Gentleman of Iowa

Iowa's most conspicuous crop is corn, but its rich soil also nourishes a vigorous native art and poetry, a sturdy Americanism, sturdy Americans. One of its brightest flowers was Benjamin Franklin Shambaugh.

Benjamin Shambaugh was a gentleman and a scholar. An eminent historian, the No. 1 authority on Iowa's history, onetime president of the American Political Science Association, he was head of the political science department at the State University in Iowa City, and the favorite campus character of Iowa's undergraduates.

Perfumed, becaned, bespatted, Benjamin cut a flamboyant figure in his prairie university. He wore brown tweeds, yellow shirt, red tie, red handkerchief. One of his proudest functions was introducing visiting lecturers. Visitors used to say that it was worth coming to Iowa City "just to be introduced by Benny."

Born of Iowa pioneers, Benjamin Shambaugh as a big, corn-fed boy of 17 went to his State University, got two degrees, went on to study at the Universities of Pennsylvania, Halle, Leipzig and Berlin. In 1895 he returned to the University of

Iowa, married an Iowa City schoolteacher (she, also a historian, has a place in Who's Who in her own right), devoted himself to teaching Iowa's youth to love their native State, became an lowan Billy Phelps.

Famed was his unique Campus Course. Because he believed that specialization in university courses produced "fragmented minds," Benny Shambaugh took all knowledge as his province, illumined it with homely prairie wisdom. His Campus

Course began with Genesis, went from there in all directions. A Unitarian, he horrified the devout by having his students read Genesis and a book on evolution at the same time. His students took no examinations but kept diaries, turned them in each week to their professor. For his lectures, Professor Shambaugh had a special room built, furnished it with Windsor chairs, walnut Venetian blinds, books, soft lights. He opened each class with ten minutes of semiclassical music, also recited Henley's Invictus to inspire his students.

Professor Shambaugh believed that U. S. universities should have "fewer big stadiums and more little theatres, fewer military armories and more free forums. fewer field houses and more art galleries." Today Iowa has one of the best football teams, one of the biggest field houses and military armories. But it also has a magnificent theatre, outstanding departments of fine arts (Grant Wood) and letters (Norman Foerster).

One day last fortnight Benjamin Shambaugh, for almost the first time in his 45 years at Iowa, came late to class.

Gravely he delivered his lecture, went home and took to his bed. Last week, at 69, he died of cerebral thrombosis. By his wish, his ashes were scattered on the campus, to enrich his beloved Iowa soil.

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