Overview

Being Lucky: Reminiscences and Reflections, The Complete Edition presents legendary Indiana University president Herman B Wells' autobiography as he originally intended. Painstakingly restored from original archival materials and featuring over a dozen fascinating vignettes and talks that were cut from the original edition, Being Lucky is a must read for Hoosiers everywhere. In this absorbing autobiography, Herman B Wells recalls his small-town childhood, the strong influence of his parents, and his pioneering work with Indiana banks during the Great Depression. His first contact with Indiana University was as an undergraduate in 1921, when the still provincial school had fewer than 3,000 students. At the end of his 25-year tenure as president in 1962, IU had gained an international reputation and a student body that would soon exceed 30,000. Wells' reflections on his years as university president are both lighthearted and illuminating. They describe in candied detail how he approached the job, his observations on effective administration, his thoughts on academic freedom and tenure, his approach to student and alumni relations, and his views on the role of the university as a cultural center. Also included are his fifty maxims for young college presidents. Finally Wells discusses the national and international service that helped shape his presidency and the university. Being Lucky is a nourishing brew of the memories, advice, wit, and wisdom of a remarkable man.

Full Product Details

Author:   Herman B Wells
Publisher:   Indiana University Press
Imprint:   Indiana University Press
Edition:   The Complete Edition
Weight:   0.934kg
ISBN:  

9780253062246

ISBN 10:   0253062241
Pages:   618
Publication Date:   05 April 2022
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

"To begin . . . Preface to the Reprinting Why I Wrote Being Lucky and What Was Edited Out Preface to the Complete Edition (Gary Dunham) Preparation for the Presidency 1. Growing Up in Jamestown and the County Seat 2. Widening Horizons 3. What It Was Really Like 4. Country Bank Failures 5. Reopening, Reconstruction, and Reform 6. Apprenticeship in Academic Administration [Addressing Freshman Business Students] 7. The Fate of a Noncandidate The Presidency 8. A Few Observations on Collegial Administration 9. How to Succeed Without Really Trying 10. Money, Money, But Never Enough [Vignette of J. Paul Getty] 11. The Private Sector: Indiana University Foundation [They Made a Difference] 12. Academic Freedom and Tenure [Addressing the A.A.U.P.] [An Interesting Sidelight] 13. To Make Room for the Future 14. Student and Alumni Relationships [A Message from Santa Claus] 15. Culture to the Crossroads 16. The University Looks Abroad [Vignette of the King of Thailand] 17. Academic Ferment [The Lilly Influence] National and International Service 18. A Trip and a New Awareness 19. A Glorious Experience in the Springtime of My Career 20. With Clay in Occupied Germany [Vignette of John Foster Dulles] 21. One World or None [Vignette of Wendell Willkie] 22. An Unusual Mission to the U.S.S.R. 23. Education and World Affairs [Vignette of Harold Macmillan] 24. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching 25. The American Council on Education and an Introduction to International Associations 26. The Educational Policies Commission 27. The Roots of PBS 28. Trying to Do One's Share 29. With My Hat on the Back of My Head [Vignette of King of Kings, Lion of Juda, Emperor of Ethiopia] [Vignette of the Shah of Iran] Beyond the Presidency 30. The Summing Up 31. The University Chancellor 32. Epilogue Appendix A. Chronology B. Traditional Rite at Freshman Convocation C. Time on Wells D. Taking the Arts to the People E. Telegrams from General Lucius Clay F. Current Directors, Indiana University Foundation G. Indiana University 150th Birthday Fund Subscriptions H. Message to the University Community, November 1, 1968 I. Indiana University Technical-Assistance Projects J. Special Commissions and Committees K. ""All's Wells That Ends Well"" Index"

Reviews

Much more than the title might suggest, [this is] a heart-warming account of a young boy and his parents [who were] determined that a son should have a college education, a classic and detailed account of his widening involvement with every aspect of higher education, and a stirring story of a wise administrator. [Wells'] life os am astonishing success story. . .He was not just lucky, he was careful and courageous. * Journal of Higher Education * Being Lucky is as entertaining as it is informative. Wells' biographer, James H. Capshew, called it 'a manual of higher education management.'. . . Reading Wells' fascinating autobiography shows why it is no wonder that Indiana University is so proud of the great man and honors his accomplishments. * Louisville Courier Journal * Wells' humor, wit, and humanity pervade every chapter. * Indiana Magazine of History * An honest report by a most successful educator [and] a tribute to a great university and to a man with foresight who also had the courage to act on his convictions. * Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette *

Much more than the title might suggest, [this is] a heart-warming account of a young boy and his parents [who were] determined that a son should have a college education, a classic and detailed account of his widening involvement with every aspect of higher education, and a stirring story of a wise administrator. [Wells'] life is an astonishing success story. . . . He was not just lucky, he was careful and courageous. * Journal of Higher Education * Being Lucky is as entertaining as it is informative. Wells' biographer, James H. Capshew, called it 'a manual of higher education management.'. . . Reading Wells' fascinating autobiography shows why it is no wonder that Indiana University is so proud of the great man and honors his accomplishments. * Louisville Courier Journal * Wells' humor, wit, and humanity pervade every chapter. * Indiana Magazine of History * An honest report by a most successful educator [and] a tribute to a great university and to a man with foresight who also had the courage to act on his convictions. * Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette *

Author Information

Herman B Wells (1902-2000) was the 11th president of Indiana University. He served the university in a variety of capacities, most notably as president and as chancellor, and was pivotal to the development of IU into a world-class institution of higher learning.

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