Lemuel Arthur "L. A." Pittenger (September 27, 1873 – July 12, 1953) is best known as being the 4th president of Ball Teachers College later known as Ball State University

Ball State University

Ball State University is a state-run research university located in Muncie, Indiana. It is also known as Ball State or simply BSU.Located on the northwest side of the city, Ball State's campus spans and includes 106 buildings...

, as well as having Ball State University's student center named after him.

Early life

Pittenger grew up in Selma, Indiana

Selma, Indiana

Selma is a town located in Liberty Township, Delaware County, Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 866. It is part of the Muncie, IN Metropolitan Statistical Area.- Geography :...

 on his family's farm. Later he obtained his undergraduate degree from Indiana University

Indiana University

Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...

.

Indiana State Normal School

From 1905 to 1907 he was a professor at the Indiana Normal School, which later became Ball State University. Pittenger and Frank C. Ball attempted to persuade Taylor University

Taylor University

Taylor University is a private, interdenominational, evangelical Christian college located in Upland, Indiana. Founded in 1846, it is one of the oldest evangelical Christian colleges in America....

 to relocate their campus to Muncie, in a rescue attempt of the failing Indiana Normal School. Once the Indiana Normal School went under, Pittenger returned to Indiana University for advanced schooling. From 1913 to 1920 he was the head of the English department at Ohio Normal School at Kent (now Kent State University

Kent State University

Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...

). In 1920, Pittenger became ill and returned to Selma, two years later Professor Clippinger became ill and had to cease teaching at the Indiana State Normal School. President Hines requested Pittenger to take Clippinger's place at the Indiana State Normal School, from which he accepted.

Ball Teachers College

Pittenger began working at Ball Teachers College in 1922, and quickly became the most important person on campus during the 1920s and 1930s due to his partnership with Frank C. Ball. At this time, Pittenger was elected into the Indiana House of Representatives (1922, 1924 and 1926). He became the chairman to the powerful Ways and Means Committee, and eventually persuaded the Indiana General Assembly to separate the Ball Teachers College's budget from that of the Indiana State Normal School.

Presidency (1927–1942)

Pittenger assumed the presidency of Ball Teachers College after the death of President Benjamin J. Burris

Benjamin J. Burris

Benjamin Jackson Burris is best known for being a past president of Ball State University and held many different occupations...

 in 1927. During Pittenger's presidency, the Indiana General Assembly separated the Ball Teachers College from the Indiana State Normal School and changed the name to Ball State Teachers College. Pittenger resigned in December 1942 due to illness.

Effect on Ball State University

• Ball Teachers College was renamed Ball State Teachers College in 1930 and was added to the list of accredited colleges and universities.
• Campus Additions During Presidency
  • Athletic Fields (1928)
    • Included a quarter-mile track, and jumping pits for men and women; baseball, football, soccer, hockey, and speedball fields; horseshoe, croquet, and tennis courts and an archery range
  • Burris Laboratory School
    Burris Laboratory School
    Burris Laboratory School is a kindergarten through twelfth grade public laboratory school located on the west side of Muncie, Indiana. The school is a division of Ball State University and provides University pre-service teachers an opportunity for classroom observation and practice...
    
     (1928)
  • Fine Arts Building and Museum of Art
    Ball State University Museum of Art
    The Ball State University Museum of Art is an art museum located in the Fine Arts building on the campus of Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, USA....
    
     (1936)
  • Beneficence
    Beneficence
    Beneficence is a bronze statue on the campus of Ball State University, located in Muncie, Indiana. It is referred to as "Benny" by the students.-History:...
    
    Memorial (1937)
  • Elliot Hall (1938)

L. A. Pittenger Student Center

In 1952, Ball State constructed a student center on the south side of University Avenue, across the street from the Administration building and named it after Pittenger. The student center was built in the Collegiate Gothic Architectural style and had several extreme renovations and additions. The building includes meeting rooms, a hotel, food court, bowling alley and a barber shop. The building also hosts Late Nite, a drug prevention program for students at Ball State which has several unique activities for students to participate in on Saturday Nights.