Walter Edmond Straw

1880 - 1962

Walter Straw, an accomplished cornet player, spent over fifty years as an administrator in education at all levels. Following graduation from Emmanuel Missionary College, now Andrews University, in 1910, he served as educational secretary in the Lake Union. He subsequently served as the principal of two academies in that union; was a missionary in Africa for ten years, where he was the first president of the Zambesi Union; taught at Southwestern Junior College, now Southwestern Adventist University, for three years; served as dean at Madison College, now Madison Academy; and, from 1933 to 1947, was teacher in and, for a time, head of the religion department at EMC.

From 1948 until 1950, Straw served as president of MC and then taught as needed at the college in different areas until he was 81 years old. In his early years as an administrator or teacher, he started or conducted a band, as needed, in each of the schools he served.

Straw completed a master's degree at the University of Colorado and did additional graduate study at Peabody College for Teachers in Nashville, Tennessee, and at the University of Chicago. He was the author of the book Origin of Sunday Observance. Straw was living in Ellijay, Georgia, when he died at age 81.

ds/2007

Sources: Obituary, Review and Herald, 3 May 1962, 22; The Chronicle of Southwestern College, 1994¸ 74, 75; Interview with Patricia Mitzelfelt Silver, 2004.