Records of the Vice President: Barlow/Browning Papers (Rec.Gr. 3.1)

Historical note

John Barlow, after a short stint as an Assistant Biologist at the Agricultural Experiment Station in 1897, returned to Kingston to stay in 1902 when he accepted the positions of Professor of Zoology and Head of the Department of Zoology at the then Rhode Island State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. He remained as Head of the Zoology Department for over thirty-five years, finally surrendering that position in deference to his increased college-wide administrative responsibilities. As Barlow's tenure lengthened, his responsibilities increased. In 1930, he was named Vice-President and Dean of Men. In 1931, he added the title of Dean of the School of Science and Business to his portfolio. Durning this period, he also found time to serve two terms as Acting President from April, 1930 through March, 1931 and again from March, 1940 through October 1941. Barlow officially retired on his seventieth birthday, November 28, 1942, completing over forty years' service to the institution. He died in November of 1944.

Dr. Harold Browning matched Barlow in longevity and in the variety of administrative positions he held. Browning, a 1914 graduate of Rhode Island State College, returned to his alma mater in 1920 and remained until his retirement forty-two years later. Like Barlow, Browning was recruited as a professor and department chairman, in the Botany Department. Also like Barlow, he gradually accumlulated a number of other administrative positions durning his forty year tenure. While Barlow served as Acting President in 1930-1931 and 1940-1941, he named Browning Acting Dean of the School of Science and Business and Acting Dean of Men. Browning also accepted the title of Director of Graduate Studies in 1931, a position he held until 1945. When Barlow retired in 1942, Browning relinquished the Botany Department chairmanship to assume Barlow's positions of Vice-President, Dean of Men, and Dean of the newly created School of Science. He surrendered the position of Dean of Men in 1947 when John Quinn was hired to fill that position on a full-time basis. He remained Dean of the School of Science which later became the College of Arts and Sciences in 1947, until 1960 when he was replaced by Roman Zorn.