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Gifford, Dr. R. W., Jr.

English

Otterbein University

Otterbein University Digital Commons @ Otterbein The Spirit of Otterbein Archives & Special Collections 3-1-1966 Wagoner, Rudolph H. Dr. R. W. Gifford Jr. Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.otterbein.edu/archives_spirit  Part of the Digital Humanities Commons Recommended Citation Gifford, Dr. R. W. Jr., "Wagoner, Rudolph H." (1966). The Spirit of Otterbein. 10. https://digitalcommons.otterbein.edu/archives_spirit/10 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Archives & Special Collections at Digital Commons @ Otterbein. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Spirit of Otterbein by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Otterbein. For more information, please contact digitalcommons07@otterbein.edu. =========== THE SPIRIT OF OTTERBEIN =========== lludolph H. Wagoner 1861 .. 1920 _.,.,.; ) Otterbein students who attended college in the late 1800's and early l900's still well remember a certain colorful professor who was a bright spot in campus life in what is now teftl.ed "the good ole days." The naae of hofeaaor l.udolpb H. Wagoner is oft•discussed when the gYads return. for reunions, homecoming or ottulr campus festivities . "Budy," as he was know by his close aasoeiates, was more than. just an• other professor. He bad that certain. something that made him a favorite among his students. Perhaps it was the poetic way he called cm them, using first, middle and last name in cl.ass or when he greeted them on campus. Often he would go even a step further and call off their hometown too. He possessed the aemory of an. elepbaat and was able to retaelt.ber the first. mid• dle and last name of every studn.t on campus as well as their home address. This uncanny tN it coupled with a tremendous tense of humor. love for p,:actical jokes a.ad a genuine power for getting the subject aero•• to his stu• dents were p,:obably the key reaacm.s for the respect and aclmiration he earned from his students and fellow faculty umbers. Professor Budy was a versatile man. 11a held the official title of Profes• sor of Mathematics and Latin. Bowever, as needed, he s.lso taught Getman, civics and astronomy and at one time wee principal of the preparatory department which == ======== THE SPIRIT OF OTTERBEIN =========== is best remembered now as the old Hartin Boehm Acadenry. An extHMly active, enthusiastic and eruurgetic person, he saned as Pres• idnt of the College Aluma.i Assoctat:f.on for thne years; served thYee :,ears as secretary of the faculty; held a U.eense to preach in the United Brethren Churchi taught a men's Sunday School clase fOI' 23 yea.rs, a. class that ia known today as the Wagoner Memorial ClaH • Hie sense of humor and uncanny antics always brought • smile every time he ca• forth with something new and an still wll remeabel'ed today by those who knew him. for no apparent nason and meh to the embarrassment of his wife, Budy oceasicmally would stage a stauering act as he would walk from his home on South State Street to the eaapu.e. Bia friends reMmbew him hugging on telephone p0lea and zi1·••11ina up the atnet even though he'd never touched a drop. Another of hts favorite antics ws to string lights acnss his potato patch "so the potatoes could •ee to g~n at night. 0 He ts particularly remem.-bel'ed as he would walk up State St1'88t in OTO weather wearing a 1tTaw hat. hil coat over hie an and fanning biue1f. Despite all of hil love for humor, silliuaa and practical jokes, frof. Wagoner loved nothing more than to tax bis keen analytic:al 11.tad with .a. "problem that couldn't he wot'ked. 11 Be bee•• friends through lettters with some of the count,:y'• moat ncopiaed matbematietan.s and they would tra.4e problems "for the fun of it." It was a hit ironic that hofesaor Wa5onel' came to Otterbein. He was 'bom on a farm near S:tduey. Meager ff.uncial eirewutances prevented him from attending =========== THE SPIRIT OF OTTERBEIN =========== high school until he was twnty•one years old. In the interim he worked as a fam hand, impatiently awaiting that day when his sma.11 savings might be great enough to fu~ther his educatien. He joined the United lntbren Chvrch in Sidney in 1883 and while teaching Sunday School then he became influenced by hie patter, the l.evenad E. M. Counsellor. In 1886 he enrolled in Otterbein. thanks to encourag .. nt and fin.an• ctal aastatance by hf.a close frieua, Mr. au Mrs. William c. Sat.th, with vbClm he had uu his home while at.teadlq htgh school. ludy WOl'ked as a farm baad ou.c.tde of Weste¥Vi11e and saned a.a a boadin.g club man.age'!' while attending Otterbein. He mnied Mies ha Moss, Westentlle • in 1891 and araduated f'l'Oat Otter• bein with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1892. Re taught for one yeax, in a country aebool and in the sp•tng of 1893 was asked to retun to Otterbein to fill a mid•yur vacancy. That fall be 'beca• a penaaent member of the faculty and contiftue4 faithfully in that caP41city until his death in. 1920. He 10\ted work and people, which was apparent in bis everyday way of life. A faithful Chriatian •n• he oace wrot•, "Then an four th!n,g1 I love paHion• ately in life: flf'/ family, ay home, my cbllreh and my work. 11 Be ence stated that he had nner underta.kea •RJ duty or u,k in a half• hearted w.y and that every day's work had been a verita1-le pleasure. Even in his last UlneH, when his pain•racked body refused to be driven further, hit mind ff'IUined active and his soul was still heedless of self. Ia a very punctual marm.er be had faced death with every detail of family responsibilities taken care of, each and every plan for his sen ices and a. =========== THE SPIRIT OF OTTERBEIN =========== final letter to hie family :and Sunday School cl.ass written. Prof. Budy was dedicated to the eervice of Otterbein. He lived and died Otterbein. He seat bit ,on and dau9hter, Wilbur and Alma Marie (now Mrs. by Gifford), to Otterbein. and would be especially pleased to know all four of his grandson, an Otterbein g,:aduatee: Jlobert Wagoner; lay w. Jr., Don, and Cnig Gifford. The latter grandsoa is now sel!'Ving Otterbein as Director of College Iafonw.tton. and l'rinttng for the fourth conaecutive yeaT. The name of lu4y Wagonar brf.ngs back 11l81110riea, smiles and happiness to those who knew him over tw0acon yurs ago • • .. his na• will live on forever as a dedicated Otterbeta professor who conaidered the classroom only a small part of his responaibilities to hie students. 

Wagoner, Rudolph H.

https://digitalcommons.otterbein.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1019&amp;context=archives_spirit

Wagoner, Rudolph H.

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