Praise for Rev. William D. Schermerhorn
Sylvan Grove News, 5 January 1922
Dr. William D. Schermerhorn, graduate of Kansas Wesleyan University, has resigned the presidency of Dakota Wesleyan University to take the chair of church history and missions at Garrett Biblical Institute. Evanston, Ill. Rev. Schermerhorn is a brother of Mrs. Thomas Porter of Salina. Years ago he prevented a bank hold-up at Sylvan Grove, Kan., where he was a clerk, receiving a bullet wound in one leg, which slightly lamed him. Concerning his change, which is for the purpose of getting away from executive service to teaching work, his chosen field, a denominational paper says: “When this vacancy occurred, two years ago. Dr. Stuart, president of Garrett, offered the chair to Dr. Schermerhorn. He was unable to accept the position at that time, but when the chair was again offered to him recently Dr. Schermerhorn aacepted the offer. That this wait was justified, the administration of Garrett feels confident, if his record while assistant professor of New Testament at Garrett, during the years 1912 to 1917, and later as president of Dakota Wesleyan, can be taken as any criterion. “That his work as president of Dakota Wesleyan has been unusually successful we but need to quote from an editorial which appeared in the Evening Republic, Mitchell, S.D., Dec. 12, 1921. This editorial says: ‘There will be no affectation in Mitchell’s regret that Dr. Schermerhorn has resident as president of Dakota University. It is doubtful if any man has come into this community in recent years, to fill any position whatsoever, who has won for himself so many friends and admirers as Dr. Schermerhorn. And rightly so. As to his ability this editorial says “His unusual faculty is that of surrendering none of his devotion to principle and yet being able to work with men as he finds them, to the achievement of that which is practicable of accomplishment for a better life in the city. It is a rare combination, to find one who is so gifted a student as is Dr. Schermerhorn and yet able to be a man among men.’ ” Garrett takes an additional pride in welcoming back Dr. Schermerhorn as professor of the department of church history and missions, for it was from Garrett he received his B.T.B. degree in 1917. Following his graduation from Garrett he went to [can’t read one word] as a missionary. [The last few lines are unreadable due to the poor quality of the filming of this newspaper.]