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TOWER
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Winter 2016
KEMP BUILDING
ALVIN F. KEMP ’98, ’00
(1876—1961)
The former superintendent of
schools for Berks County, Kemp
served as a trustee to the college
for 25 years. He graduated from
the elementary course at KSNS in
1898 and the scientific course in
1900. He taught in Longswamp,
District and Washington Townships
before taking the county post. He
died July 5, 1961. The building, which
was built to educate special educa-
tion teachers, was named in his
honor August 25 of the same year.
JOHN B. WHITE HOUSE
JOHN B. WHITE ’47
(1920—1980)
White was a 1947 graduate of KSTC.
He taught and coached football
at Muhlenberg High School until
1958 when he was named dean of
men at KSTC. White spent 22 years
at Kutztown serving as athletic
director, director of student affairs,
assistant to the president and his-
tory professor. He died in 1980. The
John B. White House was named in
his memory Oct. 20, 1984 when it
opened as a residence hall. Origi-
nally built as the school’s infirmary
it was converted to the art depart-
ment building in 1937 and then a
student center in 1960. In 2001, the
space was renovated and opened as
the university’s Multicultural Center,
which it remains today.
ROTHERMEL HALL
AMOS C. ROTHERMEL ’86
(1864—1946)
Rothermel was born in 1864 in nearby Richmond Township and graduated
from KSNS in 1886. He graduated from Franklin and Marshall College in 1891.
He was so talented in his studies that he was able to teach United States
history at KSNS while earning his degree. Immediately upon graduation he
was elected vice principal of KSNS and rose to the rank of principal in 1899.
He would lead the school through its transition to the degree-granting KSTC
in 1928, and retired in 1934 after 43 years of service to his alma mater. During
his tenure the school graduated more than 6,000 students. Rothermel
died in 1946 at the age of 82. Rothermel Hall was dedicated in his name
in October 1960.
ANDRE REED STADIUM
ANDRE REED ’05
(1964—)
Andre Reed ’05 was a wide receiver for 16 seasons with the Buffalo Bills and
played with the Golden Bears from 1980—1984. He was drafted in the fourth
round of the 1985 NFL draft. Reed returned to complete his degree at KU in
2005. In August 2014 he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
and Andre Reed Stadium was named in his honor in October 2014. For the
complete story, see the winter 2015 issue of the
Tower
Magazine.
RICKENBACH RESEARCH AND LEARNING CENTER
MARY EDNA RICKENBACH ’12
(1892—1984)
Rickenbach was born Dec. 2, 1892, in
Ontelaunee Township, Berks County,
Pa. After graduating from West
Leesport High School in 1909, she
attended KSNS for three years,
graduating in 1912.
In 1919, she was named supervisor
of primary grades in Keystone’s model
school, where she worked to reorganize
it and rename it the Training School. In the fall of 1922,
Rickenbach became the director of training at KSNS before
taking a brief hiatus during which she acquired her bache-
lor’s degree from the Columbia University Teacher’s College.
Upon her return to Kutztown she was named the acting dean
of women and the head of the sociology and psychology
department. Rickenbach earned her master’s degree from
Columbia in 1938 and soon after was named the dean of
women. Honored as a leader in education, Rickenbach
retired in 1962 after 42 years of service to KSNS, KSTC and KSC. The Ricken-
bach Research and Learning Center was dedicated in her honor on May 24,
1969. She died Dec. 1, 1984, just one day shy of her 92nd birthday.
Mary E. Rickenbach ’12