William Clarke (1917), (1918-21) and (1922)
When Arthur Crane departed in 1917 to pursue a graduate degree and wartime service, William Clarke, the only faculty member possessing a doctorate among the original 12, became the acting president until Asra Steele assumed the duties. Then, upon Steele's dismissal in 1918, the State Board of Regents again turned to Clarke, the former supervisor of practice pedagogy and school management, who was Model School director. He coordinated and directed all war service activities, as well as all normal and training school operations. He combined his Model School role with that of the presidency until Levi Beeler replaced him in 1921. Between Beeler's departure and George McFarland's taking office in 1922, Clarke again filled the void, and campus operations continued smoothly. Little credit is given to Clarke, when, in fact, he provided much-needed stability.
