Robert Gehlmann Bone | |
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Ninth President of Illinois State University | |
In office 1956–1967 | |
Preceded by | Raymond W. Fairchild |
Succeeded by | Samuel Braden |
Personal details | |
Born | Springfield, Illinois | June 2, 1906
Died | January 13, 1991 Normal, Illinois | (aged 84)
Robert Gehlmann Bone (June 2, 1906 – January 13, 1991) was the ninth president of Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois. He was renowned for his leadership experience and welcoming nature. Bone became a staple of the Illinois State University culture by representing friendliness and generosity. He is memorialized on campus through the Hand of Friendship, a small stone statue dedicated to his time at the university. During Bone's presidency, the university grew from a small teacher's college into a large multidisciplinary university. Bone was able to gain funding for the development of residence halls, thus allowing more students to attend the school. He emphasized a reconstruction of several University facilities and sought to make the campus more student-friendly.[1] On any given day, Bone could be seen taking a walk through campus and greeting every student by name, as he sought to make Illinois State a welcoming and inclusive environment.