School bell is centerpiece of Everett Brown memorial

Everett Brown The Everett Brown memorial is located near the west entrance
of Brown Hall.

Friends of the late educator and lawmaker Everett Brown will gather near the west entrance of Brown Education Hall at 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 25, to dedicate a memorial honoring the longtime state representative who committed his life to serving young people and the citizens of northwest Missouri.

The memorial, a timber-framed structure evoking the shape of a one-room schoolhouse, contains the bell from the former Marietta School in Holt County, where Brown taught as a young man during the 1930s.

Donated to Northwest by Brown's widow, Shoba, the bell will be rung three times during the ceremony, once for each decade of Brown's service to the University. Dignitaries expected to participate in the dedication include Northwest Regent Doug Sutton, University President Dean L. Hubbard and Dr. Max Ruhl, dean of Northwest's College of Education and Human Services.

Both the public and members of the University community are welcome to attend.

Before winning election in 1976 to the Missouri House of Representatives, Brown spent 30 years in leadership roles at Northwest, where he had earned a bachelor's degree while working his way through school as a cafeteria "hashslinger."

Brown wore virtually every administrative hat at the University, working variously as director of admissions, financial aid, news and information, career placement, alumni relations and extension.

During his eight terms in the Missouri House, Brown served for more than a decade as chairman of the Appropriations Committee for Education and Transportation. He also sat on House panels charged with overseeing legislation relating to the budget, higher education, interstate cooperation and natural resources.

Born in Adel, Iowa, in 1912, Brown moved with his family to Craig in 1918. He entered Purdue University in 1929 to study engineering, but was forced to leave in order to earn a living during the Great Depression. He returned to Missouri and began teaching at Marietta, eventually receiving his bachelor's degree in education from Northwest in 1937.

From 1937 to 1942, Brown was school superintendent in Fortescue. He earned a master's degree in education administration from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1941.

A naval officer during World War II, Brown left active duty in 1945 as a lieutenant commander. He continued to serve in the Missouri National Guard, retiring as a major after 23 years.

Following the war, Brown went to work for the Missouri Department of Education then joined Northwest's professional staff in 1947.

In recognition of his long service, Northwest awarded Brown an honorary doctorate during April 2000 commencement ceremonies. Brown Education Hall, the home of Northwest's College of Education and Human Services, is named in his honor.

For more information, please contact:

Anthony Brown,
News Bureau Manager
E-Mail: abrown@nwmissouri.edu
Phone (660) 562-1704
Fax (660) 562-1900

Northwest Missouri State University
219 Administration Building,
800 University Drive
Maryville, MO 64468

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