Barnaby Keeney
| Barnaby Keeney | |
|---|---|
| 12th President of Brown University | |
|
In office 1955–1966 |
|
| Preceded by | Henry Wriston |
| Succeeded by | Ray Heffner |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
October 17, 1914 Halfway, Oregon |
| Died | June 18, 1980 (aged 65) Providence, Rhode Island |
| Resting place | Swan Point Cemetery Providence, Rhode Island |
| Nationality | American |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Elizabeth Critchfield |
| Alma mater |
University of North Carolina Harvard University |
Barnaby Conrad Keeney (October 17, 1914 – June 18, 1980) was president of Brown University from 1955 to 1966 where he was known and loved by the student body for openness and his dry wit. As he once observed, "One of the joys of the life of an educator, particularly a president, is the amount of free advice he gets." Keeney then served as president of Claremont Graduate University from 1971 to 1976.
Keeney was born in Halfway, Oregon on October 17, 1914. He grew up in Hartford, Connecticut where he was a high school track star. He was Greater Hartford champion in the 440‑yard dash in 1931 and he won the state championship in that event in 1932. He graduated from the University of North Carolina first in his class in 1936. He later took a master's degree and doctorate in medieval history at Harvard University, where he taught until 1941.
In 1941 he married Mary Elizabeth Critchfield; they have a son and two daughters. Keeney died on June 18, 1980, in Providence, Rhode Island, at the age of 65.
Subsequently, he served as an intelligence officer for the U.S. Army following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He received the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, and the Silver Star while serving with the 35th Infantry in World War II.
Keeney was hired by Brown University in 1946 as an assistant professor of history. In 1955 he was chosen to succeed Henry Wriston as the 12th President of Brown.
During Keeney's administration, Brown's operating budget tripled to $25 million a year; its endowment doubled to $55 million, and the value of its physical plant doubled to $40 million. "At college age, you can tell who is best at taking tests and going to school, but you can't tell who the best people are. That worries the hell out of me." Keeney initiated a new admissions policy under which 10% of the places in Brown's freshman class (about 650 students) were reserved for youngsters whose grades ordinarily would not qualify them for an Ivy League college—but who exhibit some "outstanding characteristic". They referred to themselves as "Tom Sawyers", many of whom went on to become Brown's most successful graduates.
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