Citation: Kieth A. Peppers, 2020.
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Peter V. Neffenger was a 1977 graduate of B-W. During his time here, he had an active role on The Mill as well as being a photographer for the Grindstone. In 1982, Neffenger enlisted and served more than three decades with the U.S. Coast Guard, achieving the rank of Vice Admiral. He was appointed Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration by President Barrack Obama in July 2015. Retired Vice Admiral Neffenger currently serves BW on its Board of Trustees.
Citation: Frances F. Mills, ed., “In Memorian,” Baldwin-Wallace Alumnus 13, no. 1 (1935): p. 35.
The death of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Newcomb, in Cleveland in March, last, brought great sorrow to their many friends, and deep bereavement to the family, including Mrs. Newcomb's mother, Mrs. M. F. Warner, and her brother Carl; to Mr. Newcomb's brother Adrian and to the sons. Mr. Newcomb had been for many years a prominent attorney in Cleveland. He had been particularly interested in promoting more active friendly relations between Canadians and Americans. On August 5, in the wilds of the Tamagimi Forest Reserve in Canada, a memorial tablet was erected to his memory. The dedication ceremony was attended by over two hundred residents, and more than three hundred contributed to the memorial. Many Clevelanders were present at the ceremony.
Robert Newcomb was graduated from Baldwin-Wallace in 1897, after having first graduated from the Western Reserve Medical School in 1893. Following his graduation here, he entered the law school at Western Reserve, and in 1899 received his LL. B. degree. Faith Warner, daughter of former President M. F. Warner, was graduated in 1898. She was active in Club circles in Cleveland. Funeral services were held at Highland Park Cemetery chapel, on March 21, and were conducted by Rev. Dilworth Lupton.
Citation: "Souls Immortal; Senator Geo. W. Norris," Alumnus, vol. XXII, no. 4 (November 1944): pg. 5.
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Former Senator George W. Norris of Nebraska, one of the nation's most distinguished statesmen, passed away on Saturday, September 2. An illustrious alumnus of Baldwin-Wallace, Norris was known as the "father of the TVA." He had served five terms as a United States senator and ten terms as a member of the House of Representatives, a total of forty years in Congress.
He achieved his first national prominence in his fight against what he claimed was a one-man rule of the House of Representatives by Speaker Joseph Cannon, a battle he won in 1910. It was this factor that won him his election to the Senate in 1912. Here he aligned himself with Robert La Follette, Sr., in opposing the arming of American merchant ships in the first World War.
He attained high recognition for sponsoring constructive liberal legislation the most notable of which is the Tennessee Valley Authority. Norris Dam is a monument to his memory. He sponsored the Rural Electrification Act which brought cheap power to farm homes. He was also the champion of liberal legislation passed in the Senate in the 1930's.
Norris also waged and won a one-man fight to liberalize state government and was instrumental in the establishment of a unicameral legislature in Nebraska. He also supported the constitutional amendment which changed the date of the inauguration of presidents from March 4 to January 20, thus abolishing the "Lame Duck" sessions of Congress. Changing his views on international affairs he voted for the declaration of war in 1941 and was strong for an international society for peace and world cooperation. It has been said that throughout his long congressional career his "lips have never told a lie and his hands never touched a bible."
Born at Clyde, Ohio, on July 11, 1861, he was a champion corn husker in his native county and became husky digging ditches in the black swamp-land thereabouts. He chopped wood to pay his way through Baldwin-Wallace College having previously taught school at Warrensville nearby. Admitted to the bar in 1883, he was married to Pluma Lashley in 1890. Two years after her death in 1901 he married Ellen Leonard of San Jose, California. She and three daughters survive. Also alumni of B.-W. are two sisters of Senator Norris, one of whom, Ellen Bradstock resides in Cleveland, Ohio.
