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Uel Walter Lamkin
College President
(1877-1956)

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Early Life & Education

Uel Walter Lamkin was born on January 18th, 1877 in California in central Missouri. He received some of the only formal education he would have in his life at his father's academy, located in Clinton, Missouri. From there, Lamkin enrolled directly in law school at the University of Missouri but left after four months. Still interested in law, he later applied to take the bar exam, which he passed. Even though he never acquired any formal academic titles, he was awarded several honorary degrees for his work in education. Westminster College gave him an honorary doctorate "for distinguished service in education to Missouri" in 1918. In 1939, Lamkin received another honorary doctorate, this time in law, from Park College.   

Photo from NCHS Museum.

Federal & State Government Work

Even with his limited formal education, Lamkin went on to work for the  Department of Education where he worked on a program that structured the future of academic programs for teachers. This program was specifically focused on history and literature. Once he was done working with the Department of Education, Lamkin moved to Henry County as the Co-Superintendent of Schools. From there, he moved to Washington, DC, to work for the Federal Board of Education.

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Lamkin worked for the Federal Board of Education in Washington, DC.  While there, his main goal was to improve the education of future teachers. The work that he did during this time made him a great candidate for the 5th District Normal School in Maryville, Missouri when they were transitioning from a two-year teaching training school to a four-year college.

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Image from the Journal of Education.

Work as a College President

Uel Lamkin's photo, 1922.

Image from the Tower Yearbook, Northwest.

 Once he was appointed as college's president Uel Lamkin got to work. He gained permission from the Board of Regents to award $50 toward travel for any member of faculty who was presenting papers at a national conference. He felt it was important because these individuals helped to showcase the college. Lamkin also saw a need to expand the campus, and he first built a female residence hall, now named Roberta Hall. The building would be used for young men during the WWII V-12 program as well. Lamkin was also responsible for the building of a gymnasium, the Horace Mann Laboratory School, and the Industrial Arts Building.

 

Lamkin became the president of the National Educational Association, and in 1935 he was elected to be Secretary General. This position required lots of travel and allowed him to promote Northwest, then called Missouri Teacher's College, and Maryville. Lamkin travelled to many different countries to recruit the college's first foreign exchange students. Japan, China, and Canada were a few of the places he travelled for this recruitment scheme.

 

During World War II, the government announced a need for more trained pilots, and Lamkin helped establish the V-12 pilot training program at the college. This program not only helped to train Navy pilots but also helped to save the college from financial ruin during the war. Lamkin also worked actively in other ways to protect the school's programs. One story says that Lamkin called President F.D.R. after the Head of Physical Education (Milner) received his draft notice. Lamkin supposedly explained to the US President that Milner was needed for the physical training programs at the college. Although the story is debated as true or not, Milner did receive a deferment and was able to remain at at the college. 

Retirement & Later Life

Lamkin left the university in 1945 as World War II was winding down because his wife needed his care. The Lamkins continued to live in Maryville. He suffered a stroke a few years later in 1949 and then another one on July 27th, 1956. Uel Lamkin passed away at his home on September 16th, 1956.

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