A Look Back:
President Gustave Weber

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the retirement of Susquehanna's 11th president, Gustave Weber, who led the university from 1959-1977. In the book "Susquehanna University 1858-2000: A Goodly Heritage," Professor Emeritus of History Donald Housley writes: "President Weber had effected a revolution in the physical, academic and social environment at Susquehanna University. His influence was decidedly personal. Charismatic, extraordinarily gifted in the spoken and written word, daring, endowed with an enormous faith in both himself and the institution, he had taken great and necessary risks."

Main Photo: a helicopter places a section of the steeple during construction in 1965 or 1966 of what is now Weber Chapel Auditorium. Inset: an undated photo of President Weber.

When Dr. Weber came to Susquehanna University, one of the first things he did was put in the beautiful entrance to campus. He also joined the local Rotary Club and befriended everyone. At one of the meetings, the Rotary president, Dr. Wolfburg, asked that someone give the opening prayer and member Russ Weller called out "Ray can do it!" I looked at Dr. Weber and thought how he would be listening to me, and with a quiver in my voice said the prayer. I decided then that I would learn to speak in public and Dr. Weber looked up and winked at me.

When the SU football team had some trouble and lost its coach, Dr. Weber took over. He gave the team a new spirit and they produced wonders for him. Dr. Weber was ill after his retirement and I visited him in the nursing home. When I arrived he said "what are you doing here?" and I replied that I had come just to visit. I saw a tear roll down his cheek. Dr. Weber was that kind of a person and he was a great man.
-Ray Kline '38

As a member of the Susquehanna University Concert Band, I played the tympani. This was a position mostly held by male percussionists. Dr. Weber often kidded me about being such a little girl with so many large drums to play.

We happened to be at a Susquehanna function after Dr. Weber suffered a stroke. He was no longer able to speak, but he looked at me, smiled, pointed a finger at me, and proceeded to execute the "tympani roll." It brought tears to my eyes that he recalled who I was and what I had done so many years before. It is also a tribute to the university that it was and always will be a family place. Our three sons, David '85, his wife Laura Bryan Zimmerman '84, Andrew ('86) and Mark '91 also found that to be true as well.

When a Memorial Service was held for Dr. Weber, my husband, the Rev. P. Philip Zimmerman '61, was asked to participate.

We will never forget his quick wit and his remarkable memory!
-Jocelyn Swope '61 Zimmerman

My most vivid memory about Dr. Weber goes back to a November day when someone ran through the dorm shouting, "The President's been shot!" I responded, "Dr. Weber?" That my first thought at the word "President" should be Dr. Weber rather than John F. Kennedy is a measure of Dr. Weber's preeminence on the Susquehanna campus.
-Carol Viertel '66 Beran

In March of 1969, during my junior year, I became very seriously ill… emergency surgery was performed. Afterwards, in recovery, I was groggy, scared, and in increasing pain as the anesthesia wore off. There was, however, a familiar face to greet me so I would not be alone while my parents were on route. It was Doctor Weber.

To this day, I will never forget that act of kindness. The president of the university got up in the very wee hours of the morning and drove to Danville so that one of his students would not have to be alone in a strange hospital in very scary circumstances.
- John W. Woodward '71

I was fortunate enough to have attended SU as a student during the time that Dr. Weber was president. The example that he set as an administrator and educator was exemplary.

During that time, the Vietnam war era, I remember how Dr. Weber handled some of the unrest when it materialized one day on the front lawn of his residence. Instinctively he knew the way to handle it was not to encourage more arousal on the spot, but to offer a more productive option of meeting in an organized fashion at a scheduled place and time.

This however is not my only admiring memory of Dr. Weber. Perhaps more personal, but still indicative of his being in tune with the students, of his awareness, interest, and support, and the personal involvement and attention with which he conducted his duties…

I had sung a solo in the morning chapel service the morning of graduation; later that day, when Dr. Weber shook my hand onstage and handed me my diploma during the graduation service, he literally stopped me, looked me right in the eyes (with his kind and sparkling eyes), and complimented and discussed my singing in the earlier service. I was blown away. He was completely sincere, knew who I was, and felt it important enough to extend this gesture of kindness. To this day, 35 years later, when I see his name, a warm and clear memory of his professionalism and thoughtfulness come to mind.
- Sharon Witteck '72 Austin

Dr. Weber inspired me. On two occasions, once at a Theta Chi banquet and the other at a baseball team barbecue, the president was asked by the emcee to give an impromptu speech. Dr. Weber was not a scheduled part of either program. Without hesitating he stood up and gave a short, witty and compelling speech. I also remember the president remembering my name and when he saw me on campus he would ask, "Jeff, how is the baseball team doing?" Today, as a pastor, I emulate Dr. Weber's impromptu speeches and I work at remembering names.
- Jeff Winter '72

I have so many fond memories of Dr. Weber. I was fortunate to know him from the time he became Susquehanna's president because of my Dad's association with the university.

One of my favorite stories occurred on the day of my graduation - June of 1973. After the services concluded, I was standing outside of the chapel that now bears his name, searching for my parents in the crowd. I felt a firm hand on my shoulder and looked up into Dr. Weber's beaming face. He said: "Congratulations Jack, what thoughts have you as a graduate?"

I pointed to the cornerstone of the chapel a few feet away and said: "My thoughts are there." Dr. Weber asked if I knew what the words on the cornerstone meant. I replied: "Sure the words are Bene orisse est bene studisse."

"Yes?" said Dr. Weber.

I said: "It means to pray well is to study well and I should have done more of both while I was here!"

Dr. Weber roared as I added that I planned to do more of both during law school years.

Then he said: "That's a quote of Martin Luther's, Jack. I'm pleased you knew how to translate it. You follow through with your plan to do more of those things, not just in law school, but for the rest of your life and you'll make us here at your Alma Mater proud. Now let's go find your parents."

I think of Dr. Weber whenever I visit campus. When I pass Weber Chapel I look toward the cornerstone and remember this story. And I think of another quote in Latin-this one found on the tomb of Christopher Wren In St. Paul's Cathedral, London: "Lector, Si Momentum,Requiris Circumspice." "Reader, should you seek his presence, look about you."

I dearly loved this fine man and hallow his memory.
- S. John "Jack" Price, Jr., Esq., '73

During the spring of my junior year in high school, my father and I visited Susquehanna. While we were wandering around campus we ran into a gentleman just outside Selinsgrove Hall and we asked him directions to another building on campus. After introducing ourselves, we discovered we were talking to the president of Susquehanna University, Gustave Weber. President Weber went out of his way and walked with us to our destination, answering a number of questions we had about the university.... It's easy to reflect back now and see how that meeting made my decision to attend SU an easy one. When the president of a university goes out of his way to spend time with you, especially someone he had never met before, it leaves a lasting impression, and it said a lot about the individual and the university he represented. During my four years at Susquehanna, Gustave Weber never failed to say hello to me when I saw him on campus and he always asked how my father was.
- S. Stephen Platt '75

Gustave Weber as I remember it was a rigid arrogant man who envisioned himself the voice of Susquehanna University. And it was to be he who would determine all that voice required and so he appointed himself the one and only voice for Susquehanna University. I remember his speech to the Senior Graduating Class and how he began with "Some of you may think your going to spend your class funds for a party. Well I'm here to pull your teeth." "I will determine how those funds will be spent." He was as I remember him a belligerent, even crude man whose style left little room for participation. His dictum was to dictate who, where, when and what. He never understood that the job of chancellor was that of public relations and fundraising. He got down into, as they say, the nitty-gritty of everyday student relations and activities. "I will decide how much your fraternity will charge for room and board." That is not the venue of a chancellor. Susquehanna University grew as did all schools of its kind not by the will, personality and decisions of Gustave Weber but because of the times where facilities and buildings were necessary to draw quality students. It grew because of competition.

I'm sure you will get a bunch of gushing remembrances but in truth Gustave Weber "lacked the acute self-awareness" necessary to promote an atmosphere of joy in student participation and learning. He did succeed in one sense, he built a memorial to himself, Weber Chapel.
--Frederic Richard Handley '60

I attended Susquehanna from 1971 to 1975. This was when Vietnam was raging. I remember sitting in my dorm room in the fall of '71 and listening to a radio station that called out the "draft lottery" numbers. Guys could be heard screaming or almost crying if they had a low number.

In 1971 a "so-called" student living on campus turned out to be a Pennsylvania state policeman. There were some drugs being used then, mostly cannabis and acid, but after a fellow student was set up and busted, we decided this was outrageous. Remember, student demonstrations and Kent State, were still fresh in our memories. One night in the late fall of '71, about 20 students from Hassinger Hall marched on Dr. Weber's front lawn. We began chanting "we want trust." I can't remember what time it was, but it was past sunset. Dr. Weber opened his front door to see us. I always remember him stating that he thought we were saying "'we want Gus"!!!

This defused the situation, and to my knowledge, there was never a narc placed on campus again.
- Robert Scott Acton '75

Dr. Weber was president of Susquehanna University during my four years as a student. His most important influence on my life occurred after my graduation from Susquehanna. I graduated with a major in French and secondary school teaching certificate, but I did not have a teaching job lined up when I graduated.

I found a job locally (Selinsgrove was and is my hometown.), and I was able to attend the homecoming football game in the fall of 1976. When I saw Dr. Weber at the game, he was disappointed to learn that I was not yet teaching French. Since I had not taken time to study abroad during my years of study at SU, he recommended that I check out the possibility of study in France with a program called "The Experiment in International Living".

I followed up on his suggestion, and from February through May, 1977, I did indeed study in Caen (Normandy), France, with The Experiment's International Studies Program. I had a great experience in France during those four months (which included three weeks in Paris). That foreign study opportunity, in addition to my job the following year in Pittsburgh, Pa., as a youth staffer in the Western Pennsylvania-West Virginia Synod of the Lutheran Church in America, added the final preparation that I personally needed in order to become a successful foreign language teacher.

This August I will begin my 30th year as a foreign language teacher at Southern Garrett High School in Oakland, Md. Dr. Weber's suggestion in the fall of 1976 continues to have a profound influence on my life and career. Merci mille fois, Dr. Weber.
-Lowell Leitzel '76