Bowling Green State University, Office of the President (Homer B. Williams) records

Homer Williams was born to John and Mary (Secrest) Williams on October 16, 1865, in Mt. Ephraim, Ohio. After graduating from high school, Williams entered Ohio Northern and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He continued his education at Baldwin-Wallace and completed graduate degrees there and at Columbia University in New York City. While a student at Ohio Northern, Williams met his future wife, Cora Brewer. The two were married in 1890 and had four children: Lloyd, John, Elbert and Mary Elizabeth.

Williams’ career as a teacher started in 1885, in rural and village schools. He was superintendent of schools at Dunkirk, Ohio from 1887 to 1889. He served successively in similar capacities at other Ohio school districts, including Caldwell (1889-1892), Kenton (1892-1894) and Cambridge (1894-1898), before being appointed as superintendent at Sandusky. In May 1912 he accepted the position of president of the newly organized normal college in Bowling Green, Ohio. Williams remained president of BGSU until his retirement in 1937. He was then named as head of the Bureau of Alumni Relations and returned as interim president in 1938 when his successor, Roy Offenhauer, was killed in an automobile accident. He stepped down when President Frank Prout was hired in 1939.

Williams and his wife were actively involved in the Bowling Green community. Williams took a leadership role within the community, specifically the Methodist Church, Kiwanis, the Town and Gown Club, and the Chamber of Commerce. Williams died on September 22, 1943 and his wife died September 5, 1954.

Williams Term as BGSU President

Homer B. Williams served as the first President of Bowling Green State University from 1912-1937 and interim president for part of 1938-1939. When Williams retired as president, BGSU had grown from a normal school to a state university, with an original faculty of 15 to one numbering over 100, and a student enrollment of 153 to one of over 1,800. The campus had also grown, from the original Administration Building to nine buildings.