Silas Rhodes

Silas Rhodes
Silas Rhodes
Born	September 15, 1915; The Bronx, New York City, U.S.
Died	June 27, 2007 (aged 91); Katonah, New York
Occupation	Educator
Known for	Co-founding the School of Visual Arts
Spouse	Beatrice
Children	David, Andrew, Steven, Anthony

Silas H. Rhodes (September 15, 1915 – June 27, 2007) was an American

trade school for illustrators and cartoonists that eventually became the School of Visual Arts

, one of the premier U.S. colleges for art and design.

Early life and education

Rhodes was born and raised in

wholesale egg business and his father worked for the U.S. Post Office as a postal clerk.^[1] Rhodes employed both of his parents in the administrative departments of the School of Visual Arts later in his life.^[1]

Rhodes received his bachelor's degree from

dissertation on poet Robert Burns.^[1]

He originally intended to become an English teacher, not a cartoonist.

Military service

Rhodes enlisted in the

Cartoonists and Illustrators School

, an expansion of Hogarth's Manhattan Academy of Newspaper Art.

Founding the School of Visual Arts

Rhodes and Hogarth (best known for the

liberal arts education with humanities courses, as well as the traditional studio arts classes.^[1]

Rhodes and Hogarth changed the name of the trade school to the School of Visual Arts in 1955.^[1]

McCarthy era

Both Rhodes and Hogarth were summoned to

Washington D.C. in 1956 as part of a United States Senate subcommittee investigation of suspected Communists.^[1] The Senate subcommittee was specifically trying to investigate whether Communist ideology had infiltrated vocational schools which were financed by the federal government, such as the School of Visual Arts.^[1]

Rhodes and Hogarth were asked whether they were members of the Communist Party. Both stated to the Senate that they had not been members of the Communist Party since the founding of the school in 1947.^[1] However, they invoked the Fifth Amendment when asked about Communist involvement prior to the founding of the school.^[1] Senator Joseph McCarthy stated that their refusal to testify proved that both were Communists.^[1]

Rhodes was quoted as saying to McCarthy, "I'll match my record against yours any day in the service. That's a horrible thing to say."^[1] McCarthy responded to Rhodes saying, "I don't doubt a bit you are a full-fledged Communist."^[1]

Silas Rhodes' son, David, later told The New York Times that his father had been a member of the Communist Party, but left in 1936,^[1] well before his military service in World War II or the founding of the school. The Veterans Administration audited the School of Visual Arts as part of their investigation. The government and the school later settled their grievances.

Career

Rhodes served as

president of the School of Visual Arts for six years.^[1] Rhodes guided the school's growth. Under his presidency, the School of Visual Arts became the largest independently run college of art in the country,^[1] with nearly 2,700 students,^[1] well up from its original 35 students.^[1] The school currently enrolls more than 3,300 undergrad and graduate students as of 2007.^[1] Rhodes successfully persuaded the New York State Board of Regents to allow the school to confer a bachelor's degree in fine arts in the 1970s.^[1]

He also worked as a humanities teacher,[1] reflecting his past education at L.I.U. and Columbia University.

Rhodes served as the creative director for one of the signature public projects of the School of Visual Arts. He helped advise and create posters designed by the school's faculty which have been displayed on the New York City Subway system for over 50 years.^[1] The posters are used to recruit potential students and to promote the School of Visual Arts.^[1]

Rhodes remained active at the school as the chairman of the board of directors up until his death in 2007.^[1]

Death

Rhodes died in his sleep at age 91 on June 27, 2007, at his home in Katonah, New York.^[1] He had spent the entire day working in his office.

Rhodes' wife, Beatrice, died in 2002.^[1] They had four children, David, Andrew, Steven and Anthony. However, he was survived by only three sons, David, Steven and Anthony and six grandchildren.^[1] David Rhodes currently serves as president of the School of Visual Arts,^[1] while Anthony P. Rhodes serves as executive vice president.^[2]

Quote

Education is a moral affair and the ultimate concern of the school is with moral values, while society is concerned with such matters indirectly and only occasionally.
— Silas H. Rhodes in 1963^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae ^af ^ag ^ah Kennedy, Randy (2007-06-30). "Silas H. Rhodes Dies at 91; Built School of Visual Arts". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-07-21.
^ Maimin, Sybil. "School of Visual Arts Plans for the Future," Education Update (Nov. 2007).

External links

[nytimes-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae ^af ^ag ^ah Kennedy, Randy (2007-06-30). "Silas H. Rhodes Dies at 91; Built School of Visual Arts". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-07-21.

[2] Maimin, Sybil. "School of Visual Arts Plans for the Future," Education Update (Nov. 2007).

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