John Raney Bertrand: President 1956-1979
Upon the recommendation of William McChesney Martin Jr., the Berry College Board of Trustees elected John Raney Bertrand president of Berry in May 1956. Dr. Bertrand, who had been serving as dean and director of the Max C. Fleischmann College of Agriculture at the University of Nevada, Reno, arrived at Berry in August 1956. He and his family soon became fixtures on the Berry landscape.
A native Texan, Dr. Bertrand held B.S. and M.S. degrees from Texas Technological College and a Ph.D. from Cornell University. After spending a few years farming, Dr. Bertrand taught in the sociology department at Sam Houston State Teacher’s College in Texas, where he also served as acting dean of men. In addition, he worked at the University of Missouri, Texas A&M and as a consultant to five junior colleges in Texas. Dr. Bertrand was a decorated veteran of World War II, having served as a submarine officer in the Pacific.
Dr. Bertrand’s education and experiences enabled him to be the strong leader Berry needed. During his years on campus, academic programs were strengthened and the school’s ongoing efforts at accreditation finally were realized. Dr. Bertrand abolished uniform requirements, mandatory chapel attendance and modified the work requirement. In addition, admissions requirements were expanded so that students from non-rural areas could attend the schools. Large scale improvements in Berry’s physical plant, including the addition of a student center, men’s dormitory and new administration building, were other hallmarks of his tenure. Dr. Bertrand successfully steered the schools through the potentially turbulent waters of integration and the Vietnam era. His time at Berry, although not without tumult, was known for the successful leadership that he brought to the institution.
Dr. Bertrand retired Dec. 31, 1979, but served as a consultant to the schools for several months longer. Dr. and Mrs. Bertrand enjoyed their retirement years, eventually moving to North Carolina to live near their son, Tom. Dr. Bertrand passed away Feb. 28, 2002, in Asheville, N.C. He is buried at Arlington Cemetery.