Gillette, Guy M. (Guy Mark), 1879-1973

Guy Mark Gillette was born in Cherokee, Iowa, February 3, 1879. After attending public schools, Gillette served as a sergeant in the Fifty-second Iowa Regiment of the US Army during the Spanish-American War, from May 25 until October 30, 1898. He returned to school and graduated from Drake University in Des Moines in 1900. After being admitted to the bar, he established practice in Cherokee. Gillette was City Attorney of Cherokee in 1906 and 1907, prosecuting attorney of Cherokee County from 1907 until 1909, and a member of the Iowa State Senate from 1912 until 1916. He married Rose Freeman in June of 1907. During the First World War, Gillette served as a captain in the Army's Forty-ninth Regulars, from November of 1917 until March of 1919. After the war, Gillette returned to Cherokee, left law and became involved in dairy farming. In 1932, Gillette was elected to Congress, and re-elected in 1934. In 1936, he was elected to the U. S. Senate and served there until 1944. In 1945, Gillette served as the chairman of the Surplus Property Board and then became president of the American League for a Free Palestine, where he served until 1948. In 1949, Gillette was again elected to the United States Senate, and served until 1955. Gillette then worked as counsel with the Senate Post Office and Civil Service committee until 1956, and with the Judiciary Committee until 1961. Guy M. Gillette died on March 3, 1973. Just after World War II, William "Del" Stelck began his teaching career in Southern California. In 1956, he and 31 other instructors became the founding faculty members of San Fernando Valley State College, where he served as the first dean of social sciences and helped to organize many of the school's academic departments. He was recognized with the school's "Outstanding Teacher Award" and its "Creativity Award." The school later became known as California State University at Northridge. Stelck retired from the History faculty in 1987, and was presented with the Emeriti Merit Award in 2002. He died in 2004.