Robinson Out

No U. S. college president has had a more turbulent career than New York City College's bustling, goateed President Frederick Bertrand Robinson, 55. A telegrapher's son, Brooklyn-born Frederick Robinson graduated from City College, started as a teacher in the city's public schools in 1904 and hustled his way up through the ranks to become his alma mater's president in 1927. As quick as you could say Frederick Robinson, he founded a School of Business, more than doubled his college's enrollment. He became one of the highest-salaried ($21,000) heads of one of the largest U. S. colleges (22,000 students). Last week Dr. Robinson hustled out of his job.

Ever since he became president, Dr. Robinson had been in hot water with his students and faculty. He quarreled with Philosopher Morris Cohen, with Morris Cohen's son Felix. (Disliking Undergraduate Felix's editorials, Dr. Robinson tried vainly to keep him out of Phi Beta Kappa.) He suppressed student magazines and meetings, once belabored a dozen booing undergraduates with his umbrella.

Three years ago City College's alumni, alarmed not only by Dr. Robinson's high-handedness but also by the fact that student rebellions had given the college an undeserved reputation for being Red, decided that Frederick Robinson lacked "the human qualities" needed by a college president, asked the Board of Higher Education to do something about it. Still Tammany-controlled, the board refused to oust him. But last June, as the result of new appointments to the board by reform Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, Dr. Robinson's supporters were outnumbered. He applied for a sabbatical year. The college calmed, today is as peaceful as a vacated battle field. When Dr. Robinson offered his resignation last week, with one hand the board snapped it up, with the other gratefully applauded his "long and distinguished service."

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