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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 1995J. 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.
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