John S. Allen
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John Stuart Allen (May 13, 1907 – December 27, 1982) was an American astronomer, university professor and
university president A chancellor is a leader of a college or university, usually either the executive or ceremonial head of the university or of a university campus within a university system. In most Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth and former Commonwealth na ...
. He was a native of
Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
, and pursued a career as a professor of
astronomy Astronomy is a natural science that studies celestial objects and the phenomena that occur in the cosmos. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and their overall evolution. Objects of interest includ ...
after receiving his
bachelor's A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ( ...
, master's and doctorate degrees. In 1953 Allen became the interim president of the
University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preem ...
located in
Gainesville, Florida Gainesville is the county seat of Alachua County, Florida, United States, and the most populous city in North Central Florida, with a population of 145,212 in 2022. It is the principal city of the Gainesville metropolitan area, Florida, Gainesv ...
, and subsequently became the founding president of the
University of South Florida The University of South Florida (USF) is a Public university, public research university with its main campus located in Tampa, Florida, Tampa, Florida, United States, and other campuses in St. Petersburg, Florida, St. Petersburg and Sarasota, ...
in
Tampa, Florida Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...
.


Early life and education

John Allen was born in Pendleton, Indiana in 1907. 'Build Us A University'—And That's What Dr. John Stuart Allen Did
," ''St. Petersburg Times'', pp. 1D & 5D (April 26, 1970). Retrieved March 5, 2010.
His parents were
Quakers Quakers are people who belong to the Religious Society of Friends, a historically Protestantism, Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations. Members refer to each other as Friends after in the Bible, and originally ...
, and his father was a
high school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...
teacher and principal. His father imparted to him a love of education and a fascination with
astronomy Astronomy is a natural science that studies celestial objects and the phenomena that occur in the cosmos. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and their overall evolution. Objects of interest includ ...
derived from their shared backyard observations of the night sky. Allen graduated with a
Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...
degree in
mathematics Mathematics is a field of study that discovers and organizes methods, Mathematical theory, theories and theorems that are developed and Mathematical proof, proved for the needs of empirical sciences and mathematics itself. There are many ar ...
from Quaker-affiliated Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana in 1928, a
master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional prac ...
in
astronomy Astronomy is a natural science that studies celestial objects and the phenomena that occur in the cosmos. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and their overall evolution. Objects of interest includ ...
from the
University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota Twin Cities (historically known as University of Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint ...
in
Minneapolis Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...
in 1929, and a
doctor of philosophy A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of Postgraduate education, graduate study and original resear ...
degree from
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...
in
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in 1936.University of Florida, Past Presidents
John Allen (Interim President 1953–1955)
. Retrieved October 24, 2012.
While he was a
graduate student Postgraduate education, graduate education, or graduate school consists of Academic degree, academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications usually pursued by higher education, post-secondary students who have ...
at Minnesota, in 1933, he met and married the former Grace Carlton, an education student.Ken Gullette,
USF Remembers Grace Allen as a Real 'First Lady,'
''USF News'' (December 16, 2007). Retrieved March 9, 2010.


Astronomer, professor, university founder

Allen began his teaching career as an instructor at the University of Minnesota, and later received an appointment as an assistant professor of astronomy at
Colgate University Colgate University is a Private university, private college in Hamilton, New York, United States. The Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college was founded in 1819 as the Baptist Education Society of the State of New York ...
in
Hamilton, New York Hamilton is a Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town in Madison County, New York, Madison County, New York (state), New York, United States. The population was 6,379 at the 2020 census. The town is named after American Founding Father ...
, where he taught for twelve years. Allen also worked for the New York State Department of Education from 1940 to 1948, where he eventually became director of the Division of Higher Education. One of his major accomplishments as higher education director, he oversaw the implementation of New York's so-called "emergency colleges"—state supported colleges created to accommodate the influx of returning
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
veterans. Over the course of his teaching and administrative career, Allen authored three
textbook A textbook is a book containing a comprehensive compilation of content in a branch of study with the intention of explaining it. Textbooks are produced to meet the needs of educators, usually at educational institutions, but also of learners ( ...
s and more than seventy journal articles on such topics as astronomy,
higher education Tertiary education (higher education, or post-secondary education) is the educational level following the completion of secondary education. The World Bank defines tertiary education as including universities, colleges, and vocational schools ...
and veterans' education. In 1948, president J. Hillis Miller of the University of Florida tapped Allen to be the university's new
vice president A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vi ...
; Miller had previously worked with Allen in the New York Department of Education. When Miller died unexpectedly in 1953, Allen became the interim president of the university. After his permanent successor, J. Wayne Reitz, assumed office in 1955, Allen continued to work as the executive vice president of the University of Florida until 1957. During his time at Florida, he was intimately involved in the planning of the university's new state
medical school A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, professional school, or forms a part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, ...
, teaching hospital and health science center complex. In 1956, the Florida Legislature authorized the creation of a new state university to be located in Hillsborough County, Florida,Mark I. Greenberg
''University of South Florida: The First Fifty Years, 1956-2006''
University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, p. 7 (2006).
and the Florida Board of Control appointed Allen as the first president of what would become the new
University of South Florida The University of South Florida (USF) is a Public university, public research university with its main campus located in Tampa, Florida, Tampa, Florida, United States, and other campuses in St. Petersburg, Florida, St. Petersburg and Sarasota, ...
(USF) on June 27, 1957. Allen was the only candidate considered for the position, 'Over Coffee . . . They Made Up Their Minds . . .'
," ''St. Petersburg Times'', p. 1D (April 26, 1970). Retrieved March 6, 2010.
and would lead the new university as its president from its inception in 1957 until his
retirement Retirement is the withdrawal from one's position or occupation or from one's active working life. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours or workload. Many people choose to retire when they are elderly or incapable of doing their j ...
in 1970. On August 1, 1957, the newly minted university president and his secretary Ann Strickland moved into a borrowed office in the Hillsborough County Courthouse and went to work. According to ''
The Tampa Tribune ''The Tampa Tribune'' was a daily newspaper published in Tampa, Florida. Along with the competing ''Tampa Bay Times'', the ''Tampa Tribune'' was one of two major newspapers published in the Tampa Bay area. The newspaper also published a ''St. P ...
'', Allen brought with him a note pad, a box of pencils, an ashtray for visitors and "great hope."Greenberg, ''The First Fifty Years'', p. 15. When Allen arrived in
Tampa Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...
in 1957, the fledgling university did not have a name, physical plant, faculty or students. He and his newly assembled administrative team began to build a modern state university from scratch. With a grant from the
Ford Foundation The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation with the stated goal of advancing human welfare. Created in 1936 by Edsel Ford and his father Henry Ford, it was originally funded by a $25,000 (about $550,000 in 2023) gift from Edsel Ford. ...
, Allen toured American universities, scouting modern academic facilities and curriculums for ideas to build a better university, and he began to recruit administrative staff and future faculty members. Allen's plans were ambitious; to open a completely new university in three years with 1,500 students and to expand to 10,000 within ten years thereafter. The Florida Legislature appropriated $1.2 million in 1957 and another $5 million in 1959, and construction of the first three buildings began in earnest on of largely empty sandy brush land located north of downtown Tampa. Thereafter, the university expanded rapidly, the first undergraduate classes were held in the fall of 1960, and the first master's degree program began in 1964, and the first doctoral program in 1967. In 1965, USF expanded to a second campus on the bayfront in St. Petersburg, located on the site of the old Bayboro Maritime Base. In September 1960, there were 1,997 undergraduates enrolled at USF.Stan Witwer,
In One Decade A University Becomes Great
," ''St. Petersburg Times'', pp. 1D & 5D (April 26, 1970). Retrieved March 6, 2010.
Ten years later, when Allen retired, USF had over 14,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Notably, the Florida Legislature authorized the Allen administration's proposal to establish a new medical school in 1965—the second publicly supported medical school in the state—and the first USF medical students began their studies in 1971.University of South Florida, College of Medicine

Retrieved March 7, 2010.
Under Allen's leadership, South Florida heralded itself as the "
Harvard Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher lear ...
of the South", and emphasized academics to the exclusion of major college sports.Al Levine,
Allen Aim: Perspective On Athletics
" ''St. Petersburg Times'', p. 1C (February 20, 1969). Retrieved March 15, 2010.
Allen became known for his opposition to major college sports programs in favor of a more academically centered university environment. He received national media attention for his insistence that USF would not start a
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
team or other major intercollegiate sports programs, and would instead spend the funds saved on academic needs. After his retirement from USF, Allen actively contributed to the planning for the state's next public university, the University of North Florida in
Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville ( ) is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida, located on the Atlantic coast of North Florida, northeastern Florida. It is the county seat of Duval County, Florida, Duval County, with which the City of Jacksonv ...
.Dr. Allen Retires in Pasco
" ''St. Petersburg Times'', p. 10B (January 27, 1973). Retrieved March 6, 2010.


Legacy

When John Allen assumed his duties as the first president of the then-unnamed University of South Florida on August 1, 1957, the university had no students. By the beginning of the 2009–2010 academic year, over 47,000 undergraduate and graduate students were enrolled on the university's four campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota and Lakeland.University of South Florida System Facts 2009–2010
University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida (2009). Retrieved March 5, 2010.
During the 2008–2009 academic year, USF graduated over 10,000
undergraduate Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education, usually in a college or university. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, ...
, graduate and professional students in 228 degree programs. The university that Allen built "from the sandspurs up," as Governor LeRoy Collins had said, is now one of the ten largest single-campus universities in the United States and one of only three first-tier public research universities in Florida. In recognition of the fundamental role Allen played in the founding, expansion and ultimate success of USF, the Florida Board of Regents named the university's main administration complex the "John and Grace Allen Center" in honor of President Allen and university first lady Grace Allen, his wife. Allen's ultimate legacy was to be the first person to build a modern state university from scratch: "As a completely new and separate institution, the University of South Florida became the first new institution of its kind to be conceived, planned and built in the United States in the 20th Century." Allen died at his home in Tampa on December 27, 1982; he was 75.Frank J. Prial,
John S. Allen, Florida Educator
" ''The New York Times'' (December 28, 1982). Retrieved March 5, 2010,
He was survived by his wife of forty-nine years, Grace Allen; she died on December 16, 2007.


See also

* History of Florida * History of the University of Florida * List of Earlham College alumni * List of New York University alumni * List of presidents of the University of South Florida * List of University of Florida faculty and administrators * List of University of Florida presidents * List of University of Minnesota people *
State University System of Florida The State University System of Florida (SUSF or SUS) is a system of twelve public universities in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2018, over 341,000 students were enrolled in Florida's state universities. Together with the Florida College Sy ...


References


Bibliography

* Greenberg, Mark I.
''University of South Florida: The First Fifty Years, 1956-2006''
University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida (2006). * Pleasants, Julian M., ''Gator Tales: An Oral History of the University of Florida'', University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida (2006). . * Proctor, Samuel, & Wright Langley, ''Gator History: A Pictorial History of the University of Florida'', South Star Publishing Company, Gainesville, Florida (1986). . * Van Ness, Carl, & Kevin McCarthy, ''Honoring the Past, Shaping the Future: The University of Florida, 1853–2003'', University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida (2003).


External links


University of Florida
– Official website of the University of Florida.
University of South Florida
– Official website of the University of South Florida. {{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, John S. 1907 births 1982 deaths 20th-century American astronomers Colgate University faculty Earlham College alumni New York University Graduate School of Arts and Science alumni People from Pendleton, Indiana Presidents of the University of Florida Presidents of the University of South Florida University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering alumni University of Minnesota faculty Scientists from New York (state) 20th-century American academics