John Silber facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Silber
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Silber in 1977
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| Chancellor of Boston University | |
| In office 1996–2002 |
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| 7th President of Boston University | |
| In office 1971–1996 |
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| Preceded by | Calvin B. T. Lee (Acting) |
| Succeeded by | Jon Westling |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Robert Silber
August 15, 1926 San Antonio, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | September 27, 2012 (aged 86) Brookline, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Spouse | Kathryn Underwood |
| Children | 8 |
| Education | Trinity University (BA) Yale University (PhD) |
John Robert Silber (born August 15, 1926 – died September 27, 2012) was an American educator and a candidate for public office. He was well-known for his long leadership at Boston University (BU). From 1971 to 1996, he served as the President of BU. After that, he became the university's Chancellor from 1996 to 2002.
In 1990, John Silber ran for governor of Massachusetts. He won the primary election for the Democratic Party. However, he lost the main election to William Weld, a Republican. Before his time at Boston University, Silber was a philosophy professor and a dean at the University of Texas.
Contents
Early Life and Education
John Silber was born in San Antonio, Texas. He was the second son of Paul George Silber, an architect from Germany, and Jewell Silber, a school teacher. John was born with a right arm that was not fully formed, ending below his elbow. He was not ashamed of this and had his clothes made to show his arm.
Both of his parents were Presbyterians. Later in life, John learned that his father's family had Jewish roots. He also found out that his aunt had died in a concentration camp. His father had never spoken about this.
Silber was a good student at Jefferson High School in San Antonio. He was part of the National Honor Society and played the trumpet in the school band. He finished high school in 1943. He then went to Trinity University in San Antonio. There, he studied both fine arts and philosophy.
In 1943, he met Kathryn Underwood at Trinity University. They got married in 1947. John Silber graduated from Trinity with top honors in June 1947. He and Kathryn had eight children together.
Academic Career Beginnings
John Silber continued his studies and earned his master's degree in 1952. He worked as a teaching assistant and instructor while studying for his doctoral degree. He was known for his strong views on philosophy during his time at Yale University.
In 1959, Silber received a Fulbright scholarship. This allowed him to teach at the University of Bonn in West Germany for a year. It was during this time that he learned about his father's Jewish background.
His first full-time teaching job was at the University of Texas at Austin. He led the Philosophy department there from 1962 to 1967. During his time at the University of Texas, Silber was known for supporting liberal causes. He helped start the Texas society to end capital punishment. He also supported civil rights.
In 1967, Silber became the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Texas. In 1970, he was removed from this position.
Leading Boston University
John Silber became the president of Boston University (BU) on December 17, 1970. He started his new role the next month. He was one of the highest-paid college presidents in the country. He took a break from BU in 1987 and again in 1990 when he ran for governor. He returned to his job at BU after losing the election.
In 1996, he retired as president and was named the university's chancellor. That same year, he was chosen to lead the Massachusetts Board of Education. Silber brought famous people like author Saul Bellow and Nobel Prize winner Elie Wiesel to teach at Boston University.
Working with Faculty and Students
Under John Silber's leadership, Boston University grew larger. However, his leadership style sometimes caused disagreements. Early in his time as president, Silber had strong opinions about the faculty and students. The faculty formed a union in 1974 to protect their rights.
Initially, Silber's administration did not want to work with the union. In 1976, this refusal led to a lawsuit. Many faculty members asked the university's board to remove Silber, but they did not. In 1978, a court decided that Boston University had to negotiate with the faculty union.
In 1979, the faculty went on strike. Some faculty members supported a later strike by clerical workers. Silber took action against some of these faculty members. Many faculty members across Boston signed a petition to remove Silber, but it did not happen.
Silber also had disagreements with historian Howard Zinn. Silber prevented Zinn from getting pay raises and promotions for several years. In 1982, a group called the AAUP helped Zinn. They eventually made Silber pay Zinn the money he was owed.
In 1987, courts ruled that faculty in the union were "managerial" employees. This meant they could not bargain as a group with Boston University.
Student Groups
In 2002, Silber asked the Boston University Academy to close a student club. This club was meant to support students and promote understanding. Silber believed the club was not serving its stated purpose.
Political Involvement
John Silber supported racial integration at the University of Texas at Austin. He also led the first group in Texas that wanted to end the death penalty. He also helped promote the Head Start Program, which provides early education for young children.
In 1990, Silber ran for Governor of Massachusetts as a Democrat. He was seen as an outsider, and his direct style was first seen as a good thing. He faced Republican William Weld in the election.
During the campaign, Silber sometimes reacted strongly to questions from the media. These moments became known as "Silber shockers." He made comments that some found controversial. For example, he questioned certain public spending. He also said that some public figures were not suitable to be judges.
In a key interview, he was asked about his weaknesses. He replied that the interviewer should find one, as he did not need to point out his own flaws. After this, his support in polls dropped quickly. William Weld won the election by a small margin. Weld became the first Republican governor of Massachusetts since 1970.
Legacy and Death
On May 14, 2008, a street at Boston University was renamed John R. Silber Way. The mayor of Boston, Thomas Menino, said this was a fitting tribute to Silber's long influence on the university.
John Silber passed away on September 27, 2012, at the age of 86. At a memorial service, writer Tom Wolfe spoke about Silber. He said that Silber was a man who "couldn't bring himself to flatter" others.
See also
In Spanish: John Silber para niños
