The Conferring of Honorary Degrees
Benjamin D. James '34

Citation Presented by R. Russell Shunk , Executive Vice President for College and Community Development
Conferring of the degree by William G. Durden, President

It was a cold, gray day in March thirty years ago when three of us were in the admissions building reviewing candidates. My colleagues were grumbling about having to read all those files and still conduct interviews as well. This had gone on for some minutes when Professor Ben James walked up the steps and into the room. I introduced them, and, totally unprompted, he told them about when he was Dean of Admissions, Dean of the Freshman Class, Professor of Psychology and Education, and Chair of the department-simultaneously. My fellow admissions officers never again complained about having only one job.

That was after the time he was Football Coach, Track Coach, and Assistant Basketball Coach and before he became Dean of Students.

Benjamin David James, you arrived at Dickinson in the fall of 1930 and immersed yourself in studies, sports, and service, and spread what the 1933 Microcosm later described as "contagious happiness."

Seven years after graduation you returned to start what would prove to be an extraordinary professional career. Even when that 36-year period was interrupted by service in World War II, your thoughts were directed toward Carlisle . Lt. (jg) James wrote to President Gilbert Malcolm on 30 August 1945, "Greetings from the shores of Tokyo ! What a day for a college professor.My one desire is to return to Dickinson as soon as possible." And that you did in 1946.

As Dickinson 's first Dean of Admissions, you became a founder of what is today the Pennsylvania Association for College Admission Counseling the roots of which were planted at a meeting you hosted on this campus. In a letter to the acting president of the College Board in 1961, President Malcolm wrote, ".we believe we have the best admissions officer in the land!" To those of us in the field, you were a legend.

After serving 16 years as Dean of Admissions, you were tapped in 1962 by President Howard Rubendall to be the College's first Dean of Students because ".of your excellent professional background for the work,." and ".a degree of integrity and devotion to the College that has rarely been matched and never surpassed."

It is a daunting task to chronicle adequately your many accomplishments and honors over the years, but let me highlight the following. At Dickinson you:

• Played on the football team that etched the score Dickinson 10, Penn State 6 into Dickinson 's history on October 17, 1931, were
• Elected to the Board of Trustees, the Alumni Council and the McAndrews Fund,
• Inducted into both the Dickinson and Pennsylvania Sports Halls of Fame,
• Received the Alumni Council's Distinguished Service Award in 1986, and were further honored by having James Hall named for you in 1987, a tradition that will continue in the new science building.

Within the greater Carlisle and Pennsylvania community, you:

• Co-chaired the State Advisory Council on Employment Security,
• Chaired the School-Town committee working through the integration of the local schools,
• Were the first chair of the Cumberland County Children's Welfare Committee, and
• Served as president of the Carlisle Rotary chapter and were active with the United Way .

In turn, our neighbors at the Dickinson School of Law gave you an honorary degree in 1976, and the Exchange Club of Carlisle named you its "Citizen of the Year" and Molly Pitcher Award recipient in 1979.

Ben James, you have walked the Dickinson stage for 76 years. You are, indeed, "Mr. Dickinson" to generations of Dickinsonian s who respect, admire, and love you and to all of us in Carlisle who know you. Today your alma mater grants you its highest honor.

Mr. President, I am deeply honored to present to you Benjamin David James, Dickinsonian extraordinaire, for the honorary degree of Doctor of Liberal Arts.

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Benjamin D. James , upon the recommendation of the Faculty to the Board of Trustees, and by its mandamus, I confer upon you the Degree of Doctor of Liberal Arts, with the rights, privileges, and distinction thereunto appertaining, in token of which I present you with this diploma and cause you to be invested with the hood of Dickinson College appropriate to your degree

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