Frank Whitney
Title
Frank Whitney
Biographical Text
A tireless worker in the community in which he lived, Frank Whitney was a businessman who believed in the importance of education, and who therefore supported it in all forms, including Dickinson State.
His management of the J. C. Penney store, one of the early stores in that chain, inculcated in him a vision which included educated workers and thriving communities. He was one of the co-signers of the notes which provided money for the completion of May Hall when that building was being erected in the early 1920s. Following that, he worked with a group of citizens to raise money to buy the first auditorium seats for May Hall Auditorium.
In the early days of the college he was one of the men who met the trains and transported students to and from the college. His service the college included membership on the Dickinson State College Lay Advisory Board.
Always active in the community, Whitney served on the Dickinson School Board, and served as President of the Dickinson Chamber of Commerce as well as Mayor of Dickinson. When he served as President of the Park Board, he recognized the need for an outdoor swimming pool for the citizens of the city, and so he built and equipped Whitney Municipal Swimming Pool. His activities reached across the state with his service as President of the Western North Dakota Reclamation Association and his service on the State Board of Higher Education.
A substantial gift to the college, bequeathed in his will, provided the basis for the erection of Whitney Stadium. As a result, the edifice is named "The Frank Whitney Stadium," and thousands of young students, as well as hundreds upon hundreds of area visitors, enjoy the opportunity to view a football game, or cheer on track and field contenders, or delight in watching a spectacle for which there would be no other venue. This man of good will, will be remembered as a friend of Dickinson State by everyone who relishes activity on campus.
His management of the J. C. Penney store, one of the early stores in that chain, inculcated in him a vision which included educated workers and thriving communities. He was one of the co-signers of the notes which provided money for the completion of May Hall when that building was being erected in the early 1920s. Following that, he worked with a group of citizens to raise money to buy the first auditorium seats for May Hall Auditorium.
In the early days of the college he was one of the men who met the trains and transported students to and from the college. His service the college included membership on the Dickinson State College Lay Advisory Board.
Always active in the community, Whitney served on the Dickinson School Board, and served as President of the Dickinson Chamber of Commerce as well as Mayor of Dickinson. When he served as President of the Park Board, he recognized the need for an outdoor swimming pool for the citizens of the city, and so he built and equipped Whitney Municipal Swimming Pool. His activities reached across the state with his service as President of the Western North Dakota Reclamation Association and his service on the State Board of Higher Education.
A substantial gift to the college, bequeathed in his will, provided the basis for the erection of Whitney Stadium. As a result, the edifice is named "The Frank Whitney Stadium," and thousands of young students, as well as hundreds upon hundreds of area visitors, enjoy the opportunity to view a football game, or cheer on track and field contenders, or delight in watching a spectacle for which there would be no other venue. This man of good will, will be remembered as a friend of Dickinson State by everyone who relishes activity on campus.
Collection
Citation
“Frank Whitney ,” Dickinson State University Archive, accessed April 18, 2024, https://www.dsuarchive.com/items/show/38.