Dean of the Faculty Records (Winton Tolles)

Winton Tolles (1906-80) -- H.C. Class of 1928 -- H.C. Dean of the Faculty: 1947-72 -- Winton Tolles was born in Bridgeport, CT on 12 December, 1906, and died in Utica, NY, on 18 November, 1980. After graduating from Hamilton College with the class of 1928, Tolles taught at Brewster High School for one year and returned to Hamilton to earn his M.A. in 1931. After completing two years of doctoral work at Columbia University (he would complete his Ph.D. in 1940), Tolles briefly taught at Bound Brook High School in NJ (1933), and then became Professor of English at Washington College in Chestertown, MD, a position he held for eight years. Tolles left Washington College to accept a commission as a lieutenant in the United States navy Reserve in 1942. He was discharged in 1945 and, after teaching briefly at New York University and Hamilton College, took a position as the first Dean and Chief Executive of Utica College at Syracuse University during its charter year, 1946-1947. Tolles was appointed Dean of Hamilton College in September, 1947 and continued in that position until his retirement in 1972. He subsequently served as the assistant to the president of Delaware Valley College in PA, and was named president of the college in 1974, but only held the position for one year. A devoted member of the Hamilton College community, Tolles was the first winner of the Hamilton College Alumni Council Bell-Ringer Award in 1970 for his service and dedication to the college.