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'''Robert Lee McLeod Jr.''' (January 28, 1901 – August 30, 1998) was an American pastor and academic administrator. |
'''Robert Lee McLeod Jr.''' (January 28, 1901 – August 30, 1998) was an American pastor and academic administrator. |
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==Early life and education== |
==Early life and education== |
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==Career== |
==Career== |
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McLeod began his career as the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in [[Grenada, Mississippi]], after which he preached in [[Winter Haven, Florida]], before moving to New York City to work as the secretary to the Board of National Missions at the [[Presbyterian Church in the United States of America|Presbyterian Church]] headquarters for two years.<ref name="interview" /> |
McLeod began his career as the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in [[Grenada, Mississippi]], after which he preached in [[Winter Haven, Florida]], before moving to New York City to work as the secretary to the Board of National Missions at the [[Presbyterian Church in the United States of America|Presbyterian Church]] headquarters for two years.<ref name="interview" /> |
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Revision as of 21:53, 5 March 2024
Robert L. McLeod | |
---|---|
14th President of Centre College | |
In office October 5, 1938 – November 14, 1945 | |
Preceded by | Charles J. Turck |
Succeeded by | Robert J. McMullen |
Personal details | |
Born | Cheraw, South Carolina, U.S. | January 28, 1901
Died | August 30, 1998 Winter Haven, Florida, U.S. | (aged 97)
Resting place | Oak Grove Cemetery Maxton, North Carolina, U.S. |
Spouse(s) |
Ruth John
(m. 1926; died 1990)Ann McNeer (m. 1990) |
Education | Davidson College Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary |
Military service | |
Branch/service | United States Navy |
Rank | Chaplain |
Robert Lee McLeod Jr. (January 28, 1901 – August 30, 1998) was an American pastor and academic administrator.
Early life and education
Robert Lee McLeod Jr. was born on January 28, 1901, in Cheraw, South Carolina, to Margaret McIver and Robert McLeod Sr.[1][2] He was one of eleven children and was raised in Maxton, North Carolina.[2] He matriculated at Davidson College in 1918,[2] where he was a cheerleader,[3] and graduated in 1923.[2][3] He then attended Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Following his time in Louisville he studied at the University of Edinburgh from 1923 to 1924 and, after his return to the United States, he spent time at Princeton Theological Seminary and Union Theological Seminary.[2]
Career
McLeod began his career as the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Grenada, Mississippi, after which he preached in Winter Haven, Florida, before moving to New York City to work as the secretary to the Board of National Missions at the Presbyterian Church headquarters for two years.[2]
McLeod took office as Centre's 14th president on October 5, 1938,[4] though he was not formally inaugurated until January 20, 1939.[5] He was the school's first president to be born in the twentieth century.[6] Whereas many of Centre's previous presidents had lived in Hillcrest House during their time in office,[7] McLeod and his family were the first to live in Craik House,[8] which had been purchased by the college in 1937.[9]
In December 1942, McLeod requested and was granted a leave of absence from Centre in order to serve in the United States Navy as a chaplain.[10] Upon his departure, he offered his resignation as president but the board of trustees urged him to keep the position.[11] During the 1942–1943 academic year, McLeod was one of four college faculty members on leave with the armed forces. The other three members were a professor of German, a professor of biology and mathematics, and a physical education professor who was also the head coach of the football team.[12] James Hewlitt, dean of the college, became acting president upon his departure[13] and held the position until September 1944, when the school hired Robert J. McMullen, a Centre alumnus, to be co-president alongside McLeod, based in Danville and with the full responsibilities of the office.[14]
McLeod's first two years in the Navy were spent in Washington, D.C., as director of the theological portion of the V-12 Program, after which he spent a year aboard the aircraft carrier USS Antietam in the Pacific.[2] After the war's end, McLeod resigned on November 14, 1945, five days after McMullen submitted his resignation.[15] While McLeod's was effective immediately, McMullen remained at Centre until October 1946.[16]
After leaving Centre, McLeod went to preach in St. Joseph, Missouri, where he stayed for four years. He decided to return to Florida after suffering a heart attack before going back to Missouri five years later to join the faculty at Lindenwood College as a professor of religion.[2]
Personal life and death
McLeod married Ruth John on December 30, 1926, in Scotland County, North Carolina.[1] He died in Winter Haven, Florida, on August 30, 1998.[17] University of Georgia president Michael F. Adams, who was president of Centre from 1988 to 1997,[18] gave the eulogy at his funeral.[19]
References
- ^ a b "Robert Lee McLeod Jr in the North Carolina, U.S., Marriage Records, 1741–2011". Ancestry.com. North Carolina County Registers of Deeds. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h McLeod, Robert L. (April 23, 1983). "Robert L. McLeod, Jr. Oral History Interview" (PDF) (Interview). Danville, Kentucky. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
- ^ a b "Quips and Cranks 1923". Quips and Cranks. Davidson, North Carolina: Davidson College. 1923.
- ^ "Dr. Robt. McLeod assumes duties as head of Centre". Messenger-Inquirer. Owensboro, Kentucky. October 6, 1938. p. 15. Retrieved March 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Centre prexy to take office". The Kentucky Post. Covington, Kentucky. December 16, 1938. p. 24. Retrieved March 4, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Weston 2019, p. 83.
- ^ "Hillcrest House". CentreCyclopedia. Centre College. Archived from the original on January 31, 2024. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ Weston 2019, p. 84.
- ^ "Craik House". CentreCyclopedia. Centre College. Archived from the original on January 31, 2024. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ "Centre gives". Lexington Herald-Leader. Lexington, Kentucky. December 2, 1942. p. 4. Retrieved March 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Weston 2019, p. 88.
- ^ Craig 1967, p. 97.
- ^ "Co-heads of school quit: M'Mullen and M'Leod resign position". The State Journal. Frankfort, Kentucky. November 28, 1945. p. 6. Retrieved March 4, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "New co-president of Centre arrives to assume duties". The Advocate-Messenger. Danville, Kentucky. August 25, 1944. p. 1. Retrieved March 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Two co-presidents of Centre College resign". The Owensboro Messenger. Owensboro, Kentucky. November 28, 1945. p. 4. Retrieved March 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Trustees will seek president for Centre". Lexington Herald-Leader. Lexington, Kentucky. March 9, 1946. p. 1. Retrieved March 4, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Ex-Centre College president Robert L. McLeod, 97, dies". Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. September 1, 1998. p. 8. Retrieved March 4, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Whitt 2009, p. 36–41.
- ^ Whitt 2009, p. 93.
Bibliography
- Craig, Hardin (October 1967). Centre College of Kentucky: A Tradition and an Opportunity. Danville, Kentucky: Centre College. OCLC 856258.
- Weston, William J. (2019). Centre College: a Bicentennial History. Danville, Kentucky: Centre College. ISBN 978-1-6943-5863-9. OCLC 1142930784.
- Whitt, Richard (2009). Behind the Hedges: Big Money and Power Politics at the University of Georgia. Montgomery, Alabama: NewSouth Books. ISBN 978-1-5883-8206-1. OCLC 255886313.