Interview of Luvern L. Cunningham by Robert W. Butche

Jack Culbertson: Director of the University Council of Educational Administration (pp. 7, 13) -- Jack Corbally: Provost (pp. 7, 17-19, 33-35, 50) -- Vincent Ostrum: political scientist (p. 8) -- Keith Goldhammer: Dean of Education at Michigan State University (p. 9) -- Harold Lasswell: versatile and brilliant scholar (pp. 9-11, 53) -- James Conant: influential advocate of large urban schools (p. 13) -- Robert Havighurst: College of Education at OSU, and faculty member at University School (p. 16) -- Roald Campbell: Dean of the College of Education at Univ. of Chicago (p. 17) -- Novice Fawcett: President of OSU (pp. 17, 19-20, 28) -- Egan Guba: Bureau of Educational Research, instrumental in closing University School (pp. 21-22) -- David Clark: Associate Dean, College of Education, worked to close University School (pp. 21-22) -- John Ramseyer: Head of University School (pp. 21-25) -- Arliss Rhoden: Associate Dean, College of Education (pp. 20, 25-30, 36, 38) -- Alex Frazier: diverse successes (p. 26) -- John Richardson: Science Education (pp. 24-25) -- Jack Frymier: expert in curriculum development (pp. 25-26) -- Charles Taylor: respected advocate of African-American causes (pp. 29-30) -- Harold Eibling: Superintendent of Columbus Public Schools (p. 31) -- Richard Meiling, Dean of Medicine (pp. 29, 39) -- Gene D’Angelo: President of Dispatch Broadcast Group (pp. 31-32) -- Richard Snyder: Director of the Mershon Center (pp. 53-54) -- Charles Herrmann: Director of the Mershon Center (p. 54) -- Judge Duncan: Federal judge in Columbus desegregation case (pp. 42-44, 58) -- Daniel Stufflebeam: Professor of Education (p. 50)Cunningham’s rich personal experiences in World War Two, and his upbringing on a farm, fostered his desire for higher education. He attended a tiny one-room school in the early 30’s in rural Nebraska which had 16 students for the first 8 grades. Students rode horses to school, and the room was heated by a wood burning, potbellied stove. Teachers were not well trained, but there was a lot of family and community support. His high school had little more than 100 students, but a sound academic program. He enrolled at Midland Lutheran College at age 16, but left college at age 18 to volunteer for military service. He served in the Pacific theater for two years before the war ended. Returning to Midland Lutheran he earned his B.A. degree, and also earned his certification for teaching. After teaching for three years in small rural schools, he served for one year as admissions director at Midland Lutheran, his alma mater. He earned his Doctorate of Education at the University of Oregon. While there he became close friends with fellow graduate students Jack Corbally and Jack Culbertson, both of whom, like Cunningham, later would have significant careers at Ohio State. Other friends he made at Oregon included Vincent Ostrum, distinguished political scientist, and Keith Goldhammer, later Dean of Education at Michigan State. His dissertation was on decision and policy making at a school board in Springfield, Oregon, and was organized according to the conceptual principles of the brilliant Harold Lasswell, whom Cunningham would also meet at Ohio State. His first teaching experience at the college level was at the University of Chicago. Here he got deeply involved in issues of inner-city schools, including the impact of dense public housing on student performance at school. The difficulties at these overcrowded, underfunded public schools in Chicago were described as “unimaginable,” but unfortunately conditions there are said to be no better today than in the 1950’s. Cunningham decided to focus his career on urban schools, and he gained further experience at Chicago Heights and Rochester, Minnesota. James Conant, the influential author, educator, and President of Harvard University, wrote extensively at the time on the merits of large, comprehensive, schools, an approach Cunningham found to be detrimental. Cunningham also raises questions about the possible parallels between the rapidly increasing percentage of African-American students in Chicago, and the decline of certain schools. One such school, Hyde Park, was from 1940 to 1960 transformed from one of the best in Chicago to one of the worst. In addition to his emerging interests in matters of race and civil rights while at Chicago, Cunningham was very active within two professional organizations, the National Conference of Professors of Educational Administration, and the University Council for Educational Administration. In 1967 Cunningham accepted an offer from Novice Fawcett to become Dean of the College of Education at Ohio State. Earlier he had rejected several attractive offers from other institutions. Here he encountered several close friends, including Jack Corbally, and two former doctoral students, Virgil Blanke and Fred Staub. He could count on strong support from higher administration, including Fawcett, but he realized there were some major problems at the College that would require urgent attention. One thorny issue was the recent closing of University School, a decision which Fawcett had encouraged, but which had led to resignations from certain education faculty. At this point the issue was how to close the school with some dignity. Two faculty members who were thought to have engineered the closing of the school, Egan Guba and David Clark, found themselves ostracized by some of their colleagues. There were other divisive issues as well. Cunningham, in response, organized the Lake Hope Conference which brought the entire faculty of the College of Education together in a congenial setting. Through role playing, simulated faculty meetings, and intense discussions and negotiations in large and small gatherings, the outcome was a master plan for reorganizing the College of Education. Many of the angry feelings were dissipated, and the conference ended with “a lot of joy, a lot of feeling, and a lot of hope.” Guba and Clark both resigned, and there were other departures as well, but enormous progress had been made in a short time. Two professors, husband and wife, who greatly aided Cunningham in his re-organization plans, were Harold and Elsie Alberty. Other great assets were John Ramseyer, former Head for many years of University School, John Richardson, Science Education, Jack Frymier, nationally known as an expert in curriculum development, and Alex Frazier, versatile expert on urban schools and an esteemed teacher. In his first year at Ohio State, Cunningham established the Ohio State University Advisory Commission on problems facing the Columbus Public School system, until recently headed by Novice Fawcett. The system was currently undergoing much tension of a racial nature. With strong backing from Fawcett, and five other Deans, as well as much involvement from graduate students, Cunningham and his co-partner, Arliss Rhoden, developed a comprehensive, university-wide plan. Hearings were held in various white and black schools. Charles Taylor, a social worker from South Side Settlement [House], “a handsome, well spoken, tough black man” asked hard questions, but ultimately his assistance was crucial. Later, with Cunningham’s support, Taylor earned his Ph.D. at OSU, and he later became President of Wilberforce University. The final report contained dozens of recommendations, not all of which, of course, were adopted, but Cunningham considered it “successful.” It received considerable local publicity, thanks in part to the solid cooperation of Gene D’Angelo, President of the Dispatch Broadcast Group, and Robert and Charles Lazarus, influential civic leaders. An immediate benefit for the College of Education was the closer relationships that emerged with Columbus Public Schools, and other Colleges at OSU. Over time Cunningham and others, especially Jack Corbally, worked with varying success to bring to OSU more black students and faculty. For this he was called the “Red Dean” by people on the downtown school board. Despite such efforts being made at racial understanding they were insufficient. By April, 1970, the time of serious riots at Ohio State which led to closing the university, Cunningham believed that “cooperation between blacks and whites on campus is evaporating.” Certain blacks, including Michael White, President of the Student Body, later Mayor of Cleveland, demanded creation of a Black Studies Center, speeded up recruitment of black students and faculty, and earlier promotions of black faculty. Cunningham’s own personal reputation grew on campus and beyond as he was seen “as someone who was willing to take the heat, bridge the gap, mediate the dispute, and try to get change effected.” Similarly the reputation of the College of Education grew; it was recognized as the top land grant College of Education in the country. Early in 1973 Cunningham resigned his Deanship (while retaining his tenured Professorship) to take a position in Detroit to head a citizens’ Task Force being organized to leverage improvements in the Detroit Public Schools. It worked with some success to improve reading programs, and improve internal communication with the community at large, and state government in Lansing. At about the same time he chaired a similar group in San Francisco that was working to improve public schools there. In Columbus an anti-segregation lawsuit had been filed in the federal courts to be heard by Judge Duncan, who then invited Cunningham to serve as Special Master Commissioner in the Columbus desegregation case. This assignment brought a tremendous amount of power and authority with it, and it lasted for seven years. Various areas of concern were studied, including student achievement, membership in all-white sports, such as tennis and swimming, and participation in student councils and the homecoming court, also traditionally all white. Other issues were migration patterns of parents and their children, and minority gains in science and math. As blacks gains were realized there was white flight of students, teachers, and even principals. A general conclusion that for black students there were more problems for them in the communities than in the schools. Although schools were undeniably part of the problem of discrimination, there are limits to using the schoolhouse to solve societal problems. Bussing students to school did solve “pieces” of the problem. Although seeking solutions through housing and employment are essential, considering the fact that most families in this country use the public schools, desegregation of schools can only help to increase racial understanding and lessen prejudice. Cunningham concluded after extensive personal study of racial discrimination in various venues that society as a whole was better off for having undertaken the challenges of desegregating the public schools. He also reflected on several disappointments in his career. Some of these involved personnel. He regretted losing Professors Daniel Stufflebeam to Western Michigan University, and Ray Nystrand to the University of Louisville, and disappointments in failing to recruit as many African-American students and faculty as he had hoped. In fact, he said that Ohio State had actually lost ground in the past ten years. Cunningham was also involved with the Mershon Center for Public Policy. It was he who recruited Dick Snyder as Director of the Mershon Center, and he also served, at Snyder’s invitation, as co-director of the National Program for Educational Leadership at Mershon. Since his retirement from Ohio State, Cunningham has continued to be busy with various commitments. He is currently (2001) engaged in a project at the University of Akron to establish a Center for the sustained study of governance of education, has served as Director of the Ohio Commission on Interprofessional Education and Practice, and the Ohio Human Services Commission. Of all of his numerous accomplishments in intellectual, social, and law enterprise, his greatest accomplishment, he feels, was his success in working with his students, many of whom went on to distinguished careers in their own right. It has also been said that Cunningham “saved the College of Education.

Leadership : the science and the art today /

Twelfth annual Phi Delta Kappa symposium on educational researc