Bowling Green State University, Office of the President (Frank J. Prout) records

Frank J. Prout was born in 1883 at Prout’s Station, in north central Oxford Township, Erie County, Ohio. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1906. He taught at Ohio Wesleyan and Zanesville High School until 1914 when he became principal of Chillicothe High School. From 1921-1939 Prout served as the Superintendent of the Sandusky, Ohio City Schools and was a member and president of the BGSU Board of Trustees from 1933-1939.

Prout received honorary degrees from Ohio University (1919), Ohio Wesleyan University (1924), Miami University (1951), and Bowling Green State University (1952).

After his retirement in 1951, Dr. Prout continued to maintain an active interest in the university, serving as an advisor to his successor, Dr. Ralph McDonald, and being continually involved with the university’s landscaping.

Prout's Term as BGSU President

After the unexpected death of President Roy Offenhauer in 1938, Frank J. Prout (1883-1967) was selected to lead BGSU, serving as President from 1939-1951. During his twelve-year tenure as President, Prout guided the campus through the difficult years of WWII and oversaw the development of BGSU as it changed from a teachers' college to a university.

World War II caused the student population to decrease drastically as many students were drafted or enlisted in the military. The deflated enrollment meant the university would not be able to pay its faculty. The most viable solution was to secure government training programs. Under Prout’s leadership, the university was chosen as the site for the Navy College Training Program, also known as the V-12 program. With this program in place, the university's financial problems were almost entirely solved. However, there was a shortage of housing.

Dr. Prout ensured that BGSU would be able to handle the increased housing needs caused by the V-12 program during the war as well as the increased enrollment of the post-war era. He took advantage of legislation that allowed universities to issue bonds for building dormitories. Kohl Hall had been financed in this way under President Offenhauer. As a result, several more dormitories were constructed, including Rodgers Hall, and BGSU was able to handle the population increase, while the number of permanent buildings on campus increased to fifty.

The university's national reputation rose thanks to Dr. Prout’s leadership. The construction of cottage-style housing on campus (also known as fraternity and sorority rows) enticed national Greek organizations to accept local fraternities and sororities as chapter. The Graduate College was also founded during this time. By the time of Prout's retirement, enrollment had nearly quadrupled and the total campus acreage doubled from pre-war figures.