John S. Millis
John S. Millis
(11/22/1903-1/1/1988)
President, Western Reserve University, 9/1/1949-6/30/1967
Education
B.S., University of Chicago, 1924, Mathematics and Astronomy
M.S., University of Chicago, 1927, Physics
Ph.D., University of Chicago, 1931, Physics
_______________________________________________________________________________________
University Awards
Western Reserve University dedicated its new science building the John Schoff Millis Science Center, 1962.
Case Institute of Technology awarded Millis the honorary Doctor of Laws, 1964.
Case Western Reserve University awarded Millis the University Medal in honor of his significant contributions to the University, higher education, and to society, 1977.
The John Schoff Millis Memorial Fund was established by friends and family to benefit the Millis Science Center, 1988.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Career
Mathematics Master, Howe School, Howe, Indiana, 1924-1926
Instructor in Physics, Lawrence College, Appleton, Wisconsin, 1927-1929
Director, Underwood Astronomical Observatory, Appleton, Wisconsin, 1927-1937
Fellow in Physics, University of Chicago, 1929-1930
Assistant Professor of Physics, Lawrence College, 1930-1932
Research Associate, Institute of Paper Chemistry, Appleton, Wisconsin, 1931-1937
Associate Professor of Physics, Lawrence College, 1932-1934
Professor of Physics, Lawrence College, 1934-1941
Dean, Lawrence College, 1936-1941
Dean of Administration, Lawrence College, 1938-1941
President, University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, 1941-1949
Chancellor, Case Western Reserve University, 1967-1969
Vice President and Director, National Fund for Medical Education, 1969-1971
Chancellor Emeritus, Case Western Reserve University, 1969-1988
Trustee, Case Western Reserve University, 1970-1975
Honorary Trustee, Case Western Reserve University, 1975-1988
_______________________________________________________________________________________
University Numbers
1949/50 1966/67
Enrollment 17,980 12,562
Number of faculty 930 1,723
Research expenses $955,400 $11,017,200
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Milestones (non-university-related events are in italics)
1949 Case joined Western Reserve University in a cooperative University Health Service for
students of both institutions.
1950 125th Anniversary Campaign began. It raised over $1.1 million to construct Beaumont Hall,
Claud Foster Hall, Freiberger Library, Newton D. Baker Memorial Building, and to renovate
Thwing Hall for a student union.
The United States entered the war in Korea.
1951 A single legislative body, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, was created, with authority over
instruction in Arts and Sciences wherever offered in the University.
1952 The School of Business was established.
Moondog Coronation Ball, first rock and roll concert, was held in Cleveland.
1953 School of Architecture was closed. The Department of Architecture remained in operation
until 1972.
1954 Cleveland College moved to University Circle from downtown Cleveland.
1956 Federal Aid Highway Act was enacted, formally beginning the Interstate Construction
Program.
1957 University Circle Development Foundation, later University Circle Inc., was established.
Sputnik 1 became the first artificial satellite to orbit the Earth.
1960 Cooperative program established between Case and Western Reserve University. Case
assumed responsibility for undergraduate and graduate instruction in the field of astronomy,
and WRU assumed responsibility in the field of geology.
1961 The Distinguished Faculty Fund, an annual fundraising campaign for faculty programs, was
launched.
1962 The University Medical Center Campaign began. It raised over $76 million for construction,
expansion, renovation, and endowment of buildings for Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, the
Institute of Pathology, and University Hospitals.
1963 President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.
1964 A joint program in philosophy was established between Case and Western Reserve
University.
1965 The Case and WRU Trustees authorized establishment of the Case-Reserve Study
Commission, which ultimately recommended federation of the two institutions.
First U.S. combat troops arrived in Vietnam.
1967 In Cleveland, Carl Stokes was elected the first Black mayor of a major American city.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Regional Population
1950 1960
Cleveland 914,808 876,050
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Caution should be taken when comparing financial data across long periods of time. Accounting practices have changed substantially during CWRU's nearly 200-year history. In compiling these numbers, we have relied on the most authoritative contemporaneous sources available.
Information was compiled by staff of the Case Western Reserve University Archives, March 2007.
