Cal U’s Roadman remembered
For some, the name George H. Roadman conjures up images of the park along Route 88 south of California; for others, the name brings to mind a man dedicated to education and to his students. Dr. George Harrison Roadman, who served as the president of California University of Pennsylvania from 1969 through 1977 and in many other roles at the university prior to that, passed away Wednesday. A memorial service is being held today at 11 a.m. in the California United Methodist Church.
Additional observances may be held on the campus this fall, once students and faculty return, according to the current university president, Dr. Angelo Armenti.
“My wife and I will be going to the memorial service and we will talk to the family at that time to see if they want us to do something. We will go by the family’s wishes,” Armenti said.
Armenti said that while their tenures on campus did not coincide, he has heard much about the former president.
“He was a respected war hero and highly regarded as a professor. I have run across many students who had him for classes before he became president. They loved him as a teacher,” Armenti said. “He was known as a very caring person who was very concerned about how his decisions affected people.”
Roadman earned four battle stars and a bronze star as a field artillery captain during four years of service during World War II. After the war, Roadman returned to California University of Pennsylvania and taught political science, economics and history. He then served as the dean of academic affairs from 1957-69 before becoming the university’s president.
“He was president during the mid-60s to the mid-70s, during the Vietnam era when every campus in the country was undergoing changes,” said Dr. John P. Watkins, who served as Roadman’s vice president for four years before taking over as president upon Roadman’s retirement.
Watkins said Roadman allowed the students to express themselves in the politically charged time, creating an atmosphere where political unrest could be handled with civility.
“He made no attempt to stifle conversation or controversy. He managed the university in a way that allowed the students to express how they felt in that era of history, yet they never felt a need to explode,” Watkins said.
“Many university presidents across the country would have benefited from his style.”
Watkins said he first met Roadman in the summer of 1949, just after he graduated from California High School.
“I decided I wanted to do something with myself that summer,” Watkins said.
And so Watkins signed up for a class at the college.
“The first course I took that summer was a class in history and the professor for that class was Dr. Roadman. He was an excellent professor. He had a command of his subject. It was a wonderful way to be introduced to college teaching,” Watkins said. “My ties with him commenced in 1949 and continued until he retired in 1977.”
Watkins said Roadman led the university in an era when college presidents could focus on academics and concentrate inwardly on the campus.
“Dr. Roadman was always popular with students. Student government at the university has always been an important part of the university,” Watkins said.
Roadman’s popularity with the students was evidenced in the renaming of the College Farm for Roadman upon his retirement. The property is owned by the Student Association Inc.
“It was a spontaneous response to his retirement, to honor him in that way,” Watkins said.