Description

About the Book

The objectives of this study are to assist students of administration to view their subject in historical perspective and to appraise the theoretical content of their literature. It is also hoped that this book may assist students of American culture by illuminating an important development of the last half century. It thus should serve political scientists whose interests lie in the field of public administration or in the study of bureaucracy as a political issue; the public administrator interested in the philosophic background of his service; and the historian who seeks an understanding of recent major governmental developments. The book should have value in college courses that cover these fields, and in political science, public administration, and history libraries. Many prominent students of administration responded generously to my requests for information. Responsibility for the final form of the study is, of course, strictly my own.

About the Author

Dwight B. Waldo was born in New York in 1864 and moved to downstate Michigan in 1873. He attended Michigan Agricultural College (which went on to become Michigan State University), as well as Albion College and Harvard University for graduate school in history and economics. He later became the chair of political science and economics at Albion. When he heard about a new normal school planned for Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, though, he made every effort possible to become involved. Technically, Waldo was considered the principal of Northern State Normal School, rather than the president. However, he still took on plenty of responsibility: he had to negotiate places to stay for Northern’s first students and played a significant role in choosing its faculty and staff. He also oversaw construction of Long year Hall and Peter White Hall of Science. While Principal Waldo only stayed at Northern for 5 years before moving on as Principal of Western State Normal School (now Western Michigan University), he will always be remembered by Waldo St. in the city of Marquette and Waldo Pond in NMU’s Long year Forest.