Kenneth Gilmore Ryder (April 30, 1924 – October 29, 2012) was the 4th president of Northeastern University, a post he held from 1975 to 1989. Ryder began his career in education as a history teacher in 1949 and moved into administration in 1955. As president of Northeastern, he contributed to the growth of the student population to nearly 50,000 students, a $43 million fund-raising drive, and the construction of nine campus buildings.
Early life
Kenneth (Ken) Ryder was born on April 30, 1924, in Brockton, Massachusetts, to Russell Gilmore Ryder and Etta Carr Ryder. Russell Ryder (September 2, 1892 – January 25, 1965) was a veteran of World War I, serving in the 312th Field Signal Battalion as a signal officer in France during the war. Russell had learned the telegraph trade from his father and uncles who were all telegraph officers. For many years, Russell was a payroll officer for the C.S. Pierce Shoe Company, in Brockton, Massachusetts. During World War II, Russell Ryder put his telegraph skills to work again and was employed by the Submarine Signal Company of Boston helping with the war effort. Russell married Etta Coffin Carr (Dec. 19, 1888 – May 11, 1986) on July 19, 1921. Etta grew up in Brockton, Massachusetts, and graduated from Brockton High School in 1904. Etta and Russell had one child, Kenneth, in 1924.
Ken Ryder was a good student throughout his early years, excelling in history and public speaking. His public speaking ability was something that was honed as a part of the debate team and this was a skill that was admired throughout his lifetime. Ryder graduated from Brockton High School in 1940, giving the graduation address, and was named an Augustus Howe Buck Fellow, which included a full scholarship to Boston University. Ryder became the first in his family to attend college. (In later years his father received a law degree by correspondence, and Russell had hoped that Ken would go on to become a lawyer as well). Ryder once said, “My father thought law was the ideal profession, and it was there I set my sights."Antoinette Frederick, Coming of Age: The Ryder Years. Northeastern University Press, 1995.
But without the scholarship, there would have been no college and that fact shaped Ryder’s view of higher education for the rest of his life. "My father had lost his job, and I was working after school and summers to help out. I wanted to go to Harvard or Boston University, but I'd pretty much given up the idea of college at all. It was a teacher who urged me to apply to BU and it accepted me. Still, that wouldn't have been possible without the award. The fellowship shaped my view about the importance of helping people – whatever their financial background – to get a college education so they can develop their potential."
Ryder majored in History at Boston University and for the next six years, Ryder remained an August Buck Fellow, earning an A.B. from Boston University in 1946 and an M.A. from Harvard in 1947. His undergraduate studies took six years to complete because they were interrupted by the outbreak of World War II.
Navy Service
Moved by the invasion of Pearl Harbor, Ryder signed up for the naval reserves a month after the attack, and enlisted in the Navy on December 10, 1942, at the age of 18. He took a leave from his junior year at Boston University and undertook months of naval training before being deployed to the Pacific. Training included a 32-week officer training class at Harvard University where he learned celestial navigation and naval communication. (From 1942–1943, Harvard University provided full-time instruction to Army and Navy servicemen who were part of the Army Specialized Training and the Navy V-12 Programs which were designed to supplement the force of commissioned officers in the United States Navy during World War II).
From the V-12 program, most of the Navy candidates went on to a four-month course at a reserve midshipmen's school, an indoctrination school for officers. Ryder’s four-month training was held at Camp MacDonough Midshipman School in Plattsburgh, NY. After leaving Camp MacDonough, Ryder was assigned as a naval officer on the USS Landing Craft Infantry (Large) 803 [(LCI (L) 803].
World War II
In 1944 Ryder went into active service as a communications officer on the LCI(L) 803, a landing craft bound for the Pacific theater which would participate in the landing at Okinawa. There were three officers and twenty-five enlisted men in the original crew of the LCI(L) 803. On August 20, 1944, Ryder and the rest of the ship’s crew completed its training and received orders to report to New York for the outfitting and commissioning of LCI (L) 803.
The following is an excerpt of the History of the LCI (L) 803 compiled by William F. Confalone: A full history of the LCI (L) 803's service in World War II can be found at: http://www.navsource.net/archives/10/15/150803h.htm
“On Saturday, September 2, 1944, after a thorough inspection of the ship by the prospective Commanding Officer, the crew was mustered on the gun deck. Lt. Comdr. J.A. Jordan read his orders from the Chief of Naval Operations to accept the USS LCI (L) 803 for the Navy and placed the ship in full commission. ...
On December 7 the LCI (L) 803 reported to San Pedro, California, where at the Craig Shipbuilding she was converted to an LCI (M). With conversion to a mortar ship, the 803’s complement was increased. Twenty-five new enlisted men were received aboard in the last two weeks of December. Final preparations for going to sea were completed in early January. On January 6, 1945, this ship departed from San Pedro, California for Pearl Harbor, T.H. in company with eleven other LCI’s. ...
The 803’s first action was in support of the landing operations at Purple Beach on Zamami Shima. The landing was successful and little enemy opposition was observed. On the 27th. this ship supported the attack on Takashiki Shima. The results were the same. On the second day considerably more accuracy was attained with the mortar fire. The assigned target area was blanketed with hits.
On the morning of April 7. the 803 was proceeding in Nago Wan to join the other ships of her division. Shortly after 0400 a Japanese aircraft dive-bombed the ship from directly ahead. The heavy bomb exploded less than 50 years off the port quarter of the ship. No casualties were suffered....
On April 28. the ship was again dive-bombed, again without suffering damage. The bombing occurred while the 803 was on patrol near Ie Shima. The bomb struck the water 75 to 100 yards astern. On the 29th. of April the 803 discontinued the active patrolling and took an anchored screening station in the anchorage south of Ie Shima. Throughout May and until June 14. she remained on this duty. Some of the bitterest air attacks occurred during the first weeks of May. The gun crews were often at their stations throughout most of the night. Numerous Kamikaze plane attacks were made in the vicinity of Ie Shima. Most LCI’s escaped such attacks however because of their small size and the presence in the area of more desirable targets....
The men aboard the 803 were awaiting orders to invade Japan when the City of Hiroshima was bombed on August 7, 1945. As a result, "The 803 was released from duty at Okinawa on August 13. and returned to Leyte for necessary repairs and equally necessary relaxation for the men. The stay at Leyte was cut short by the official end of the war. The 803 returned to Okinawa on September 6. to prepare for the coming occupation of China. The trip to Okinawa was difficult one as the ships sailed into the path of a typhoon. Considerable time was lost and several days of rough weather were experienced. A second typhoon was ridden out in Buckner Bay a week after arriving at the island. The ship survived the second typhoon with little damage except the loss of two anchors. ...
The 803 left Okinawa in convoy on September 25. en route to Taku Bay, China. The First Marines were landed in the Tientsin area on September 30. and the 803 participated in landing troops during the first week of October. ...At the end of the month of November the 803 discontinued her duty as a liberty ship and on order made ready for sea." Ryder returned with the 803 to the United States, mustering out as a Lieutenant junior grade in 1946.
As stated by Antoinette Fredrick in her book on the history of Northeastern University, Coming of Age: The Ryder Years, “The war had brought the young lieutenant into firsthand contact with one of the momentous conflicts of western civilization, and this, along with American history, became the focus of his academic career. 'It also made me realize I never wanted to fight with anyone," he was to say later. "I've seldom met anyone I didn't like and no one that I ever wanted to get mad at. The war confirmed that sense in me – that issues can be settled by discussion.'" This became the defining character trait that guided his life—placid, thoughtful and unflappable, Ryder seldom argued or raised his voice, but could stand his ground and calmly debate the issues that mattered to him.
Military Awards and Medal
Ryder was awarded a star for participation in the Asiatic-Pacific Area, and a star for the Philippine Liberation. He also awarded for the American Area and the World War II victory.
Work at Northeastern University
After returning from World War II, Ryder returned to BU where he graduated with a BA in history in 1946. Ryder then enrolled in a Masters Program in History at Harvard University.
While working on his masters, Ryder began teaching at Cambridge Junior College and in 1949, accepted a position at Northeastern University as a history and government instructor. He was a well-liked professor, full of enthusiasm for learning, and for the needs of his students. Ryder often spent a good deal of time with his students, counseling them on academic and non-academic matters, and he was widely admired for his love of history and relaxed, but effective manner in the classroom. In 1953 he was promoted to assistant professor and then to associate professor in 1956. In the following year, Ryder began to take on more administrative roles at the University first serving as faculty advisor of the freshman class and as Secretary to the faculty. In 1958, Ryder gave up the teaching side of his responsibilities altogether and was named Dean of Administration (1958–1966). In 1967 he became Vice President of University Administration (1967–1970), and Executive Vice President in 1971. 1975, largely due to his knowledge of the university administration and its procedures, his affection for the needs of the student body, and his close ties to the faculty, Ryder was named the fourth president of Northeastern by the Board of Trustees after the retirement of Asa Knowles.