Zook

In a farmhouse near Fort Scott, Kansas, 48 years ago was born George Frederick Zook, son of Douglas and Helen Follenius Zook. In 1902 George Zook entered the University of Kansas, carrying his spare clothing in a shoe box. He worked his way through by driving a hearse. He made Phi Kappa Phi. Five years after graduating he married a classmate, Susie Gant. Specializing in modern European history, George Zook became a fellow at Kansas, an assistant at Cornell, an instructor at Pennsylvania State College, then an assistant professor, then an associate professor, then a full professor. From 1920 to 1925 he was chief of the division of higher education of the U. S. Bureau of Education.

Eight years ago Dr. Zook became president of the University of Akron (Ohio), a tax-supported institution with 87 teachers and 1,322 students, Akronites attending gratis. Nearest Akron has come to fame was when its Professor Walter Charles Kraatz was erroneously reported to have been sent, for observation, an alarm clock containing a spider that for three weeks attempted to spin a web from hour hand to minute hand. President Zook ran his University ably. He kept his political views to himself. He joined Rotary. He is a Methodist. He and Mrs. Zook have an adopted son, Charley, just out of high school.

Last week Dr. Zook became U. S. Commissioner of Education.

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