Roger Howell Jr. (1969–1978)

Roger Howell Jr. (Bowdoin 1958) who served as Bowdoin College's tenth president (1969-1978), was born on July 3, 1936, in Baltimore, Maryland and prepared for college at Gilman School. After graduating from Bowdoin, he went to England in 1960 as a Rhodes Scholar, and earned a Ph.D. from St. John's College Oxford (1964). Howell Returned to Bowdoin as Assistant Professor of History and Government (1964-1965), becoming Professor of History in 1968, a position he held until his death in 1989. As Professor of History he focused on Elizabethan and Cromwellian British History. Howell was acting Dean of the College (1968-1969) and President of Bowdoin College (1969-1978).

During his administration, Bowdoin implemented programs in Africana Studies and Environmental Studies, inaugurated a Twelve-College Exchange Program with other liberal arts institutions, and eliminated the requirement of College Board Exams for admission. Also, during Howell's presidency, the College became coeducational and expanded its enrollment from 950 to 1350 students.

Howell was the author of "Newcastle Upon Tyne and the Puritan Revolution" (1967), "Sir Phillip Sidney: The Shepherd Knight" (1968), "The Origins of the English Revolution" (1975), and "Cromwell" (1977). Howell served as the executive secretary of the New England Conference on British Studies (1967-1969) and edited the Anglo-American Association's British Studies Monitor.

Howell married Marcia Lunt on June 11, 1966. They had two children, Tracy Howell and Christopher Howell. Howell died on September 27, 1989 in Portland.

Painting credit: Bowdoin College Museum of Art, Brunswick, Maine. Commissioned by Bowdoin College; Transferred to Museum Collection, 1980