Source: News-Journal, February 13, 1936

SUGGEST SCHUTZ FOR GOVERNOR

Candidacy of J. Raymond Schutz of North Manchester for the republican nomination for governor of Indiana was suggested Wednesday evening at a meeting of the Lincoln club at Wabash. The suggestion was made by Henry Wolf of Wabash. Mr. Schutz was not at the meeting being at a Lincoln meeting at Logansport. Mr. Schutz, however, said he had not announced he would be a candidate for governor, and would not do so, unless he was convinced there was an overwhelming party demand that he be a candidate.

Mr. Schutz was the republican candidate for congress from the Fifth district in 1932, but was defeated by the democratic candidate, Glen Griswold in the democratic landslide. Mr. Schutz was not a candidate in the 1934 election, Albert R. Hall, former congressman from this district, being the republican candidate for congress. Mr. Schutz is a professor in sociology at Manchester college and is well known as a lecturer and public speaker throughout the state.

Frank Plummer presided at the Wabash meeting, and in addition to the talk of Mr. Wolf, David Hogg, formerly congressman from Allen county, was one of the speakers.

Source: News-Journal, January 17, 1938

PROF. SCHUTZ HEADS INSURANCE COMPANY

Prof. J. Raymond Schutz has added another major responsibility to his numerous activities, that of president of the Standard Life Insurance Company, at Indianapolis. directors of the company at their third annual meeting Friday named Prof. Schutz to succeed Harry G. Leslie, former Governor of Indiana and one of the company's founders, who died in December.

For the present, at least, the new position will require Prof. Schutz' absence from his college classes only one day a week, usually Mondays, and will not interfere with his duties as pastor of the First Brethren Church. His college courses primarily have been in the field of sociology, but he has also taught economics and this term has a course in insurance. He has attained considerable prominence as a speaker before conventions of business men, particularly on the subjects of insurance and economics, which has led to his selection as head of the Indianapolis company.

The Standard Life Insurance company has been in business three years, and the report submitted at the directors' meeting Friday showed a considerable increase in insurance written during the past year. Members of the board of directors include many prominent business and professional men all over the state, several of whom also have been active in the politics of both major parties.

Source: NMHS Newsletter Nov 1995

J. Raymond Schutz

by Wilbur Brookover

Manchester College, many of its students, and especially I, owe a great debt to J. Raymond Schutz who served the college for 22 years during the decades of the 1920s and 1930s. Many, perhaps most, of us who were taught by and influenced by J. Raymond Schutz have passed away. Therefore, I hasten to express my great appreciation for what I learned from him and the great impact he had on all of Manchester College.

Professor Schutz was born near Pandora, Ohio in 1890. He died at age 55 in 1945. He received his bachelor's degree from Otterbein College in 1914. He received his master's degree at the University of Chicago in 1919. He also studied at Yale University and at the University of California. He came to Manchester College shortly after receiving his master's degree. He taught sociology and economics at Manchester for 22 years. All of us who studied any sociology or economics at Manchester during those decades were students of Professor Schutz. He was an outstanding lecturer and many students enrolled in his courses.

All during the decades of the '20s and '30s and until his death in 1945, Professor Schutz was a popular and highly respected lecturer throughout northern Indiana and Ohio. He lectured in churches, Kiwanis clubs and at many school functions including as many as 35 commencement addresses in high schools throughout the area each year. Like many other high school students, I identified Manchester College with J. Raymond Schutz. The College's reputation and acquaintance throughout the region was greatly enhanced by Professor Schutz's extensive lecturing.

During my Manchester student years, 1929 to 1933, Professor Schutz lectured off campus two or three times almost every week. Professor Schutz's classes were always scheduled in the forenoon and he spent many afternoons travelling throughout the Midwest for lectures. As a personal note, I became aware of this when, beginning in my sophomore year, Professor Schutz asked me to grade papers for him. He had an arrangement with the college to pay a small stipend for grading and occasional teaching for him. Beginning in my junior year and very extensively in the senior year, I taught many classes when his off-campus lecturing required him to leave earlier in the day. On numerous occasions, I travelled with him in order to relieve him of some of the driving. Sometimes he taught sociology and economics courses for Indiana University at Fort Wayne or other cities and a few times I taught those classes for him when he had a conflict.

All during his tenure at Manchester College, Professor Schutz was the minister of the First Brethren Church in North Manchester. He served that church 25 years. He was also, at one time, district governor of the Indiana Kiwanis clubs and later a trustee of Kiwanis International.

In 1937 he became president of the New Standard Life Insurance Company with offices in Indianapolis. He continued his affiliation with Manchester College on a part time basis and continued as minister at the First Brethren Church while serving for several years as the president of Standard Life Insurance Company. Although he purchased a house in Indianapolis, I am told that the family never moved from North Manchester. He continued to commute from North Manchester to Indianapolis.

Perhaps the most exciting and busy period of my association with J. Raymond Schutz was 1932 when he was a candidate for the U.S. Congress. Urged by many throughout the district, Professor Schutz became a candidate of the Republican party for the U.S. Congress in the spring of 1932. He won the primary over Mr. Hillis who later became a congressman. He lost the general election in the Democratic landslide of 1932. I believe, without reservation, that any other time Professor Schutz would have been elected to Congress. He could not overcome the disappointment of the electorate in President Hoover and the widespread demand that something be done about the Depression.

I was not highly involved in the campaign but assumed a rather heavy load of teaching Professor Schutz's classes during the Fall campaign. I did, however, accompany him to a rally at the Butler Fieldhouse in Indianapolis where President Hoover spoke and I met the President with Professor Schutz.

It is apparent from this resume of J. Raymond Schutz' career that he was an extremely dynamic and effective teacher, lecturer and minister. He was a giant in his career and widely respected throughout that time. His early death may have been precipitated by the very rigorous and heavy schedule which he maintained throughout his life.

J. Raymond Schutz and Salena Schumacher were married in 1916. They had four sons: J. Raymond, Jr., Donald, Richard and Harold and one daughter: Charlotte. Mrs. Schutz served Manchester College as Alumni Director for several years after Professor Schutz's untimely death. She retired from that position in 1962.

One of the many lessons learned from Professor Schutz was the importance of social change. He frequently quoted:
New occasions teach new duties
Time makes ancient good uncouth
They must upward still, and onward,
Who would keep abreast of truth.
This is from J. Russell Lowell's "The Present Crises." I quote it often and carry a copy in my billfold. This testifies to the teaching of J. Raymond Schutz.

Auntie Gardner

by Charlotte Schutz Deavel

It was so interesting to read through the last NEWSLETTER and find at the end the short anecdote about Mrs. M.R. Gardner by Richard Stauffer.

Just weeks before, I had sent our granddaughter Hayley (who was six on the 4th of July) a child's clear glass cakestand and four goblets that had been Mrs. Gardner's and which she had given me when I was a child. I imagine they must be around 130 years old. Using a date on the back of a photograph, it would appear that she was born in 1860.

The date startled me. She was 70 years old when I was born! My memory of her is not of an old lady; rather a vital, energetic, and charming one! She was a dear friend of our family and we called her "Auntie Gardner" as I'm sure many others did as well. She would often ride with us on Dad's (J. Raymond Schutz) speaking engagements and one of my fondest childhood memories is of those trips and of the hearty singing that would fill the car going and returning.

Auntie Gardner lived at the end of College Avenue on East Street where East Hall is now located. She was one of several adults who were very special to me and whom I would visit with some regularity. "Auntie Comer" (Gloe) and Nettie Fern, Emmy (Etta Emerick), and Mr. and Mrs. Carl Endicott are others who come quickly to mind. I realize now how fortunate I was to have adults who truly cared for me and were willing to take the time to nurture and spend time with me.
My visits to Auntie Gardner would often include teatime prepared and brought in by Maggie, her live-in helper. I might play the piano for her and I distinctly remember a series of visits which were labeled "English lessons." I would read to her and then we would discuss the material. I learned to correctly pronounce Arkansas there, I know, having read it as it looked!

I was instructed by my mother not to mention the word SNAKE in any way, shape, or form on any of my visits as Mrs. Gardner had a deep aversion to them. I don't believe that I did, though telling a child NOT to do something is almost tantamount to ensuring it will be done. I hope that I didn't.

Auntie Gardner knew Artur Rubenstein. He had, I believe, stayed in her daughter's home. An appreciation of the fine arts and the importance of sharing that love with younger generations were central in her life.

Toward the end of her life she became blind. I recall going to see her in her bedroom with the shades partially pulled, but her presence was such that it continued to be a happy event and one to which I looked forward. I could wish that every youngster had an "Auntie Gardner" in his or her life.