Cranbrook Educational Community
Without the vision and money of the founders, the community drifted. The Cranbrook Foundation continued to supply funds but escalating costs and financial crisis led to the need for a restructuring of Cranbrook and greater centralization. In 1973, Cranbrook Educational Community was formed. Cranbrook, Kingswood and Brookside schools were merged with the Art Academy and Science Institute into one non profit institution with a Board of Trustees; five autonomous and disparate institutions became known as CEC. Three Boards of Governors for the schools; art; and science continued to be involved with the advancement and development of their respective institutions or, what became known as, ‘divisions’. From the beginning, confusion and contradiction seemed to exist; evident in my appointment.
During the interview process, I met with the Board of Governors; faculty; students; staff; and alumni. Arthur Kiendel was the President of CEC; a paid appointee who reported to the Trustees. He negotiated my contract and salary and offered me the position of President of the Academy. That same day in April 1977, I met with Chairman Ernie Jones and the executive committee of the Academy Governors; as far as I was concerned I reported to them?! At my first Academy Board meeting, Ernie told the governors that I was now in charge; they were to listen to me; and, if I made a mistake, “my head was on the block”. He was great as chair; as were his successors Pat Hartmann and Les Rose. I was fortunate to have the best of governors, supportive and generous.
I never did like centralization in any form. At Cranbrook, the original purpose was to share services and support the educational institutions. Almost immediately, the purpose of support became intent to control; “power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. Services were not shared but centralized; absolutely wrong for institutions with different constituents, disciplines and missions. I will not go into detail; suffice to say that I made my views known to the CEC Trustees. At a Trustees Board meeting, I made a written statement, a matter of record and in the minutes. I was against centralization; particularly the loss of autonomy and independence for the three separate divisions. I shared my concerns, objectively and openly, but assured the Trustees that I would continue to work within the system and under their ultimate authority. Lillian Bauder, appointed the fourth President of CEC in 1984, strongly advocated the centralization of authority and power. Indeed, she was to be described in celebatory remarks by a colleague, at a community party in her honor, as a “control freak”. Over the years, my relationship with Lillian was complex and convoluted; we agreed to disagree! I had established myself within the community and, by press and public, seemed highly regarded. Lillian was a newcomer but, to all intents and purposes, she was ‘my boss’. We met and had an open and honest ‘face to face’ confrontation in which I voiced my concerns. Lillian and I agreed; I would publically support her and, in return, she would leave me alone. In regard to centralization, in her words, “there was a circle drawn around the Academy”. With that understanding, we worked fairly well together for the benefit and advancement of the community. We shared a common commitment to Cranbrook and, fortunately, a sense of humor that served us well. One of the issues that we discussed was public access to the community; jokingly, we referrred to "the public and private parts" of Cranbrook! We worked, met, travelled and talked together on many matters common to the community. Through exhibitions and publications, I brought further recognition and acclaim to Cranbrook; in 1986, Lillian presented a community planning document for new buildings and future programs; appropriately named “The Cranbrook Vision”.
Renowned architects were chosen for buildings throughout the community. On Woodward Avenue, Dan Hoffman designed a new and contemporary entrance for the community; Peter Rose renovated and added to Brookside School in 1996; Stephen Holl designed the 1998 addition to the Institute of Science; Tod Williams and Billie Tsien were responsible for the 1999 Natatorium at the Cranbrook Schools; and, in 2002, the Academy’s New Studios, designed by Rafael Moneo, were dedicated. The architects were aware of the architectural heritage of the community and respectful of the achievement and genius of the original architect, Eliel Saarinen.
On my last day at Cranbrook, in late November 1994, I went to see the Personnel Officer about mailing my future salary checks. He knew nothing about this; I asked Lillian Bauder to join us at our meeting. Lillian confirmed that my tenure was through the following June. I said that I was looking forward to my sabbatical. Immediately, Lillian corrected me, “No, you are on vacation; this is not a sabbatical. As of tomorrow, you are no longer President of the Academy. I will be the only President of Cranbrook!” From that day onward, there was only one President at Cranbrook. I left in a time of turmoil with lawsuits, accusations, rumors, recriminations and lies swirling around the community. My successor, named ‘director’ of the Academy, was a woman architect from Argentina and lasted less than a year; she left with a generous settlement. I had nothing to do with that appointment; the choice and decision was made by Lillian Bauder who resigned in 1996. Two years earlier, I was awarded the Founders Medal; Lillian and I made statements, published under ‘Legacy’. Her kind words of my years at Cranbrook will suffice, as will my reply; no more needs to be said. Cranbrook Educational Community continues to flourish with successful Capital Campaigns, evidence of ongoing commitment and support.
Cranbrook: an early aerial view with Art Museum in the foreground; Kingswood Lake and Girls School above.