Biddle, Ward Gray, 1891-1946

Indiana University administrator Ward Gray Biddle's political career began in 1930 when he was elected to the Indiana state legislature as a Democratic representative from Monroe County, a position he held for the 1931 General Assembly session. In 1932 he was elected to the State Senate from Brown, Greene, and Monroe Counties and served for two more sessions of the General Assembly (1933 and 1935) and two special sessions (1932 and 1936).

From the description of Ward Gray Biddle Campaign papers, 1932-1933. (Indiana University). WorldCat record id: 706714343

Ward Gray Biddle was born on March 23, 1891, on a farm in Adams Township, Madison County, Indiana. He first came to IU in 1912 as an economics major, and after graduating in 1916 he returned to Madison County and went to work in the banking business. Biddle was married to Dona Ruth Roberts, an IU graduate (B.A. 1929) and teacher from Oxford, Indiana, on June 3, 1917. The couple had two daughters: Elizabeth, born in 1918, and Nancy, born in 1920. In 1923 Biddle returned to the Bloomington, Indiana, campus to take over management of the University Bookstore, first moving it from the basement of the Library to a temporary structure near the center of campus, and from there into custom-designed quarters in the newly constructed Indiana Memorial Union, quarters largely designed by Biddle. That year, 1932, he was elected by the Board of Trustees as the first Director of the Union. He was a life member of both the Association of College Unions and National Association of College Stores.

In 1936 Biddle was promoted to University Comptroller, making him responsible for the financial operations of the entire university. That same year he helped found the I.U. Foundation, serving on its board of directors for years. Following a campus-wide reorganization in 1942 his title was changed to that of vice-president and treasurer, a position he held until his death. During the 1930s and 1940s Biddle oversaw the construction of the buildings for the Schools of Dentistry and Music, Bloomington’s School of Medicine, the Business, Economics, and University School (now the Simon Music Library and Recital Center) buildings, North and West Halls (now Cravens and Edmonson Halls), Beech and Forest Halls (now Morrison and Goodbody Halls), Sycamore Hall, Swain Hall, the Services building (now the School of Journalism), and the Administration building (now Bryan Hall). Probably the most significant addition to the campus during this period was the million-dollar Auditorium finished in 1941.

As head of university financial affairs Biddle was responsible for several innovations in the business administration of Indiana University, including: centralization of purchasing for all departments into one office; establishment of a student fund to provide central banking and uniform accounting systems for students and student groups; creation of a Safety Department; establishment of the Personnel Division for non-academic personnel; expansion of the staff group insurance plan; creation of the non-academic staff retirement program; and establishment of a central storeroom for the supplies of all departments.

Biddle’s political career began in 1930 when he was elected to the Indiana state legislature as a Democratic representative from Monroe County, a position he held for the 1931 General Assembly session. In 1932 he was elected to the State Senate from Brown, Greene, and Monroe Counties and served for two more sessions of the General Assembly (1933 and 1935) and two special sessions (1932 and 1936). During these years he served on numerous committees, including County and Township Business and Military Affairs as a representative, and Judiciary C, Libraries and Public Buildings, Mines and Mining, and Railroads, Banks and Trust Companies as a senator. He also served as chairman of the Committees on Education and Finance.

During World War II Biddle worked to make Indiana University a part of the war effort and was instrumental in executing the emergency housing program implemented following the return of many veterans to campus in 1945. Ward Biddle passed away on May 28, 1946.

From the guide to the Ward Gray Biddle Campaign papers, 1932-1933, (Indiana University Office of University Archives and Records Management http://www.libraries.iub.edu/archives)