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Rev. Lewis Bookwalter, D.D., Inauguration - Eleventh President, Otterbein University

Presidential Inaugurations

President Bookwalter demonstrated that strong leadership can produce significant accomplishments even in a short presidency. Trustees appointed him after he had extensive experience in United Brethren college presidencies, two years at Westfield College (IL) and ten at Western College (IA). As Trustees intended, he spent most of his time with off campus constituencies. In four years, he increased enrollment from 401 students to 551. Three Otterbein fraternities formed, without University approval.

President Bookwalter's remarkable fund raising and construction record included Cochran Hall (1907, $31,000), Carnegie Library (1908, $40,000), Lambert Hall (music, 1909, $28,000), and a heating plant. He resigned in …