James A. Blaisdell

James Arnold Blaisdell (December 15, 1867 – January 29, 1957) was a minister, theologian and most notably the fourth president of Pomona College (1910–1927) and founder and “Head Fellow” of the Claremont Colleges (1927–1935).

James A. Blaisdell
4th President of Pomona College
In office
July 1, 1910 – July 1, 1928
Preceded byGeorge A. Gates
Succeeded byCharles K. Edmunds
Personal details
Born
James Arnold Blaisdell

(1867-12-15)December 15, 1867
Beloit, Wisconsin
DiedJanuary 29, 1957(1957-01-29) (aged 89)
Claremont, California
Spouse(s)Anne Grassie Blaisdell
ChildrenJames, Florence
Alma materBeloit College
ProfessionAcademic

Life and career

He was born in Beloit, Wisconsin; his father was a philosophy professor at Beloit College. Blaisdell graduated from Beloit College in 1889, and went on to become a minister in Waukesha, Wisconsin for a time, until he went back to Beloit College to be the Chair of the Bible Department, as well as the director of the library, in 1903.

He became president of Pomona College in 1910 and the College’s finances, success and visibility quickly increased. He envisioned what would become the Claremont Colleges in 1923 when faced with increasing enrollment at Pomona, so that rather than compromising the small college’s atmosphere, several small schools could coexist and share common facilities such as a library, much like Oxford. He became the head of the Claremont University Consortium in 1927, when he resigned as president of Pomona.[1] He continued in this capacity until 1935, retiring to La Jolla, California, but upon the death of his wife in 1940, returned to Claremont, California for the last 17 years of his life, observing and overseeing the growth of what had become five institutions.[2]

James A. Blaisdell Park, Claremont, California

Blaisdell was honored by the city of Claremont with the dedication of a public park in his name in 1962.[3] It is located on South College Avenue. He is buried in nearby Oak Park Cemetery in Claremont.

Notes
  1. "1910". Pomona College Timeline. 7 November 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  2. Anderson, Seth. "James Blaisdell-The Visionary". Claremont Conversation. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  3. Blaisdell Family Association. Blaisdell Papers. Volume 6, 1961, p.100
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