under the surgeons knife a number of times, but with it all he remained calm and serene.
All this winter he has suffered greatly from u condition that at last compelled him to go to a hospital in New Orleans and there to undergo a severe operation, that in his enfeebled condition caused his death in a little less than a week.
Mr. Baldwin was a member of Berea Lodge, No. 382, F. & A. M. for nearly fifty years and also a member of the Berea Post of the Grand Army of the Republic.
He served one term as Mayor of Berea Village many years ago and was very prominent in the business affairs of this town years ago as well as in Baldwin, La., where he was for a number of years president of the Bank of Baldwin.
When Mr. Baldwin's body arrived in Berea, last Friday, February 20th, 1920 it lay in state in the Fanny Nast Gamble Auditorium of Baldwin-Wallace College from two until four in the afternoon so that all students of the institution might be able to, pay a lust tribute to the man who has been so great a benefactor to humanity. The funeral services were held from the Berea. Methodist Episcopal Church on Sunday afternoon, February 22, 1920.
Mr. Baldwin had a. large circle of friends and it is with sincere sorrow that we have seen his body laid to rest, but the memory of his useful life will remain and bear fruit for generations to come.
Citation: "In Memoriam," Christian Advocate, 1892.
Died, at the home of her father, John Baldwin, in Berea, Ohio, on Thursday morning last, Philura Gould Baldwin, of consumption, aged 26 years.
Many who read the above, will do so with feelings of great sorrow and deep regret, as they recall the sweet-faced girl who used to visit in the days that seem but as yesterday. None met her but to remember her with thoughts of kindliest interest, and the charm of her presence ever remained with her dearest friends as the fragrance of a delicate flower. Spending the winter season in her southern home by the Teche, and returning to the north with the advent of spring, she met and made many friends by the rare delight of her personality.
Gifted by nature with a keen, discriminating mind, augmented by a thorough study of the good in literature coupled with a fine artistic sense, she enjoyed life to its deepest, fullest limits, and drew pleasure from the unappreciated source of everyday life. An ardent student of Nature, the heavens above inspired her with their unfathomable mystery, and the ever-beautiful earth charmed her senses with its color and beauty, yet perplexing her with its changeful and varied moods. While seeking fast-fleeting health at Mackinaw, the past summer, many happy hours were spent catching the lights and shadows upon the far-stretching waters as they melted away into the horizon, the white-winged vessels, the soft summer clouds, the towering rocks, and the quaint old buildings nestling among the brilliant green of the beautiful earth. She was alike sensitive to all the conceptions of the great tone-masters and delighted in them to such a degree as to almost bring exquisite pain, and aroused the greatest enthusiasm by her inspiring appreciation.
Over a year ago, she was attacked with la grippe, which left her in declining health, and terminated a life as sweet, as pure, and as noble as e'er had its being upon earth.
The funeral services were held from her late home, where the thoughtful hearts of friends sent beautiful flowers, kind hands administered the last sad rites, and where President J. E. Stubbs feelingly spoke of the life so closed before it was yet noon.
Citation: Kieth A. Peppers, 2020.
| Born | November 28, 1865 |
| Died | March 3, 1892 |
| Graduated | 1886 |
| Degree | Bachelor of Arts |
Her life was a short one. Born in 1865, Philura Gould Baldwin graduated from Baldwin University in 
1886 having studied art. At the time of her studies, the university lacked what we commonly think of as a library. The predecessors of today’s fraternities and sororities were literary societies, each keeping and populating their own unique pocket collection of bound books and periodicals. Under her guidance, Philura took on the responsibility of unifying these collections into what would become the first library on campus.
Her tenure as the first librarian was short-lived, however. Just three years after taking on the title, Philura passed away from tuberculosis at the age of twenty-seven. To honor her memory and the contribution she made through her librarianship, the White Rose Ceremony was created. A procession of female student leaders, a song of tribute, oration, and the placing of a single white rose in the memory and contribution of Philura take place has taken place every year since her death. A book is also presented as a gift in her memory to the BW library.
Two of her sketchbooks and several pieces of her art still reside in the care of the library she helped found more than a century ago. A relief of Philura can still be seen affixed to the wall in what was once the Philura Gould Baldwin Memorial Library, now part of the Malicky Center.
Citation: Charles F. Mott, ed., Palladian (Berea, OH: Baldwin University, 1897), p. 24.
Adam C. Barnes graduated from Baldwin University to the degree of A. B. in 1859. Three years later he received the degree of A. M. About 1883 the degree of D.D. was conferred on him unsolicited and without his previous knowledge. The year succeeding graduation he spent in Hickman City, Ky., in charge of the Hickman Seminary. The next year Mr. Barnes entered into a contract with a famous publishing house to sell their books and spent the greater part of the year in Indiana prosecuting his calling. In 1861, at Kenton, Ohio, he was received on trial into the Central Ohio Annual Conference and appointed to the Elida Circuit. This was a large, three-week circuit with ten appointments and seventy miles around in what was then regarded as the heart of the Black Swamp. The summary of his ministry has been as follows: Sixteen years on circuits, thirteen years on station and seven ·years presiding elder. In 1892 he was sent by his Conference as delegate to the General Conference at Omaha. Since Mr. Barnes was taken into the Conference almost thirty-six years have passed, years full of labor, yet rejoicing in hope and rich in the triumphs of grace.
Citation: H. C. Beyer, “Athletics,” Baldwin-Wallace Alumnus 13, no. 1 (1935): p. 32.
Peter Barno received the great distinction of being placed on the Associated Press and the United Press "All-Ohio" and "All-Ohio Conference" first honorary football teams at the close of the 1934 season. Being rangy and speedy and weighing almost 200 pounds, "Pete" has been a power of the B-W. line for the past three years, playing tackle on offense and backing up the line on defense. His home is in Cleveland where he graduated from the West Technical High School.
We hope to see Barno coaching one of the larger high schools in the district after his graduation in June.
 |
Wittenberg Athlete To Coach Baldwin-Wallace Teams
According to the announcement made May 13, by Faculty Manager of Athletics, W. J. Lemke, a three-year contract has been signed by R. W. “Rube” Bechtel, former Wittenberg star, whereby the latter accepts the position of director of physical education and athletics at Baldwin-Wallace.
While this was Coach Bechtel’s first year as coach of Woodward Tech, of Toledo, which school won the basketball tournament here this spring, he has been prominently connected with sports for many years, first as a player and later as a coach and official.
For three years he was a guard on the Wittenberg college basketball team, and for two years was placed on the All-Ohio basketball team. He was captain of the team of 1916 which made such an enviable record.
Bechtel was quarterback on the football team and during his last year was elected as captain and quarter of the mythical All-Ohio eleven.
After his graduation he went to Akron South in 1917 and won the first championship the school had ever von among the schools of that city, Bechtel then went into the service and was stationed at Paris Island, S. C., in charge of physical education of the marine corps.
In 1919 he returned to Akron Central and in six weeks turned out a team that won the city championship and incidentally took the 'tournament trophy cup at the B. W. tournament that year. He took charge at the Goodrich company that spring as director of Recreation and won the national industrial championship with his track men. The following fall he went back to Akron South and turned out a football team Unit heat Youngstown South, the first game it had lost in five years.
Going to Woodward last fall, Bechtel developed a football team that, did not lose a game while his basketball outfit won 16 games in a row, losing their first game in the fifth round of the Ohio Wesleyan tournament to ML Vernon.
With a record such .as this we may be assured that B-W. can look forward to the best year it has ever seen in athletics.
Citation: Marion Cole, ed., “Spotlighting Alumni...,” Baldwin-Wallace Alumnus 27, no. 4 (1949): p. 16.
Becky Beltman, '42, has invaded the essentially male domain of aviation to become reservations manager in the downtown Cleveland office of Trans-Canada Air Lines. She joined TCA in 1948 after working for more than three years as reservation and training supervisor for Capitol Airlines.
Citation: “Bender Receives Ropollo Trophy,” The Exponent, November 9, 1961, p. 4.
 |
Obie Bender, Jacket co-captain and right guard, received the Frank Ropollo Trophy last Saturday following the Homecoming game against Heidelberg at the Stadium.
The trophy signifies the outstanding play Bender delivered throughout the game, as he has throughout his football career. He is a 5-10, 175 lb., 21 year old senior from Canton and was named to the Methodist Little All-American last year.
Citation: Cindy Peck, “Bender Replaces Gregg as Acting Assistant Dean,” The Exponent, April 24, 1970, p. 7.
Obie Bender, a B-W graduate of the Class of '62, is replacing John Gregg as Acting Assistant Dean. He will assume duties in his new position of assistant to President Bonds on June 15, upon completing the year as principal at Allen Elementary School.
Bender, a native of Canton, Ohio, received a B.S. of Education degree. While here, he was named outstanding collegiate football player by the Cleveland Touchdown Club.
Returning to Canton, Bender served as a guidance counselor and coach at McKinley High School. He has also taught at Roosevelt Community School, and Wells and Washington Elementary Schools.
As well as fulfilling his teaching duties, Bender is a member of the Board of Directors of the Canton Business Opportunities Corporation and the Stark County Council of Economic Opportunity. He also chairs the Canton Fair Housing Commission, and is a member of the Canton Technical Coordinating Committee and Mayor's Committee for Employment and Recreation in Operation Positive.
Citation: “Bender Assists Bonds,” The Exponent, September 25, 1970, p. 9.
 |
Obie Bender came to B-W on June 15th to accept his appointment as Assistant to President Bonds.
The '62 graduate of B-W describes his new post as the "reinforcing and working in a supportive role of President Bonds in dealing with the internal and external constituents of the college."
After attaining a B.S. in Education at B-W, Bender became a teacher in Canton, Ohio. While in Canton he served the school board as a football coach, a guidance counselor, and finally, a principal.
Bender has a long list of community activities to his credit while in Canton. He was the youth co-ordinator for the City of Canton's Operation Positive. He served on the Board of Directors of the Stark County Council of Economic Opportunities and the Canton-Business Opportunities Corporation. Bender was a member of the Citizens Advisory Committee to Canton City Planning and the chairman of the Canton Fair Housing Commission.
While Bender was playing football for B-W he received the Outstanding Collegiate Player Award from the Cleveland Touchdown Club.
This past Spring he was awarded his Masters in Guidance from the University of Akron. He also holds 12 additional hours in Administration.
Since his arrival on campus, Bender has already taken on the additional duties of temporary director of the Upward Bound Program at Baldwin-Wallace,
This is Bender's first appointment at B-W. He has recently taken up residence in Berea with his wife Betty and their three children; Lydia - 11, Craig - 10, and Rhonda-8.
Citation: Maria J. Hoffmann, ed., Grindstone (Berea, OH: Baldwin-Wallace College, 1977), p. 171.
Obie Bender is the assistent to President Bonds and co-advisor to the Black Student Alliance. As an educator, all of his activities are designed to improve the living and learning environment of the college. Functioning as an administrative aide, he must act as a go-between to the Board of Trustees, perform as a fund raiser, and a mediator between faculty and students. As the advisor to the BSA, Bender strives to meet the needs of that organization.
Obie Bender has served as assistent to the President for six years, and has been connected with the college for nearly twenty years. A former Baldwin-Wallace student, he received a degree in education in 1962.
Mr. Bender has served on the Governor's Task Force, on "Economic Outreach", and has acted as consultant to the Educational Research Council of America, along with numerous other activities.
 |
On January 1, 2007, Dr. Obie Bender retired from his position as Executive Assistant to the President of the College. He dedicated 36 years of service to Baldwin-Wallace College and his exceptional leadership and integrity will definitely be missed.
Bender began his experience at B-W when he was encouraged by Lee Tressel to attend college here Bender was the captain of Canton McKinley's state. champion football team and went on to become an All-American in football and co-captain of B-W's first undefeated team in 1951.
Bender went on from B-W to get his Ph.D. in counseling psychology from the University of Akron. Bender has been very influential at B-W and beyond. Aside from his work at B-W, Bender has been, a consultant for numerous governmental, educational, and civic organizations as well as an arbitrator for the New York Stock Exchange. Bender continued with athletics as the player program consultant for the Cleveland Browns and also developed the educational element of the Renee Powell PGA Youth Golf Cadre Program.
On the Baldwin-Wallace College website, President Richard Durst states: "Throughout [Bender's] tenure [Bender] has provided exceptional leadership as a College liaison In administrative areas, Including legal, governmental, and community concerns and has been responsible for inter-collegiate athletics, campus security, and the Health and Physical Education and Recreation facilities."
It is clear that Mr. Bender has been an invaluable part of Baldwin-Wallace College and it goes without saying that much of his work was done-without recognition or notability-simply to better Baldwin-Wallace College. In honor of Dr Bender, the Board of Trustees has suggested that friends who might want to recognize him contribute to the scholarship endowment created last year in his name.
See also: Obie Bender (Alumni Athletics Association Hall of Fame)
See also: Obie Bender Multicultural Award
See also: Celebrating 50 Years...Acclaimed Football Team Honored at Homecoming
After An Exceedingly Spectacular Collegiate Career "Dim" Benedict Receives Chance To Make Good
"B-W's Super Athlete," "The Pride of Berea," "The Incomparable Dim.” These and other titles have been applied to Ralph "Dim" Benedict, and he merits them all.
From the day his blonde pompadore first arose on B-W's athletic horizon until his departure with the Cleveland Indians on their southern training trip, his career has been one big triumph. Modest and unassuming, success did not turn his head, but he was always in there fighting for the Brown and Gold. An exponent of fair play and clean sport, "Dim" has enjoyed a popularity on the campus that few B-W. athletics, past or present could equal.
His athletic career began in Berea High school where he was a "top-notcher" in all sports. They still tell of his wonderful feat in the fall of '19, when in a County League championship game against Chagrin Falls he kicked three field goals and practically beat the opposing eleven single-handed. He entered Baldwin-Wallace in the fall of '20 and with but one year's football experience he won a place on B-W's great football machine of that year. He proved a sensation among the Ohio colleges in basketball and was the Brown and Gold's lending point scorer. His goa throwing was a prominent factor in B-W's eighteen victories out of twenty-three starts. He captained the baseball team and led the nine in all departments of play. In his first time at bat in the opening game of the season against Toledo University, "Dim" drove out one of the longest home runs seen on the Toledo diamond. To top off his last year's work, "Dim" won the college tennis championship in a walk and participated in all of B-W's intercollegiate tennis meets. His most notable victory was over Osgood of Hiram, who had won all of his previous matches, including West Virginia U's No. 1 man.
During the present school year Benedict kept up his good work and played a stellar game in football until forced out of the line up by injuries in the middle of the season. He captained the basketball team and had a big share in winning ten of B-W's last twelve games.
"Dim's" good work in baseball with Baldwin-Wallace last spring and with the Berea A. C. and the Union Trust Co. team during the summer attracted the attention of Manager Speaker and
(Continued on Page 4, Col. 2)
(Continued from Page 1)
the owners of the Cleveland World's Champion baseball club and he worked out with the Indians at League Park last summer. This spring Jimmy Dunn offered Benedict the opportunity of making the southern training trip with the Indians and of course "Dim" accepted. He leaves on February 25th for Dallas, Texas, for a three-week's, work-out. B-W folks want to see him make good in fast company, but at the same time we would like to have him back here in his home town where he means jo much to the success of the Baldwin-Wallace athletic teams. At any rate, the College is proud of the distinction that has come to him, and we are all "pulling for him" to show Tris Speaker some real third-basing. Luck to you, 'Dim."
Citation: Albert L. Marting, ed., “The Port of Missing Men,” Baldwin-Wallace Alumnus 21, no. 4 (1943): p. 7.
 |
Have you heard of the Port of Missing Men?
Did you know that there is a hospital in America where anyone who is afflicted with leprosy may enter under an assumed name, if he desires, perhaps be cured of his illness and return to his family and friends without any of the stigma which so often is attached to this illness?
Did you know that a graduate of Baldwin-Wallace has been chaplain of this hospital, caring for the bodily and the spiritual comforts of the patients?
The United States Marine Hospital at Carville, Louisiana, is the official name of the haven, established in 1921, the first of its kind in America. The chaplain is A. Preston Boyd. Graduating from Baldwin-Wallace College in 1898, he began his ministry as pastor of the Madison Avenue Baptist Church, Cleveland, later serving the Baptist Church in Euclid. In 1926 he entered into his ministry of love and devotion for those stricken by this oriental disease and continued until a few months ago, when he retired to his farm and the service of a small church nearby.
Miss Jean Oram of Cleveland was the angel of mercy who, as as a national officer of the Women's Missionary Society of the Methodist Church, visited the Carville Leprosarium and reported so enthusiastically that the "Queen Esther's," the young women's organization, took on the support of Chaplain Boyd. It is an interesting fact to note that while the chaplain had his commission from the United States Government, his support came from the church.
At present there are about 380 patients of all ages, religions and nationalities. The prevailing tongue is Spanish. About one third are women and there are a few small children.
Leprosy is a universal plague, more loathsome in appearance than definitely contagious in character. It is not so much a disease of the uncivilized as it is of the unsanitary m personal and domestic life.
About one third of the patients at Carville are foreign born or of foreign born parentage. The hospital is up to date in every respect, even containing walks covered and screened to protect patients from the annoyances of winged insects and rain. It is beautifully located on the Mississippi River about twenty-five miles from Baton Rouge.
Medical science has advanced at least far enough in knowledge of leprosy to effect some cures. Rigid rules are observed and no patient is "paroled" who does not pass a satisfactory medical examination. During past years a goodly number of patients have been thus discharged and no longer regarded as a menace to society.
Citation: Charles F. Mott, ed., Palladian (Berea, OH: Baldwin University, 1897), p. 27.
The Christian pulpit contains some of the most prominent of our alumni. One of these, Rev. E. O. Buxton, Ph. D., D.D., was born January I4, 1851, in Knox County, Ohio. His early life was spent on a farm, and his educational advantages were limited. After becoming converted he taught school for four years, and in 1872 entered the National Normal University at Lebanon, Ohio, where he remained three years, passing immediately to the Theological Department of Boston University, where he graduated in I879· The same year he entered the North Ohio Conference and has since occupied prominent pulpits therein. In Dr. Buxton we have a telling example of what hard work, pluck and perseverance will do for a student; for while preaching he reviewed his entire collegiate work and received the degree of A. B. from Baldwin University, and also completed the four years post-graduate work in Boston University and received the degree of Ph. D. Honorary degrees have also been conferred, most deservingly on Dr. Buxton by both Ohio Wesleyan University and Baldwin University. In 1894 Dr. Buxton was transferred to the Cincinnati Conference and is now pleasantly located at Avondale, the most beautiful suburb of Cincinnati.
