Ask Aggie: The Froman Years

Thirty-seven years’ worth of alums and students never met Sage’s fourth president, Lewis Acrelius Froman—but all have benefited from his 22 year presidency. Archivist Aggie Stillman shares highlights from this eventful period in the Colleges’ history.

Lewis Acrelius Froman came to Sage in 1948 from the University of Buffalo where he had been dean of the University’s school for adult students. One of his first achievements at Sage was creating the Evening Division in Albany.

In September 1949, the first Evening Division courses were offered at Albany High School. The next semester, the Evening Division had its own building on State Street. When the Junior College of Albany (now Sage College of Albany) opened in 1957, the Evening Division used the property at night while the junior college used it by day. Within two years, Froman acquired seven buildings on 15 acres on New Scotland Avenue and the junior college began classes there in 1960.The Evening Division moved to the New Scotland Avenue campus in 1971.

Master Builder

During Froman’s tenure, the original buildings on the New Scotland campus were renovated and three new buildings were constructed. An addition tripled the size of the library in 1966; a gymnasium/ auditorium was added in 1967; and a classroom and office building was constructed in 1968 (known as North Hall, this building was renamed Froman Hall in 1982.)

Construction was underway in Troy as well, starting in 1950 with the John Paine Building—a student activities center with The Aluminum Rail cafeteria in the basement and a ballroom, complete with a baby grand piano, on the third floor. Before the building boom was complete, the Troy campus had a new gymnasium and Physical Education offices in 1951; a new library in 1953 (and a library addition in 1966); a renovated carriage house art studio in 1956 and a Faculty Club in 1957(now the Jane Haight Wells Spirituality Center).

Science Hall (now Mueller Science Hall) was built in 1960 followed by the reconstruction of Gurley Hall and the Plum Building in 1961 and 1962. The Catherine Schacht Garden was also completed in 1962.

A swimming pool was added in 1964; the Schacht Fine Arts Center in 1968; and Cowee Hall in 1969 (replacing the original Cowee Hall and Bartle House). In 1970, the President’s House became Vail House when the Vail House dorm was razed to build a garden and garage. The Hart/ Vanderheyden residence/commuter hall was remodeled in 1964 and six additional residences built: Kellas in 1957; McKinstry in 1960; Slocum in 1963; Manning in 1965; Ricketts in 1968 (which replaced the old Ricketts), and Ackerman in 1970.

Froman’s most important construction project was the Ferry Street Underpass.The State’s plan to build a bridge and enlarge Ferry Street threatened to increase traffic through the heart of campus. Froman convinced state and city officials that an underpass would benefit everyone involved—and it did.

Student enrollment increased during Froman’s tenure from 570 at Russell Sage in 1949 to 1400 in 1968; from 245 to 1800 in the Evening Division during the same period; and from 50 at the junior college in 1957 to 650 in 1968.

Physical assets increased from $1.5 million to $12.2 million, and the endowment increased from $1 million in 1949 to $5 million in 1968.

Majors in Elementary Education, Physical Therapy and Economics/Business began. At the Master’s level, programs in Elementary Education, Physical Education and Nursing opened. Froman was instrumental in creating the Hudson Mohawk Association which allowed students to take courses at member colleges.

Froman published a newsletter called Sage News and Views from 1956 until 1970. He developed an alumnae/i directory in 1966 to commemorate the College’s 50th anniversary.

Near the end of his presidency Froman created a Community Council. Made up of students, faculty and administrators (and later, staff), the Council addressed the College’s social and curricular regulations and changed the dress code, curfews, and more.

Personal Touch

Froman was known to hammer nails, direct traffic, shovel snow, pour cement and help incoming students with luggage.

He created “Froman’s Follies” around 1954 and wrote scripts, designed costumes, and performed in the Follies with faculty and administrators—all to the students’ delight.

Froman, his wife Nadine, and their three children were the first presidential family to live in the “President’s House” at the corner of First and Congress Streets. In fall 1967, when housing a student overflow at the Hendrick Hudson Hotel didn’t work out, the Fromans invited eight students to live with them (When the students came back for spring semester, the new Ricketts Hall was ready for occupancy.)

At commencement on May 29, 1970, Trustee Stephen H. Sampson bestowed honorary Russell Sage College degrees upon the Fromans. Thus ended Sage’s Froman Years.

***

Share your memories of Lewis Froman (and all of the other presidents) or ask a question you would like to see answered in a future column, by writing to stilla@sage.edu or Aggie Stillman, The Sage Colleegs, 45 Ferry Street, Troy,NY 12180.