California may well be proud of the caliber and inspiring ideals of so many of the educators attracted to her rapidly-expanding commonwealth, and few of such builders of the great American Republic deserve more prominent mention than James Arnold Blaisdell, D.D., the scholarly and aggressive President of Pomona College. He was born at Beloit, Wis., on December 15, 1867, the son of James Joshua Blaisdell, born in Canaan, N.H., a graduate of Dartmouth in 1846, for forty years professor of philosophy in Beloit College—that institution of learning so influential in the development of Wisconsin society and, therefore, an effective, splendid memorial to its founders, among whom, it may be remembered, was the self-denying missionary, the Rev. Aratus Kent, who once begged to be sent to a field of labor "so hard that no one else would like it." Mrs. Blaisdell was Susan Ann Allen before her marriage, a native of New Hampshire, a graduate of Mt. Holyoke Seminary in the class of 1847, a pupil of Mary Lyon. She survives her husband and makes her home with President Blaisdell.
Having been graduated from Beloit College in 1889 with the degree of B.A., Mr. Blaisdell entered the Hartford (Conn.) Theological Seminary, where he pursued his theological studies from 1889 until 1892, when he was ordained a minister of the Congregational Church, receiving in the same year from Beloit College the additional Master of Arts degree. On December 29 of that year, also, he was married at Beloit to Miss Florence Lena Carrier, of that city and a graduate of the Mt. Holyoke (Mass.) Seminary, in the class of '92. From 1892 until 1896, Rev. Mr. Blaisdell was pastor of the Congregational Church at Waukesha, Wis., while from 1896 to 1903 he was in charge of similar work at Olivet, Mich., the seat of Olivet College. Returning to his native city and his Alma Mater in 1903, he spent the next seven years as professor of Biblical literature and ancient Oriental history in Beloit College; and in 1910 came West to Claremont as the leader of the faculty of Pomona College.
Since his advent in California Doctor Blaisdell has participated more and more in the intellectual and educational life of the state, and especially of Pomona and the Valley, and through his professional work, his addresses and contributions to the advanced press has steadily built up a reputation of much value to the aspiring institution committed to his guidance. Four children—J. Brooks, Paul C., Allen C. and Florence Barbara Blaisdell—have one by one added to the life of the president's family circle, and both Doctor and Mrs. Blaisdell have been untiring in their efforts to elevate both the standards of young Christian manhood and of decent American citizenship, so that during the recent crisis of the Nation, no one was ever in doubt as to the attitude and the activity of Pomona College, its trustees, instructors and students in the great work of supporting the government in all its war programs. During the war he was sent abroad by the Congregational Churches on a tour of investigation of conditions in Japan, particularly in regard to educational values. He had the privilege during the war of traveling all over Japan and of addressing audiences, universities and other assemblies in regard to America's attitude toward the war. He also visited Korea and China. After four months spent abroad he returned home, and since that time has been in continual demand for addresses regarding the situation in the Far East.
In 1910, the year when Professor Blaisdell was made President of Pomona College, Beloit College, in recognition of his accumulating scholarship during years of epoch-making work for the advancement of truth and the assurance of a better humanity, conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity; nor would anyone, familiar with the personality, the accomplishments and the influence of this zealous representative citizen, who has done so much to extend the fame of Pomona, deem the honor otherwise than worthily and wisely bestowed.
History of Pomona Valley, California, with Biographical Sketches
of The Leading Men and Women of the Valley Who Have Been
Identified With Its Growth and Development from the Early Days
to the Present
Published in Los Angeles, Cal., by the Historic Record Company
1920
Transcribed by Linda Jackson 9/13/08, Pages 366-367
Los Angeles County Biographies ~ Archive Biography Index ~ Archive Index
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