In this Book
- Being Lucky: Reminiscences and Reflections
- Book
- 2012
- Published by: Indiana University Press
In this absorbing autobiography, Herman B Wells, the legendary former president of Indiana University, recalls his small-town boyhood, the strong influence of his parents, his pioneering work with Indiana banks during the Great Depression, and his connection with IU, which began as a student when the still provincial school had fewer than 3,000 students. At the end of his 25-year tenure as president, IU was a university with an international reputation and a student body that would soon exceed 30,000. Both lighthearted and serious, Wells's reflections describe in welcome detail how he approached the job, his observations on 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. Being Lucky is a nourishing brew of the memories, advice, wit, and wisdom of a remarkable man.
Table of Contents
- Preface to the 1992 Reprinting of Being Lucky
- pp. xiv-xvii
- Preparation for the Presidency
- 2. Widening Horizons
- pp. 29-40
- 3. What It Was Really Like
- pp. 41-43
- 4. Country Bank Failures
- pp. 44-61
- The Presidency
- 9. How to Succeed without Really Trying
- pp. 140-153
- 10. Money, Money, But Never Enough
- pp. 154-163
- 12. Academic Freedom and Tenure
- pp. 177-194
- 13. To Make Room for the Future
- pp. 195-211
- 14. Student and Alumni Relationships
- pp. 212-229
- 15. Culture to the Crossroads
- pp. 230-235
- 16. The University Looks Abroad
- pp. 236-253
- 17. Academic Ferment
- pp. 254-262
- National and International Service
- 18. A Trip and a New Awareness
- pp. 265-282
- 20. With Clay in Occupied Germany
- pp. 301-319
- 21. One World or None
- pp. 320-339
- 22. An Unusual Mission to the U.S.S.R.
- pp. 340-351
- 23. Education and World Affairs
- pp. 352-362
- 26. The Educational Policies Commission
- pp. 385-387
- 27. The Roots of PBS
- pp. 388-391
- 28. Trying to Do One’s Share
- pp. 392-398
- 29. With My Hat on the Back of My Head
- pp. 399-414
- Beyond the Presidency
- 30. The Summing Up
- pp. 417-430
- 31. The University Chancellor
- pp. 431-445
- 32. Epilogue
- p. 446