Robert G. Bone

The Lincoln Connection

Robert Gehlmann Bone (1906-1991) was the ninth president of Illinois State Normal University, later renamed during his tenure to Illinois State University. A native of Springfield, Illinois, Bone’s grandparents were neighbors with another famous Springfield resident, Abraham Lincoln. Bone attended the College of Wooster and later earned his masters and PhD from the University of Illinois. His service in the Army Air Corps during World War II kept him out of academics for four years, but he did eventually return to teaching at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). From 1952 to 1953, Bone served as the acting dean of the UIUC College of Education and, by 1954, the university’s assistant provost. When he was first approached by the Teachers College Board about the presidency at Illinois State, Bone was hesitant and even removed his name for a time from the running. He eventually reconsidered and was named president-elect in April 1956.

Shaping the Campus

Following his predecessors work, Bone continued to transform the campus landscape. Several residential buildings were constructed during his tenure including the South Campus complex (Hamilton-Whitten and Atkin-Colby), Tri-Towers (Wright, Wilkins, and Haynie Halls), the East Campus complex (Hewett and Manchester Halls), the second iteration of Cardinal Court, and Watterson Towers. Academic structures included Schroeder Hall, Centennial Hall, Turner Hall, and University High School. Horton Field House and Hancock Stadium were also constructed during Bone’s tenure, giving much needed space to the athletics department. In all, the construction that occurred during Bone’s presidency shaped the university’s landscape into what it is today.

Changing the Name

Bone’s presidency not only changed the physical, administrative, and academic structures on campus, it also changed the university’s name. In an effort to identify not just as a teaching institution but a liberal arts campus, in 1964 the university changed its name to Illinois State University at Normal. Just three years later in 1967, the university would drop ‘at Normal’ and become Illinois State University. This also coincided with the establishment of colleges on campus. Since Dr. Brown’s administrative reorganization in the 1930’s, the administration of faculty and courses were still operating in a department-based structure. Administration reorganized in 1966 into three colleges – the College of Education, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the College of Applied Science and Technology.

Hand of Friendship

After a decade of innovative change, Bone stepped down from the presidency in 1967. Dr. Bone and his wife, Karin, remained in Normal and stayed active in the university community. Shortly after his retirement, the class of 1967 donated the “Hand of Friendship” to the university to honor the beloved president. In 1982, at the university’s 125th anniversary, the University Union was renamed the Bone Student Center in his honor. Robert Gehlmann Bone passed away on January 13, 1991 and was buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois.