Born in St. Bernard, Ohio, Raymond L. Cravens obtained his A.B. in 1952 and his M.A. in 1955 from Western. During his college career he worked as business manager for the College Heights Herald where ..
more »Born in St. Bernard, Ohio, Raymond L. Cravens obtained his A.B. in 1952 and his M.A. in 1955 from Western. During his college career he worked as business manager for the College Heights Herald where he was also a staff cartoonist. He earned his Ph.D. from University of Kentucky in 1958. Upon graduation he began teaching political science in WKU's History Department and continued up the ladder into administration being named Vice President for Academic Affairs in 1959. He served as Dean of Public Service & International Programs from 1977 to 1980 when he went back to teaching full time. The 1962 Talisman was dedicated to him and the Kentucky Junior Chamber of Commerce named him one of its "Outstanding Young Men in Kentucky" for 1963. He retired from WKU in 1991. Cravens received a special recognition of 50 years of service to WKU in 2007. The Board of Regents approved the naming of the building on July 8, 1969.
Oral history conducted by Lisa Miller regarding Raymond Cravens' life and work at WKU as well as information regarding the Margie Helm Library, Gordon Wilson Hall and Cravens Graduate Center & Library. 0:00-5:00 Cravens' early life and father's biography 5:00-6:20 Cravens' experiences as a student and discussion of Kelly Thompson 6:20-9:00 Cravens' graduate work at University of Kentucky, working in WKU's History Department and James Poteet 9:00-11:30 creation of Political Science minor and teaching experiences 11:30-14:00 creation of the Political Science Department and being named college dean 14:00-17:33 experiences as dean succeeding Finley Grise, course catalog revisions 17:33-18:30 discussion of professors 18:30-22:30 Gordon Wilson Hall library architects Arrasmith & Wilk 22:30-25:19 Margie Helm Library 25:10-29:00 Health & Physical Education building, architecture 29:00-33:00 naming library for Margie Helm, her personality 33:00-34:00 Cravens' thesis research 34:00-37:00 faculty rank system at WKU 37:00-41:00 Faculty Wives Club, enrollment, new faculty recruitment 41:00-45:00 university status, Bowling Green Business University 45:00-49:00 Grise Hall, construction plans, students & elevators 49:00-54:00 Cravens Graduate Center & Library, funding and construction 54:00-56:00 faculty status for librarians 56:00-end office in library, study abroad program
« less